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 39
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On February 22, 1853, Captain Sweney married Mary Ingraham, who died January 28, 1856, leaving one child, a daughter named Hester A., who married William Savidge and had one daughter, Mary S. In 1873 he was again married, wedding Jane E. Taylor, a danghter of John H. Tay- lor, of West Chester. By this second mar- riage he has three danghters: Carrie M., Sarah T. and Catherine D.
Politically Captain Sweney has always been a republican, and after coming out of the army served for some time as deputy collector of internal revenue for this dis- trict. He and his family are members of the Reformed Episcopal church, and liberal in their support of all church interests. He is a member of General McCall Post, No. 31, Grand Army of the Republic, has been identified with the Masonic order for over thirty-two years, being now a member of West Chester Lodge, No. 322, Free and Accepted Masons.
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
M ARY SPARKES WHEELER, au-
thor, poet and preacher, was born near Tinton abbey, England, June 21, 1835. When six years of age she came to the United States with her parents and settled in Binghamton, New York, where her childhood and youth were spent. Bishop Newman, of Washing- ton, District of Columbia, speaking of her father, represents him as "a man of sturdy piety and heroic faith, with robust intellect and large culture, whose familiarity with great authors, dead and living, enables him to give to the world rare books."
Mrs. Wheeler holds among her treasures an autograph letter received by her father from Mr. Gladstone, of England, in com- mendation of one of his works. Her mother was a woman of clear intellect, refined sen- sibilities and devoted to her family and her church.
One of Mrs. Wheeler's sisters, Miss Fan- nie J. Sparkes, spent twenty years in India as a missionary, first as president of a large orphanage and boarding school in Bareilly, and later founded a home for high caste women in Muttra.
In childhood Mrs. Wheeler showed great fondness for books, nearly always being at the head of her classes. When very small her teachers took delight in "showing her off" on all important occasions in mathe- matics and astronomy. These studies were her especial delight. In composition she excelled, and began writing for the press at a very early age. In former years she wrote more poetry than prose, and is author of a volume entitled "Poems for the Fire- side," published by Walden & Stowe, Cin- cinnati, Ohio. Some of these poems have been republished and extensively used by elocutionists, especially her "Charge of the Rum Brigade,"
The lamented P. P. Bliss, Profs. Sweeney, Kirkpatrick, and others, have set inany of her poems to music. By request of Prof. Sweeney, who composed the music, she wrote the two well known soldiers' decoration hymns, "Peacefully Rest" and "Scatter Loves' Beautiful Garlands above Them." These are known throughout the nation. Previous to her marriage to Rev. Henry Wheeler (see his sketch ), which occurred April 13, 1858, she was principal of the largest school in the city of Binghamton.
Never were husband and wife more united in heart, in life, and purpose-each a help- meet for the other. After her marriage, for many years her time was given mostly to her children, who were in delicate health, having inherited frail constitutions. Of the seven born to them but three now survive.
Mrs. Wheeler has an innate love for the beautiful-is a lover of art. She has spent much time with her pencil and brush, and has in her possession a diploma awarded her for the best crayons and oil paintings at a State exhibition. Her home is a bower of beauty, decorated largely with the work of her own hands. Her china painting has at- tracted much attention by the lovers of art in Philadelphia.
The New York daily Tribune, in August, 1890, said: "Mrs. Mary Sparkes Wheeler is one of the prominent workers at Ocean Grove. She is the author of three books: 'The First Decade of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society,' ' Modern Cosmogony and the Bible,' and 'Poems for the Fire- side -and is an industrions contributor to periodical literature. She is president of the Philadelphia branch of the Woman's Foreign Missionary society of the Methodist Episcopal church, and has for ten years had supervision of this work in two States-
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Pennsylvania and Delaware. She is also National evangelist of the Woman's Chris- tian Temperance union, and a member of the National Lecture bureau in Chicago, Illinois. Her special delight is in preaching and conducting evangelistic services. Here she is at her best, and is eminently success- ful. She has spoken in many of the largest churches in the land, from Boston, east, to Lincoln, Nebraska, west. She has also ad- dressed large audiences in the open air in such summer resorts as Thousand Island park and Ocean Grove. She is an eloquent and forcible speaker, of medinm height, dignified in bearing, refined in manner, with a clear, strong voice, and never fails to win and hold her audiences. When not en- gaged in public speaking she is busy with her pen, preparing another volume which will soon be ready for the press."
