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 60
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
regard of all who became acquainted with him. In 1791 he married Bathsheba Webb, by whom he had nine children: Homer, Joseph, Obed, Hiram, Edna, Betsy, Ma- hala,"Abner and Preston: After the death of his first wife he wedded, in 1808, Mary Starr, and by his second mar- riage had six children: Vanleer, Bath- sheba, Minshall, Sarah, Rebecca and Virgil Trego. Soon after his first marriage he removed to Middletown township, Dela- ware county, and lived there for a number of years. He then moved to Baltimore county, Maryland, where he farmed for a short time. He then returned, locating in Haverford township, Delaware county, where he continued to live the balance of his life. His oldest son, Homer Eachus (father), was born in Middletown township, Delaware county, in 1792, and died at his home in the city of Philadelphia in 1869, aged seventy- seven years. After attaining manhood he engaged in merchandising at Providence, being the first merchant of that place, and later removed to Howellville, Delaware county, where he erected a store building and did business for some time. In 1821 he engaged in farming, and followed that occupation most of his active life. About 1855 he retired from business and removed to Philadelphia, which city continued to be his home during the remainder of his life. Politically he was a life-long democrat, but during the war heartily supported Lincoln and the Union cause. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and took a promi- nent part in church affairs. In 1814 he mar- ried Lydia M. Green, a daughter of Robert Green, the first superintendent of West- town boarding school, who was a native of Delaware county. To this union was born a family of thirteen children, nine sons and
four daughters: Joseph, Hannah, Robert, Samuel, Elizabeth, Homer, Obid, Lydia, Virgil, Jane, James, George Washington and Edward.
Ilomer Eachus, the subject of this sketch, was reared principally in Edgemont town- ship, Delaware county, and received his ed- ucation in the public schools there, and at Josiah Hoopes' academy, in West Chester, this county. Leaving school he embarked in the produce business in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained three years, and then re- turning to Delaware county, this State, en- gaged in farming in Edgemont township. He continued to devote his time to agricul- tural pursuits in Edgemont township, Dela- ware county, until 1876, when he purchased the farm in Westtown township, Chester county, where he now resides, and continued to farm until 1885, when he relinquished farming and was succeeded by his sons, though he continued to reside in the man- sion house. The farm contains one hundred aeres of choice land, all well improved and supplied with excellent buildings. In pol- ities Mr. Eachus is a "National" denio- crat, and at one time received the nomina- tion for county commissioner of Delaware county, but on account of the large repub- lican majority in the county, he was de- feated at the polls. For twenty-one years he served as president of the school board of his township, and for a number of years has been connected with the Farmer's In- surance Company, of Chester county, Penn- sylvania.
On October 7, 1848, Mr. Eachus was married to Lydia Baker, a daughter of Anthony Baker, of Edgemont, Delaware county, and they were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom lived to reach maturity. These were : William, who mar-
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
ried Matilda Lodge, and is now a prosper- ons farmer of Westtown township. this county ; Hannah Mary, who married Emmor Lodge; Lydia Elizabeth, who married JJohn B. Gill, of Edgemont ; Mahala, became the wife of William Pinkerton, a farmer of East Goshen township; Sarah, wedded John Brown, who resides on and manages his father-in-law's farm in Westtown township, this county ; Emma, living at home; Ed- ward, married Mary Russell, and is engaged in farming in Thornbury township, Dela- ware county ; and Lena, at home with her parents. The deceased were: Margaret, Walter, George and Elwyn.
M ILLARD F. SUPPLEE, a prominent farmer of Westtown township, residing near Cheyney postoffice, is the youngest son of Peter and Elizabeth ( Kennedy) Supplee, and a native of Schuylkill township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he was born August 27, 1850. The family to which he belongs is of French extraction, but has been resident in Pennsylvania since early times. His paternal grandfather, Peter Supplee, was born in Chester county, and spent most of his life in Schuylkill town- ship, finally removing to Norristown, Mont- gomery county, were he died in 1859, at the ripe old age of four score years. He was a farmer and a progressive one in his day, accumulating considerable property. Po- litically he was a whig, and on account of his high standing and good judgment he was made a justice of the peace, and hekdl that office for many years in Schuylkill township. He was a member of the Baptist church, and took an active part in support of the various interests of his denomination. Soon after reaching his majority he married
Hannah Eastburn, and they reared a family of eight children : Samuel, Horatio, Cad- walader, Silas, Peter, Margaret, who married Joseph Rapp: Hannah, became the wife of a Mr. Reiss; and Eliza, who wedded Robin- son Kennedy. They are all now deceased except Silas and Mrs. Kennedy.
