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 52
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105
436
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
deacon in the Reformed Episcopal church in 1882, and 1889 was ordained as an elder by Bishop Vincent, of the Methodist Epis- copal church. He has had charge of churches in Washington and Baltimore cities, and in the State of Nebraska. In 1890 he re- mnoved from Nebraska to Evanston, where he remained two years, and while there at school he served two churches in Chicago, and in the spring of 1892 came to his present work at Glen Moore, having been transferred to the Philadelphia conference by Bishop Waldron. He is an earnest student and a fluent speaker, and is very popular with his people.
On October 15, 1884, Rev. Mr. Haddaway was united in holy matrimony with Harriet Hutchins McKim, a daughter of Dr. S. A. H. McKim, one of the leading physicians of Washington, District of Columbia, who won distinction during the civil war by his able management of military hospitals, and is now chief surgeon to the police board in that city. To Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Haddaway has been born one child, a son named Sani- uel MeKim, who is now (1892) seven years of age.
OL. HAMILTON H. GILKYSON, a
popular and successful member of the Chester county bar, who for thirteen years has served as borough solicitor of Phoenix- ville, and is widely known for his legal at- tainments and as an active, able and suc- cessful leader in the political movements of this section, is a son of James and Anna (Henry ) Gilkyson, and was born December, 1848, at Doylestown, Bucks county, Penn- sylvania. The Gilkysons are of Irish ex- traction, and the family ranks among the oldest and most honored in Bucks county. James Gilkyson (father) is a native of
Bucks county, aud now resides at Doyles- town, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. He is one of the oldest practicing lawyers in the county of Bucks, and served for a number of years as district attorney. His practice was extensive and remunera- tive, being especially large in the orphans' court. He is an ardent republican in poli- tics, an active worker for his party, and at one time made the race for State senator, but the county being largely democratic he was defeated. There is a military side to his character, and he always took a deep in- terest in army matters, having commanded a regiment of emergency men for several months at the time of Lee's invasion of this State in 1862. He is a member and one of the founders of the Episcopal church at Doylestown, and has served as a member of the vestry since the church was organized. In 1848 he married Anna Henry, by whom he had a family of six children. She was a native of Germantown, Pennsylvania, and died in August, 1884, at the age of fifty-six years. She also was a member of the Epis- copal church, and having great musical tal- ents, which had been carefully cultivated, she was for many years organist and leader of the choir in her church. The Henrys are an old and distinguished family of Ger- mantown, and the maternal grandmother of the subject of this sketch, whose maiden name was Eliza Neal, was a noted beauty of that place in her day. One of Sully's most celebrated pictures was a portrait of this Miss Eliza Neal, and was noted not only on account of the beauty. of the subject, but also for its merit as a painting, and was on exhibition at the centennial in 1876.
Hamilton H. Gilkyson was reared at Doylestown, Bucks county, this State, and received his education in the private schools
Col. Hamilton H. Silkyson.
439
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
of that place and at Pennington's seminary in New Jersey, from which latter institution he was graduated in 1864. After graduation he went west, and for several years was en- gaged in mercantile business and teaching. At the end of that time he returned to Pennsylvania and began reading law in his father's office at Doylestown. Having com- pleted his legal studies and passed his ex- aminations, he was regularly admitted to the bar in 1872, and immediately opened an office in Phoenixville, this county, where he has conducted a successful practice ever since. He also practices in the courts of Montgomery county and in the city of Philadelphia, and has won a proud position at the bar, being distinguished for the care and thoroughness with which he prepares his cases and the ability with which he pre- sents them in court.
On March 4, 1880, Colonel Gilkyson was united in marriage to Nellie H. Trego, a daughter of Thomas W. Trego, of Doyles- town, Bucks county. To Mr. and Mrs. Gilkyson have been born four children, three sons and one daughter: T. Walter, Hamilton H., jr., James, and Anna.