W ILLIAM BROWER, M. D., a worthy
descendant of two old and honorable families of Chester county, and one of the most active public men of Spring City, is a man who stands high in the medical profession, and enjoys a very extensive practice in eastern Chester and western Montgomery counties. He is a son of Gilbert and Lydia (Urner) Brower, and was born in East Coventry township, Ches- ter county, Pennsylvania, February 25, 1842.
The first ancestor of Dr. William Brower in this country, on the paternal side, Henry Brower, who was born February 14, 1720, and died October 14, 1784, came originally from Holland about the year 1740, and settled along the river Schuylkill, in what is now East Coventry township, in Chester county. He was a man of considerable local prominence, as the early colonial
records show. He was twice married, hav- ing seven children, five sons and two daugh- ters. Abraham, the eldest of the five sons, born April 1, 1745, and died October 21, 1805, was the father of ten children, two sons and eight daughters. He was a pros- perous farmer and an active and consistent member of the Mennonite church. Henry Brower, one of the two sons, who was born September 29, 1785, and died April 23, 1833, was the grandfather of Dr. William Brower, the subject of this biography. Henry Brower, grandfather of Dr. Brower, had seven children, six sons and one daugh- ter. One of these sons, Gilbert Brower (father), was born on the old ancestral farm, February 5, 1815, and died December 18, 1890, when well advanced in the seventy- sixth year of his age. He was a life-long resident of East Coventry township, except- ing a few years in earlier life spent in Berks county. He was a farmer by occu- pation, and a whig and republican in poli- ties, and during the early days of the agitation of the slavery question was a prominent and pronounced abolitionist. An early and earnest friend of the temperance movement, he strongly sympathized in his latter years with every effort looking toward the complete prohibition of the liquor traffic.
He was was a useful member of the Brethren's church, and married Lydia Ur- ner, by whom he had five children, three sons and two daughters: Harrison, the eldest, who died February 15, 1877; Dr. William; Rev. Isaac U. (see his sketch ) : Sallie, who died June 29, 1888; and Eliza- beth, who died in early childhood. Dr. William Brower, on his maternal side, traces his ancestry back six generations, to Ulrich Urner, a member of the patriotic, honor-
Dr. William Blower.
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
able, and celebrated Urner family of Can- ton Uri, in Switzerland, whose inhabitants were called Urners, which fact is stated in Schiller's " Wilhelm Tell." Ulrich Urner was driven out of Switzerland by the religious persecution of 1672, and settled in the then province of Alsace, France, from which his three sons, John, Bishop Martin, and Jacob, came to Pennsylvania about 1708. Jolin died, unmarried, in 1743. Bishop Martin Urner and his wife were two of the first six persons baptized by the Brethren in America. They were baptized in the Wissahickon, at Philadel- phia, in 1723, and during the next year removed to Chester county, where he or- ganized the Coventry Brethren church, over which he presided as preacher and bishop until his death in 1755. The third brother, Jacob Urner, died in 1744, at an early age, in Montgomery county, and left three chil- dren : Elizabeth, Hester, and Bishop Mar- tin, who purchased the farm of his unele, the first Bishop Urner, and married Barbara Switzer. He left four children : Martin, Jonas, Mary, and Elizabeth. Martin, the eldest son, who was born in 1762, and died in 1838, married Barbara Baugh, and left four sons : John, Daniel, Israel, and Jacob. John Urner, the eldest son, was born in 1784, and died in 1827. He married Susan- nah Grubb, and after her death wedded Elizabeth Grubb. by whom he had two children : Isaac N., president of "Missis- sippi college" from 1851 to 1867; and Lydia, who married Gilbert Brower, and was the mother of Dr. William Brower. Lydia Brower (mother) was born Decem- ber 20, 1818, and died December 28, 1881.