Peter Supplee (father) was born in Schuyl- kill township, this county, in 1817, where he grew to manhood and received a com- mion school education. Soon after marriage he removed to Easttown township, and from there to Westtown township, where he died April 10, 1890, in the seventy-third year of his age. He devoted his entire life to agri- cultural pursuits, in which he was very sne- cessful. In politics he was an ardent whig and republican, while in religion he was an active and influential member of the Baptist church, serving as Sunday school superintendent for a number of years. In 1845 he married Elizabeth Kennedy, a daughter of William Kennedy, of Easttown, and by this union had a family of four chil- dren, two sons and two daughters : William : Louisa, who married W. H. Wells ; Millard F., the subject of this sketch ; and Anna, who became the wife of S. D. Cornog. Mrs. Elizabeth Supplee died in 1864, aged forty-two years, and some time later Mr. Supplee wedded Elizabeth Yerkes, but had no children by his second marriage.
Milliard F. Supplee was reared princi- pally in this county, and obtained his edu- eation in the common schools of his neigh- borhood and at Norristown high school. After quitting the school room he engaged in farming, which has been his principal business ever since. In 1879 he removed from Easttown to Westtown township. where he purchased and still owns a fine farm, consisting of one hundred and twenty
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
acres of choice land, all finely improved and abundantly supplied with water, fruit, and excellent farm buildings. He has been quite successful in agricultural pursuits, and for some years has given considerable at- tention to market produce of various kinds. Politically he follows the traditions of his family and is an ardent republicau, while he also adheres to the religious faith of his boyhood, and for a number of years has been a member of the Goshen Baptist church, in which he is serving as a deacon, and in whose interest he is at all times active.
On March 11, 1874, Mr. Supplee married Maggie Cornog, a daughter of Abner and Jane Cornog, of Charlestown township, this county. To their union has been born a family of eight children, seven sons and a daughter: Edwin, Howard, Millard, Lizzie, Samuel, Walter, Chester, and Joseph, all living at home with their parents on the ťarın.
GEORGE RHOADS,'a well known and
highly respected citizen of Westtown, who for several years was engaged in the dry goods business in Philadelphia, is the eldest son of William and Anna P. (Levis) Rhoads, and a native of Newtown township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, where he was born February 20, 1823. The Rhoads family is descended from English Quaker stock, and traces its ancestral history back to "John and Elizabeth Rhoads, of Win- greages, county of Darby" (Derbyshire), England, whose son Adam, born June 30, 1660, emigrated to America in 1684, and settled in Darby (now Upper Darby) town- ship, in what is now Delaware county. In 1691 he was married at Darby meeting to Katharine Blunstou, a daughter of John
Blunston, by whom he had six children : John, Hannah, Sarah, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Adam. Katharine died in 1733, and Adam in 1744. Adam was followed to America in 1692 by his brother John, who came from Whitlow, in Derbyshire, and settled in Philadelphia, where he soon after- ward married Hanna Wilcox. About 1696, their father, the John Rhoads first men- tioned, also came to America, accompanied by his youngest son, Joseph, and, it is thought, another son named Jacob. He at first settled in Philadelphia, but subsequently removed to Darby township, then Chester, now Delaware county, where he died in 1701. It is supposed his wife, Elizabeth, died before he left Englaud. He left land to his son Joseph in Marple, and to his son John in Whitemarsh township, Montgomery county. This Joseph Rhoads, great-great- grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was married in 1702 to Abigail Bonsall, a daughter of Richard Bonsall, of what is now Upper Darby township, Delaware county. Their children were : John, Mary, Elizabeth, Abigail, Rebecca, Joseph, Jane, Benjamin, and James. He lived in Marple, on the land devised to him by his father, which is still in possession of his descendants, and died in 1732, his widow surviving him until 1750. His youngest son, James Rhoads (great-grandfather), was married June 22, 1745, to Elizabeth Owen, a daughter of John Owen, of Springfield, this county, by whom he had a son, Joseph Rhoads (grand- father). The latter became a tanner and farmer by occupation, as his ancestors had been, and also followed the religious tradi- tions of his family in being a strict Quaker. In politics he was an old-line whig, and died at his home in Marple about 1809, aged nearly sixty years. On May 27, 1779,
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
he wedded Mary Ashbridge, a daughter of George Ashbridge, of Goshen, and they were the parents of seven children : James, George, Joseph, Elizebeth, Rebecca, Phebe and William.