For many years Colonel Gilkyson was connected with the State National guards, and during the labor riots of 1877 was sta- tioned at Pittsburg, where he was made assistant adjutant-general of the ninth divis- ion, with the rank of colonel. In politics Colonel Gilkyson has always been a stanch republican, and is an active and influential local leader. Ile belongs to what is known as the Everhart wing of the party, and is one of the founders of that wing, which was formed in 1884 when James B. Everhart was elected to congress from this district over Mr. Darlington. No man in the dis- triet, perhaps, has worked harder or with
greater ability and more gratifying success to advance the cause of his party and secure its triumphs at the polls, and to none does the party owe a deeper debt of gratitude for his untiring efforts in its behalf. Yet he would never permit the use of his name as a candidate for any political office, though he has served in some of the borough offices. He has been borough solicitor for a period of thirteen years, and has served as a meni- ber and president of the Phoenixville school board.
W. LATTA DAVIS, a leading farmer residing near Aldham, who has spent a lifetime in the cultivation of the soil, and is well known and highly esteemed throughout this section, is the third and only surviving son of John S. and Mary (Pauling) Davis, and was born in Charles- town (now Schuylkill) township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, Angust 7, 1816. When only three years of age he was brought by his parents to his present loca- tion near Aldham postoffice, in Charles- town township, and has lived here ever since. He grew to manhood on the farm, accustomed to the hard labor that fell to the lot of farmer's sons, and received such education as was afforded by the country schools of that early day. After attaining his majority he engaged in farming on the old homestead with his father, and has been employed in agricultural pursuits all his life. He now owns the farm, consisting of one hundred and two acres of choice land, nearly all well improved and in good con- dition. Politically he is n stanch demoernt, giving his party a uniform support on all leading questions, but never taking any very active part in politics. His life has been quiet and uneventful, strictly devoted to
440
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
business and to the discharge of his duties as a good citizen and in the various rela- tions of life.
On January 1, 1873, he was united in marriage to Mary A. Rapp, a daughter of John and Hannah Rapp, of Charlestown township.
The paternal great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Llewellyn Davis, a native of Wales, who came to America and settled in Chester county prior to 1705. He married Bridget Jones, by whom he had a family of four children (see sketch of William W. Davis in this volume), the youngest of whom was Llewellyn Davis (grandfather ), who was born in Schuylkill township, this county, where he lived all his life, and died at the early age of forty-four years. He was a farmer by vocation, a democrat in political faith, and a prominent member and trustee of the Great Valley Presbyterian church. His remains repose in the cemetery con- nected with that church. He married Rebecca Shannen, by whom he had a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters : Willmina, who married Samuel Pauling; Eliza, Harriet, Mary Ann, John S., Ezekiel H., and Shannon, all now de- ceased. John S. Davis (father) was born at the mines in Schuylkill township, this county, in 1784, and died in Charlestown township in 1853, at the advanced age of sixty-nine years. He also was a farmer by occupation and devoted nearly all his life to agricultural pursuits, including stock raising. He owned a farm of one hundred acres of fine land, and was very successful and prosperous. Politically he was a democrat and took an active part in public affairs. During the war of 1812 he was captain of a company of Pennsylvania
militia, and about the time the British forces occupied Washington city was called out with his company and marched to Marcus Hook, but owing to an accidental wound in the foot was not engaged in active service. In religion he adhered to the faith of his ancestors, and was an active member, elder and trustee of the Great Valley Presbyterian church for many years, being liberal in support of the various interests of his denomination, and prominent in all its work and affairs. He married Mary Pauling, a daughter of Benjamin Pauling, and to their union was born a family of five sons : Benjamin P., Llewellyn, W. Latta, John A., and Jesse C., all now deceased except the subject of this sketch. The mother of these children, Mrs. Mary Davis, died in 1873, aged eighty-six years.
R EV. JOHN M. HASTINGS, D. D.,
who was a regularly ordained minister in the Presbyterian church for nearly half a century, and was widely known in many parts of the Union, was a son of James and Letitia (McCluskey ) Hastings, and was born January 27, 1816, in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. The Hastings are of English descent. The family seems to have been among the earliest settlers in the colony of Penn, as we find references to men of the name in the records of that day, notably of Joshua Hastings, who served as a juryman in February, 1682, and was appointed an appraiser for Chester county, October 17, 1683. But the data necessary to trace the family was not preserved, and we present only such meagre facts as are now obtain- able. James Hastings (father) was a native of this State, and in early life took up his residence in Allegheny county, where he
441
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
became a prosperous farmer and resided until about 1823, when he removed to Ohio, and located in Muskingum county, near Zanesville. There he again devoted his at- tention to agricultural pursuits, and was thus engaged until his demise in 1858, at which time he was in his eighty-fourth year. In politics he was an old-line whig, and for many years a devoted member of the Pres- byterian church. He married Letitia Mc- Cluskey, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of William McCluskey, who was born in the north of Ireland of Scotch-Irish parentage, but emigrated to America in early manhood. Mrs. Hastings was a mem- her of the Presbyterian church, and died at her home in Ohio in 1865, aged seventy- eight years.