The boyhood days of William Brower were spent on the paternal acres. He ro- ceived his academie education at Oakdale
and Freeland seminaries, and in 1861 entered the Millersville State Normal school, where he was in attendance in 1862 and 1863, at which time he was a member of the senior class. He taught school for six terms, and in the spring of 1865 made choice of the medical profession as a life vocation. He read medicine with Dr. A. R. Savidge, of Parker Ford, and entered Jefferson Medical college of Philadelphia, from which old and well known institution he was grad- uated on March 9, 1867. Immediately after gradnation he came to Spring City, where he has been engaged ever since in the active and successful practice of his chosen pro- fession. He is a member of the Brethren's church. On September 18, 1869, Dr.Brower was united in marriage with Sallie M. Kendall, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Kendall, of Linfield, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Dr. and Mrs. Brower have one child, a daughter named Blanche. In politics Dr. Brower is a prohibitionist. 1le is an earnest friend of popular education, has served continuously for twenty-five years as a member of his borough school board, and has been largely instrumental in building up the public schools of Spring City, until they are now among the best in the county, and compare favorably with those of any town in the State. He has served almost continuonsly either as presi- dent or secretary of the board. A man of energy and activity, he has always taken interest and part in every enterprise or movement that wonkl benefit his borough or county. le is a director of the National bank of Spring City, president of the Spring City Foundry association, president of Oak Grove Cemetery association, and president of the Spring City Building and Loan associ- ation. Such confidence is reposed in him,
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
and such high opinion entertained of his business as well as professional ability, that he has been frequently called upon to act as administrator and executor in settling up estates in his community. Dr. Brower is an affable and highly respected gentleman, who is well versed in his profession and skilled in his practice. He holds high standing in his profession, ranks as a repre- sentative citizen, and is deservedly popular in the county.
A MOS MICHENER, secretary of the
Parkesburg Iron company, is a pros- perous business man, an expert accountant, and a useful and influential citizen of Ches- ter county. He is a son of William and Han- nah (Cain ) Michener, and was born August 5, 1819, in Penn township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. The Micheners are descend- ed from English Quaker stock, the present generation tracing their American ancestry back to John and Sarah Michener, who came over about the time of William Penn, and settled in Philadelphia, where the public records bear the name as early as 1686. In 1715 they removed with their family to Abington. Their son, William, married Margery Kester, and settled at Plumstead, Bucks county. They had ten children, among whom was a son named John, who married Mary Hayworth and reared a fan- ily of nine children, two of whom-Mahlon and Arnold-removed to and settled in Chester county. Other members of the family came afterward, and their descen- dants have become very numerous, and are now scattered through nearly every State in the Union. Joseph Michener (grand- father) was born November 19, 1757, mar- ried Anna, daughter of Ralph and Anna
Dunn, by whom he had five children, and after her death wedded Rebecca Good, to whom were born four children. He settled in Chester county about the time of the revolution, and owned an extensive farm in London Grove township, adjoining the West Grove meeting property. He was a stanch whig in politics, and a member of the Society of Friends. He died August 10, 1853, lacking only four years of being a centenarian. William Michener (father) was born and reared on the old homestead in West Grove township, and was a farmer all his life. He settled in Penn township, and became quite prosperous, residing there until his death in 1833, at the early age of forty-five years. In politics he was a dem- ocrat, and in religious faith a Friend, or- Quaker. He married Hannah Cain, a na- tive of New London township, this county, and had a family of eight children. She died December 23, 1858, at the advanced age of seventy-five years.
Amos Michener was reared on the farm on which he was born, in Penn township, this county, and received a good English education in the common schools and at the New London academy. After leaving school he engaged in teaching for a time, and later became a book-keeper, being con- tinuously employed in his native county, except three years, during which he was in the employ of an iron firm in Hunting- don county. At the end of that time he returned to this county, and for ten years was book-keeper at the Thorndale Iron works. In 1873 he came to Parkesburg, as book-keeper for the Parkesburg Iron Company, and since the present organiza- tion was effected, in 1882, he has been sec- retary of the company, and is one of the stockholders in the concern. He is an ac-
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
curate accountant, and has made a fine reputation as a successful business man.
On March 23, 1848, Mr. Michener was married to Elizabeth Townsend, a daughter of William Townsend, of Penn township, this county. To them was born a family of three children, one son and two daugh- ters : William C., Mary A. and Caroline D.
All the family are strict members of the Presbyterian church, and active in support of the various interests of their denomina- tion. In politics Mr. Michener is an ardent republican, and has twice been called to fill the office of burgess in Parkesburg. He has also served as member of the borough council, and, in short, has been connected with the local government in some official capacity ever since coming to Parkesburg. Mr. Michener is also serving as secretary of the Parkesburg Building and Loan associa- tion, and is treasurer of the Parkesburg Iron Works Beneficial association. He is a pleasant, affable gentleman, and, by his energy, industry and ability, has won a large measure of success in life, and secured the esteem of all who know him.