William Rhoads (father) was born at Marple, April 2, 1797, where he grew to manhood and received his early education, finishing his studies at John Gammere's school, Burlington, New Jersey. About 1822 he removed to Newtown township, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying there in 1863, at the age of sixty-six years. He devoted his life almost entirely to agricultural pursuits, owning two hun- dred acres of productive land, and conduct- ing his operations on an extensive scale. In 1822 he was united in marriage with Anna P. Levis, a daughter of William Levis, of Upper Darby, and to them was born a fan- ily of seven children, two sons and five daughters : George, whose name heads this sketch ; William, a citizen of Newtown ; Esther, deceased, who married Ifon. Nathan Garrett. deceased, of Garrettford, Delaware county, Pennsylvania : Phebe. who resides at Media, Delaware county: Mary Ash- bridge, deceased, who married Hibberd Yarnall, of Philadelphia; Anna, who re- sides at Media, Delaware county ; and Eliza- beth, who died in infancy.
George Rhoads was reared principally on his father's farm in Newtown township, Delaware county, and received a good com- mon school education in the public schools of his neighborhood and at Westtown boarding school. At the age of about twenty years he left his father's farm in Newtown township, and went to Philadel- phia as young man of all work in the dry goods commission house of Wood & Er- ringer. He became a partner in that firm,
and finally succeeded them as Cadbury. Rhoads & Thomas. Withdrawing from the latter firm, he purchased the farm on which he now resides, and has since been known as a farmer.
On October 20, 1853, Mr. Rhoads married Elizabeth Letchworth, who was born No- vember 3. 1826, and died at their home in Philadelphia, June 13, 1866. Two years later, June 17, 1868, at Camden, New Jer- sey, Mr. Rhoads married Abigail Aun Brad- dock, a daughter of William R. and Sarah S. Braddock. She was born at Medford, New Jersey, April 1, 1834. By his first wife Mr. Rhoads had one son, Robert L., who was born in Philadelphia, August 24, 1854, and died September 14, 1861. By his second marriage he has had five children, two sons and three daughters: Anna P., born in Philadelphia ; William, George Elwood. Gertrude and Ilelen Elizabeth-the four latter born in Westtown, where the family has resided since 1871.
A ARON J. BOYER, now serving as justice of the peace at Valley Forge, and a well known telegraph operator and cigar manufacturer, is a son of Aaron S. and Sarah A. ( Kern) Boyer, and was born at Leesport, Berks county, Pennsylvania. July 8, 1862. His paternal grandfather, Jacob Boyer, was born at Leesport, where he is still living, being now in the seventy- ninth year of his age, and still hale and hearty. In his early years he was a farmer, and maintained a kind of connection with that occupation nearly all his life, though his main business was that of a hotel keeper. in which he became well known and quite popular. He maintained his connection with the hotel business for a period of forty-
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
two years, during part of which time he was also engaged in dealing in real estate, and loaned large sums of money to busi- ness men and others engaged in different enterprises. About 1875 he practically re- tired from active business, and has since been leading a quiet and comfortable life, enjoying the fruits of a somewhat extended, busy and successful career. Politically he is a democrat of the old school, and while always active in the various interests of his party, has never cherished political ambi- tion for himself nor allowed the use of his name for any office. In religion he is a member of the German Reformed church of Leesport. His wife was Matilda Brown- miller, a daughter of Dr. Brownmiller, a prominent physician in his day, and by her Mr. Boyer had two children. The eldest was a daughter named Catharine, who is now deceased, while the younger was Aaron S. Boyer (father). The latter was born at Leesport, Berks county, this State, in 1840, and died there in November, 1869, at the early age of twenty-nine years. After being educated in the public schools of his native place he was employed with his father in the hotel business for a time, but when the civil war broke out, he went to the city of Reading and enlisted as a private in the Pennsylvania infantry, in which he served faithfully until the war ended. He actively participated in twenty-nine engagements fought by the army of the Potomac, during one of which he was captured by the enemy, and was afterward incarcerated in Ander- sonville prison for a time. There he per- sonally underwent all the hardships and privations which have rendered that military prison infamous in the annals of civilized warfare, and his death resulted a few years later from disease brought on by the ex-
posure and semi-starvation endured while an inmate of that prison pen. In 1859 he married Sarah A. Kern, a daughter of Josiah and Susanna Kern, and by this union had a family of three children, two sons and one daughter: Aaron J., the subject of this sketch ; Heister J., now engaged in the slating and roofing business at Pottsville, Schuylkill county ; and Kate, still single, and also residing there.