Rev. John M. Hastings was reared prin- cipally on the home farm in Muskingum county, Ohio, and received his early educa- tion in the academy at West Alexandria, Pennsylvania, after which he entered the old Washington college in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and was graduated from that venerable institution in 1838. Immediately after graduation he went to Kentucky, where he spent one year in teaching, near the city of Lexington. Ile then accepted a position in the Grove academy at Steubenville, Ohio, where he taught for two years. At the end of that time he began the study of theology with his unele, Rev. John MeCluskey, D. D., at West Alexandria, Pennsylvania, who con- ducted an academy at that place for a num- ber of years. When his theological studies were sufficiently advanced, in the summer of 1843, Mr. Hastings was licensed to preach in the Presbyterian church by the Presby- tery of Washington, and soon afterward entered the service of the educational board
of that church, where he did efficient work during the next three years. He was then settled as the regular pastor of Beulah church, near Pittsburg, Allegheny county, this State, where he engaged in earnest and successful labor for a period of nearly twenty years. During the latter part of his service at that place his health began failing, and in 1865 he gave up his charge, and some years after removed to Wooster, Ohio, to educate his sons. Later he went South on account of his health, and after a year spent in the milder climate, returned to Pennsyl- vania, and for some months resided at Ger- mantown, near Philadelphia. In 1882 he came to West Chester, where he has. re- sided ever since. After relinquishing his charge in 1865 he never accepted regular work on account of the variable state of his health, but continued to preach as a supply for vacant churches.
Dr. Hastings was united in marriage to Margaret M. Raybold, a daughter of Joshua Raybold, of Philadelphia, in 1845, who died the following year. In 1850 he married Mrs. Martha M. Taylor, daughter of Ed- ward McDonald, of MeDonald, Washington county, who died in 1861, leaving two sons : John McDonald, who graduated from the Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, in 1878, and died at Germantown in 1882. aged twenty-six years; and Edward Mc- Donald, who was graduated from the Woos- ter (Ohio) university, spent two years teach- ing in the academy conducted by his uncle, Prof. Fulton W. Hastings, at West Phila- delphia, and died in November, 1888, in the thirty-first year of his age.
In politics he was an independent repub- lican, and deeply concerned for the honor and welfare of the country. He was a life- long student, a clear thinker, an excellent
442
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
speaker, and was greatly respected and be- loved by a wide circle of appreciative friends.
Dr. Hastings died at West Chester, Penn- sylvania, September 9, 1892, in the seventy- seventh year of his age.
E BER H. HURFORD, one of the most influential and substantial citizens of New Garden township, is a son of Nicholas and Dinah (Gregg) Hurford, and was born in New Garden township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, October 10, 1802. He was reared on the farm, received a practical ed- ucation in the schools of his neighborhood, and assisted his father in farming until he had attained his majority, when he engaged in agricultural pursuits, which he followed until eight years ago. He has always been a resident of New Garden township, except a short time passed at Kennett Square and a few years spent in East Marlborough township. He sold his farm eight years ago, and has retired. Mr. Hurford is a stanch republican in politics, and has been for many years a member of Kennett meet- ing of the Society of Friends, in which he has always been active and useful. Mr. Hurford has been successful in his various business enterprises, and by good manage- ment and careful attention has secured a competency. He has, with commendable energy and industry made a success of all of his various agricultural pursuits.