WILLIAM W. EMERY, a leading boot and shoe dealer of Spring City and the secretary of the Spring City Bloom Works Company, is a son of Jacob and Anna (Moses) Emery, natives respect- ively of East and West Pikeland townships. Ile was born near Kimberton, this county, September 25, 1862, and received his educa- tion in the common and private schools and West Chester State Normal school, which he attended for one year. He had taught one term previous to entering the West ('hester Normal school, and after leaving
that favorably known educational institu- tion, was engaged in teaching one year. He then, in the spring of 1885, came to Spring City, where he embarked in the boot and shoe business, in which he has continued successfully ever since. His business house is located on the corner of Main and Hall streets. He carries a first-class stock of footwear in all grades and styles, and makes specialties of rubber goods, overshoes, slip- pers and patent leather and russet leather shoes, and the celebrated Chandler and Sus- sex goods. His salesroom is 15x30 feet in dimensions, and has been well fitted up for the display of his large stock of goods. He commands a good trade, makes a specialty of custom work, and has been successful in life as a business man. Mr. Emery is a member and elder of the Lutheran church of Spring City, of whose Sunday school he is assistant superintendent. Hle is a democrat in politics and has served for three years as treasurer of his borough. He is a member of Spring City Lodge, No. 553, Free and Accepted Masons ; and Vincent Lodge, No. 762, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Phoenix Encampment, No. 79, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and is past officer in last two named. The Spring City Bloom Works Company, of which he is secretary, has been in existence since 1885. Their plant is large and well equipped, and their products of charcoal blooms for boiler plates and other machine shop work are of a superior quality. Their enterprise is one of importance and the re- sults of its establishment at Spring City has been to add largely to the present pros- perity of that thriving town.
The Emery family is of German descent, and Mr. Emery's father, Jacob Emery, is a native of East Pikeland township, but has
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resided and followed farming in West Pike- land township since 1863. He was; born March 16, 1833, is a member of Camp No. 275, Patriotic Order Sons of America, and a trustee and deacon of the Evangelical Luth- eran church of Spring City. He has always been a democrat, is now serving on his fourth term as justice of the peace, was formerly a collector and director of the Phoenixville Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany, and has served for several years as a director of the Phoenixville National bank. Mr. Emery has settled a large number of estates, and is a prominent citizen and active business man of the community in which he resides. He married Anna, daughter of John Moses, a carpenter and farmer of West Pikeland township, who has seen his eighty- fourth birthday, and is a Jeffersonian demo- crat in politics. They have had seven chil- dren : Eugene C., of near Birchrunville, who married Anna Ralston; William W .: Ambrose ; Gertrude; John, who died young ; Alda Irene ; and Clarence K. Jacob Emery is a son of Jacob Emery, sr., whose father, Philip Emery, came from Germany to Penn- sylvania. Jacob Emery, sr., was born near Kimberton, in East Pikeland township, where he died in 1860. IIe was a farmer and democrat, and served as a justice of the peace for several years. He was a Lutheran, and married Abigail Sawyer, by whom he had six children : Simon, of West Vincent township; Eliza, married Peter E. Deery, and is now dead ; Esther, who married John Mc Williams, and died some years ago; Martha, wife of John Yeager; Jacob, father of the subject of this sketch, and Albert, now dead. Jacob Emery, sr., was a man of integrity and usefulness, and many of his descendants are good business men and well respected citizens,
H ON. WILLIAM PRESTON SNY- DER, M. D., a member of the Penn- sylvania house of representatives from Chester county, and one of the most ener- getic, active and useful citizens of Spring City, is the only child of George and Maria (Shenkel) Snyder, and was born in East Vincent township, Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, October 7, 1851. The Snyder family, of which Dr. Snyder is a member was founded by a Snyder who was a native of Germany, and came to the United States at some time during the latter part of the last century. His son John Snyder (grand- father), was a resident for many years of Chester county, where he died in East Vin- cent township. He followed teaching dur- ing the early part of his life and then en- gaged in farming, which he followed until his death. He was a democrat in politics, married and reared a family of children. His son, George Snyder (father), was born in East Pikeland township, April 21, 1821. He was reared and received his education in his native township, and then learned the trade of stone mason, which he followed for some years. At the end of that time he engaged in farming and afterward removed to Spring City and embarked in the manu- facture of brick, which he has followed suc- cessfully ever since. He was originally a whig, and when that political organization went down, identified himself with the Republican party, which he has supported up to the present time. He is a member of the Reformed church, and married Maria Shenkel, who is a daughter of Samuel Shenkel, of German lineage, who was born in 1790 in North Coventry township, and died in East Vincent township, March 10, 1858, aged sixty-eight years.