Aaron J. Boyer grew to manhood at Leesport, Berks county, and obtained a superior English education in the public schools of that village. After leaving school he entered the telegraph office and soon became a skillful operator, being in the employ of the Reading Railroad Com- pany for a period of nearly thirteen years, during ten of which he was operator at va- rious places along the line, and for three years station agent at Valley Forge, to which place he removed in 1883. In 1887 he began the manufacture of cigars in the city of Philadelphia, and three years later, in September, 1890, transferred his opera- tions to Valley Forge, where he opened the factory since known as No. 39, and has built up a prosperous and paying business in that line. In politics he is a democrat, but broad and liberal in his views, and is well known for his sound judgment and correct business principles. In February, 1891, he was elected by his fellow citizens to the position of justice of the peace, the duties of which office he has ever since. creditably discharged. In religion he is a strict member of the German Reformed church, and ranks among the most substan- tial and useful citizens of Chester county.
On November 15, 1883, Squire Boyer was united in marriage to Ella Evans, a daughter of Josiah and Esther A. Evans,
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
of Linfield, Montgomery county, Pennsyl- vania, and their union has been blessed by the birth of one child, a son named Jacob E., who is now (1892) in his fourth year.
JACOB GILBERT, an active and useful member of the Lutheran church, and a highly respected resident of Zermatt, is a son of Daniel and Sarah ( Haas) Gilbert, and was born in Whitemarsh township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, April 23, 1819. His paternal great-grandfather, Jacob Gilbert, sr., was a native of Germany, and came to Germantown, Philadelphia county, where he followed distilling mint. His son, Jacob Gilbert (grandfather), was born in 1754 in Germantown, Philadelphia, and died in Upper Dublin township, Feb- ruary 26, 1828, at seventy-three years of age. He served in the revolutionary war and took part in some of the hardest bat- tles of that great struggle, being one of the Pennsylvania soldiers who fought under Morgan, and was with him at the battle of Cowpens. He commenced life as a farmer, but afterward engaged in distilling. He was a democrat, and was instrumental in organizing Whitemarsh Evangelical Luth- eran church, of which he was an honored member until his death. He married Anna M. Braus, and they had five children : Jacob, Susan, Mary, Christiana, and Daniel. The youngest son, Daniel (father), was born August 20, 1790. Ile served in a cavalry regiment during the war of 1812, and after- ward became a farmer. Ile was a member of the Lutheran church, and died March 16, 1876, aged eighty-five years. He married Sarah Haas, who was born October 2, 1796, and passed away December 15, 1886. They
had six children : Peter H., Jacob, Daniel, Sarah Thompson, Anna M. Danchower, and Villy Ann Danehower.
Jacob Gilbert received his education in the common schools of his neighborhood, and then learned the trade of stonemason, at which he worked for two years. At the end of that time, in 1838, he engaged in farming for his father, which he quit in 1855 to remove to a farm near Zermatt station, this county, where he remained for twenty- six years. He then (1881) retired from active life and removed to his present prop- erty near that station, on which he is mak- ing considerable improvements. He is a democrat in politics and a Lutheran in re- ligions belief, and has served for twenty-one years as a school director of his township, and for twenty-two years as an elder of his church.