Eber H. Hurford is of English descent. His paternal grandfather, John Hurford, was a native of Ashton, Delaware county, and about 1732 married Hannah Fairlamb. He was a cooper by trade, and a Friend in religious faith. Beside working at his trade he was engaged in the mercantile business, and was known in that early day
of Pennsylvania's history as a " shopkeeper," the name then applied to one who followed that line of business. He died in Chester county, and left a family of eleven chil- dren, of whom one was Nicholas Hurford, the father of the subject of this sketch. Nicholas Hurford was born March 15, 1754, in New Garden township, where he died on March 28, 1837, aged eighty-four years. He was a farmer, a whig, and a Friend, a quiet, steady and useful man, and as a neighbor, a friend and a citizen, stood high in the community where he resided. His wife, Dinah (Gregg) Hurford, was a daughter of Michael and Sarah Gregg. Their union was blessed with seven children : Michael, Mary Booth, Jesse, Joel, Eber, Samuel, and Isaac. None of these children died under eighty years of age, while three of them, Eber, Samuel and Isaac, are still living.
On September 17, 1828, Eber Hurford married Hannah Allen, who was a daugh- ter of Ellis and Rebecca Allen, and is now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Hurford were born eight children, three sons and five daughters : Lydia A., wife of David Cham- bers, a farmer of London Grove township; Allen, who died in infancy; Jesse, who is now deceased, married Elizabeth Taylor; Ellis (dead); Hannah M .; R. Emma, mar- ried William Wilson, a farmer of Upper Oxford township; Sarah, wife of William Sharpless, now in the creamery business at Toughkenamon; and Philena C.
M AHLON S. KOLLER, a prosperous young farmer of Sadsburyville, who for a number of years was connected with a wholesale grocery house in Philadelphia, is a son of James A. and Christiana (Sunday ) Koller, and was born November 24, 1865,
443
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
in Berks county, Pennsylvania. The fam- ily to which Mr. Koller belongs is of German origin and ranks among the oldest in Penn- sylvania. Andrew Koller, paternal grand- father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Berks county, this State, in 1804 and lived there all his life. He was a farmer by oceupation, as his ancestors had been, and was a man of great energy and industry. Politically he was a stanch democrat, and in religious belief and church membership a German Lutheran. He died at his home in Berks county in 1862, aged fifty-eight years. His wife was Hannah (Sunday) Koller and they reared a family of six children, all of whom now survive. ITis son, James A. Koller (father ), was born on the old homestead in Berks county in 1842, where he grew to manhood and was edu- cated in the common schools. In 1862 he married Christiana Sunday, a daughter of George Sunday, of that county, and settled down to farming. To their union was born a family of three children, one of whom is still living. In 1874 Mr. Koller quit farm- ing and removed to the State of Iowa, settling in Marion county, where for a period of nearly eight years he was engaged in the milling business, dealing largely in flour. Returning to Pennsylvania in 1881, he located in Philadelphia and became a traveling salesman for a wholesale grocery house in that city, which business he still fol- lows. Mrs. Christiana Koller is a native of Berks county, where she was born in 1844, and is consequently now in the forty-ninth year of her age. She is a strict member of the Presbyterian church.
Mahlon S. Koller lived on the farm until his eighth year, when he went with his father to the State of Iowa. There he at- tended the public schools until his father
returned to this State, when he also came back to Philadelphia, and soon after took a course of training in the Reading Business college, at Reading, this State. In the spring of 1882 he entered a wholesale 'grocery house in Philadelphia as shipping clerk, and remained in that position for more than six years, or until the fall of 1888, rendering entire satisfaction to his employers and demonstrating the posses- sion of business ability of a high order.
On November 13, 1888, Mr. Koller was united in marriage with Jennie Bricker, a daughter of Joseph and Jane Bricker, of Kansas, and they have one child, a son named George B.
Soon after his marriage, on December 1st of that year, he removed to his present farnı, containing fifty-seven acres of choice land, well improved and located on the Lancaster pike one-fourth mile from Sads- buryville, in Sadsbury township. Since that time he has given his time and atten- tion mainly to agricultural pursuits, and has been very successful.
Politically Mr. Koller is a democrat, as is his father, and gives his party an earnest and steady support on all leading questions. In religion he is a member of the Presby- terian church, and liberal in support of its varions interests. He is a member of Patterson Lodge, No. 394, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Sadsburyville, and also of William Pitt Encampment, of the same place.