William P. Snyder was reared on the
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
home farm and received his education in the common schools, Millersville State Normal school, and Ursinus college of Montgomery county. Leaving college he taught one term in the common schools, and then made choice of medicine for a profession. He read medicine with Dr. F. W. Heckel, of East Vincent township, aud entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated, March 13, 1873. Immediately after gradu- ation he opened an office at Spring City, where he was in active and successful prac- tiee until 1886. In February of that year he became medical examiner or the Schuyl- kill division of the Pennsylvania railroad, which position he held until December, 1887, when he resigned to take charge of the prothonotary's office of Chester county, having been elected prothonotary in Novem- ber, 1887. He so conducted the office that before the expiration of his term he was nominated by the republicans and elected as a member of the house of representatives of Pennsylvania. On the day of his nomi- nation for the legislature he resigned as chairman of the Republican county com- mittee, and on November 4, 1890, was elected by nearly three thousand majority. Dr. Snyder served ereditably in the CLXth ses- sion of the legislature, from January 6 to May 28, 1891, and was a member of several important committees. Ile served as post- master of Spring City from 1883 to 1885, and was a delegate to the Republican State conventions which nominated General Hoyt in 1878, and General Beaver in 1882, for governor. On the 6th of September, 1892, he was nominated by his party for State senator.
On September 5, 1876, Dr. Snyder was united in marriage with Elizabeth, daughter
of John Fridy, of Lancaster county, and they have one child, Thomas B. Snyder, who was born January 16, 1882.
Dr. Snyder is a stanch republican in poli- ties and has always been prominent, useful and influential in the councils of his party in local and county affairs. Ile is a men- ber of Spring City Lodge, No. 553, Free and Accepted Masons; Phoenix Chapter, No. 198, Royal Arch Masons; and Jerusa- lem Commandery, No. 15, Knights Templar. of Phoenixville. Dr. Snyder has always been active in the interests of his town and county and their development and improve- ment. He has been identified in large measure with the material prosperity of Spring City, and is never lacking in effort, when opportunity is presented, in any en- terprise calculated to advance its interests or to add to its prosperity.
W ILLIAM J. WAGONER, cashier of the Spring City National bank. and a member of the stove manufacturing firm of Floyd, Wells & Co., of Royer's Ford, Montgomery county, is one of the popular and successful business men of the county. He is a son of John and Catherine ( Walters) Wagoner, and was born in East Vincent township, Chester county, Penn- sylvania, March 12, 1840. Ilis paternal grandfather. John Wagoner, was of Ger- man origin, and passed his life in East Vin- cent township, where he died in 1852, aged seventy-three years. He lived on a small farm which he cultivated in addition to following his trade of stone mason. He married Catherine Miller, and reared a fam- ily of three children, one son and two daughters: Margaret, who married Fred- erick Rhodewalt, and died leaving three
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children, one of whom, Frederick, is a farmer of East Pikeland township; Eliza- beth, now dead, who married the late Janies Hause, and one of their children, Davis Hause, is the father of Frank Hause, of West Chester, whose sketch appears in this volume; and John, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch. John Wagoner was reared on the farm and learned the trade of shoemaker, which he followed in connection with farming. He, like his father before him, was a democrat in politics and a mem- ber of the Evangelical Lutheran church, of which he was a trustee for several years. He was a useful citizen, and died March 8, 1876, when in the sixty-ninth year of his age. He married Catherine Walters, a daughter of William and Catherine Wal- ters. To their union were born four sons, and one daughter who died in infancy. The sons were: Nathan, now dead, who was a member of the firm of Kaler & Wag- oner, of Phoenixville; John F., a stone mason and contractor of Spring City; Wil- liam J .; and Christian W., a resident of Spring City, and one of the stove manufac- turing firm of Floyd, Wells & Co., of Roy- er's Ford, Montgomery county.
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