On December 21, 1847, Mr. Gilbert mar- ried Catherine A. Danehower, who is a daughter of Jacob Danehower, a native and farmer of Montgomery county, who was a democrat and Presbyterian. Jacob Danchower married Catharine Hallman, and had five children : Charles, Mary Fleck, George, Rowland, and Mrs. Gilbert. To Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert have been born six children : Elizabeth, wife of Ilenry Menkins, a farmer of East Whiteland township; Catherine, wife of Wesley M. White, a farmer of West Bradford township ; Jacob, jr., who married Mande Miller, and is en- gaged in the milk business in Philadelphia ; Sarah Il., married Edwin J. Scott, a farmer of East Bradford township; Mary Emma, who married Frank Fisher, a resident and farmer of Upper Uwehlan township; and Clara Irene, wife of John Temple, now en- gaged in the general mercantile business at West Chester.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
PIERRE BIZALLION, one of the
most noted Indian traders in the prov- ince of Pennsylvania, established himself at various points, and penetrated tie dis- tant wilderness to barter with the natives for their furs. About the year 1724 he set- tled down on a farm in the valley. a short distance east of Coatesville, where he died in 1742. He names eight slaves in his will, and his personal property was appraised at five hundred and seventy-three pounds. His widow, Martha, gave the land, one hundred and fifty-eight acres (which had been patented to them in 1740), to her nephew, John Hart, by deed of December 22, 1762.
GEORGE R. STITELER, an active
Baptist, and a prominent citizen of West Pikeland township, is a son of Henry and Penina (Benner) Stiteler, and was born in West Vincent township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, November 6, 1830. He was reared on the farm, received his education at Fremont academy, and, after teaching one term in the common schools, was engaged with his father in farming for fourteen years. He then (1867) removed to West Pikeland township, where he purchased his present farm. of one hundred and twenty- three acres of improved land. His farm is well cultivated and very productive and ranks as one of the best farms of the town- ship. In addition to farming he raises some stock and during the last few years has given some attention to dairying, in which he has met with good success. While actively engaged in the management of his farm, and the supervision of his dairy, he is ever alive to every measure or enterprise that is of interest to his fellow-citizens, or
of benefit to his township. He is a repub- lican in politics, has held the offices of as- sessor and school director, and served, in 1890, as census enumerator of West Pike- land township, and is at present (1892) sec- retary and treasurer of Pikeland Creamery (limited). Mr. Stiteler is a useful and in- fluential citizen of his community, and has been frequently employed to settle up es- tates and act as assignee and guardian. He is a member and deacon of Vincent Baptist church, of whose choir he has been a mem- ber for forty and the leader for thirty years. In every position which he has held in pub- lic life, and in every capacity in which he has served his fellow citizens, he has so acted as to be in the best interests of all concerned and to reflect credit on himself.
On March 4, 1858, Mr. Stiteler married Catherine D. Miles, and to their union have been born three children, one son and two daughters : Edwin M., who died at two years of age; Frances Middleton, and Emma Miles. Frances Middleton Stiteler was graduated from West Chester Normal school in the class of 1878; taught for some time as principal of a private school at Hillside, and in 1890 entered the National school of elocution and oratory, Philadelphia, from which she was graduated in the class of 1892, and is now pursuing a special course in the Neff school of oratory, Philadelphia, to qualify herself for a chair in a high school or college. Emma Miles Stiteler re- ceived a good education, taught at Hillside, and married E. Jones Acker, a prominent surveyor and civil engineer of Norfolk, Virginia.
The Stiteler family traces its ancestry to Germany, and has been resident of this country for five generations. George Stit- eler (grandfather), a son of the founder of
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
the family in this country, was a native of Chester county, where he married and reared a family. His son, Henry Stiteler (father), was born in 1811 in Uwchlan township, where he died March 11, 1886. He was an industrious, useful and prominent man in the community where he resided, and married Penina Benner, who passed away in 1890, at seventy-eight years of age. They had ten children. The Stiteler family is noted for its industry and thrift, and its ancestral history will be given in detail in the sketch of I. Newton Stiteler (brotlier), which appears in this volume.
DAVI AVIS KEELEY, now living a retired life at Phoenixville, was for over half a century one of the most active and ener- getic citizens of the county. IIe is a son of Jacob and Sophia (Shuler) Keeley, and was born in West Caln township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, December 17,1820. Ile was reared in his native county, received a good business education in private and select schools, and then learned the trade of carpen- ter, which he quit three years later to learn millwrighting. After learning his second trade. he entered the employ of the Phoenix Iron Company, as superintendent of the erection of all buildings and machinery, with whom he remained for thirty-six years. During that time he had charge of building the blast furnaces and keeping them in running order. He raised the large iron mill in 1874 in five months, which is 960 x 480 feet in dimensions, and set up part of the machinery for running, and then was stopped for a period. During the last ten years he was with the company he had charge of the running of the three blast- furnaces. Ile resigned his position in 1876
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