JOHN WILDS, one of the older and most highly respected citizens of the county, residing near Strafford, is a man who has spent a long and active life in ag- ricultural pursuits. He is the second of
444
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
the four surviving sons of John and Han- nah ( Byerley) Wilds, and was born in Tredyffrin township, Chester county, Penn- sylvania, February 16, 1821. He was reared principally on the farm, and obtained a good practical education in the country schools of that day, after which he adopted the business of farming as his life occupation, and has adhered to it nearly all his days. He owns an excellent little farm of twenty- one acres, finely improved and cultivated like a garden. Politically he is a republi- can, and though no politician, is yet loyal and ardent in the support of his party. For many years he has been a member of the Baptist church, in which frith he was reared.
On March 22, 1855, Mr. Wilds was united in marriage to Rachel Famous, a daughter of Andrew Famous, of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. To their union was born a family of two children, one son and a daugh- ter : Isaac R., now living with his parents, and managing the farm; and Mary, who married Joseph Dyson, a contractor and builder, residing at Wayne, Pennsylvania.
The Wilds are of English descent, the paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch having been born in Lancaster, Eng- land, from which he emigrated to America while yet a young man, and settled in Tredyffrin township, Chester county, Penn- sylvania. Here he passed the remainder of his days. He was a weaver by trade, and a strict member of the Episcopal church, to which he had become attached while in England. Some time after his arrival in this county he married Barbara Wesley, of Chester county, and to them were born four children, two of whom were sons. The elder of these was Janes, and the younger John Wilds (father), who was born in
Tredyffrin township in 1794, and died here in September, 1850, at the age of fifty-six years. After attaining manhood he engaged in farming, and spent most of his life in that occupation, being successful and pros- perous. He was a member of Radnor Bap- tist church, and in early life a democrat in politics, but joined the opposition party in his later days. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812, being present at Marcus Hook. In 1819 he married Hannah Byer- ley, a daughter of John Byerley, and they reared a family of fourteen children, seven of whom were sons : James, Elijah, Mahlon, John, Maurice, Joseph, William, Edward, Elizabeth, Mary A., Alice, Sarah and Han- nah M. They are all now deceased except John, Elijah, Mahlon, and Maurice.
GRANVILLE WILLIAMS, a worthy
representative of one of the oldest Welsh families of this county, and a well known farmer and highly respected citizen, residing near Sugartown, is the third child and only son of Nathan and Esther (Pratt) Williams, and a native of Chester county, having been born in Willistown township, May 6, 1836. He was reared on his father's farm in that township, and received his edu- cation at Prof. Strode's boarding school and the school taught by Joseph Foulke, a min- ister of the Society of Friends. On leaving school he engaged in farming, and has de- voted his whole life to agricultural pursuits, in which he has been successful. He now owns a fine farm containing one hundred and thirty-one acres of choice land, all well improved and in the best state of cultiva- tion. His farm buildings are substantial and pleasantly situated. For a number of years Mr. Williams served as a director of the
445
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
Farmers' Market Company, of Philadelphia. Politically he is a republican, and has served as school director of his township. In religion he is a Quaker and a member of the Goshen monthly meeting.
On the 14th of February, 1861, Mr. Wil- liams was wedded to Elizabeth S. Wor- rall, a daughter of Sharpless and Abigail (Thatcher) Worrall, of Willistown town- ship, this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Wil- liams was born a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters: Elwood, born January 20, 1862, and died August 23, 1864; Esther, born October 15, 1863, and died Angust 23, 1864; Abbie T., born March 6, 1865, marrried Harry R. Sharp- less, and resides in West Chester ; Lewis I'., born November 11, 1867, and resides at Wyebrook, this State; Nathan, born April 10, 1870; Emma G., born May 23, 1872; and Granville C., born October 19, 1876, the three latter living at home with their parents.
The family of which the subject of this sketch is a member, is of Welsh descent, and traces its American ancestry back to Robert Williams, who settled in this State prior to 1691, and came to what is now Goshen township, this county, about 1700, being, it is thought, the first settler within the bounds of that township, where he took up a large traet of land from the orig- inal l'eun grant. At the home of Hugh Roberts, April 19, 1691, he married Gwen Cadwalader. In 1715 they removed to Uwehlan township, and in 1734 Robert Williams died, aged eighty-seven. His children, so far as known, were Elizabeth, Ellis, Lewis, John, Ann, William, Grace, Hannah, and Sarah. Ellis Williams (great- great-grandfather) was born in East Goshen township, where he lived all his life. He
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.