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 63
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handling lumber, hardware, coal, flour and feed ever since. Being naturally of a quick, energetic disposition, he carefully looked after every detail of his growing business, aud was soon at the head of a large and lucrative trade, covering Berwyn and all parts of the surrounding country. He keeps all articles in his several lines, takes a pride in pleasing his customers, and in many respects is what may be justly termed a model business man. Although devoting his time mainly to the business in which he has been so successful, he takes an active and intelligent interest in all public ques- tions, and keeps well posted on the march of progress and improvement which dis- tinguishes the present above all past times. In politics he is a republican, active and in- fluential in the local councils of his party, and in religion is a prominent member of the Presbyterian church at Berwyn, and president of its board of trustees.
On November 23, 1886, Mr. Fritz was married to Mabel M. Thompson, a daughter of William C. Thompson, formerly a pros- perous farmer of Tredyffrin township, but now a leading veterinary surgeon of Berwyn. To Mr. and Mrs. Fritz have been born two sons : Henry Percival and William II., jr.
The family to which Mr. Fritz belongs is of German descent, and has long been resi- dent in this State. His paternal grand- father, Gotlieb Fritz, lived most of his life in this eounty, and died at Strafford about 1835, at the early age of twenty-eight years. Henry Fritz (father) was born in Chester county, near what is now Strafford, and died at Berwyn October 30, 1870, in the thirty- fifth year of his age. He was a carpenter and contractor by occupation, and also en- gaged in the lumber, coal, flour and feed business very successfully for a number of
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
years previous to his death. Politically he was a republican, and in religious faith was a strict member of the Presbyterian church. In 1863 he married Mary E. Lobb, a dangh- ter of William Lobb, who was for many years a resident of Philadelphia, in which city he died about 1884, at an advanced age. By this union Mr. Fritz had a family of three children, the eldest of whom is the subject of this sketch. The second son is Henry Fritz, now a resident of Berwyn, and the third died in infancy. Mrs. Mary E. Fritz is still living.
A DDISON MAY, the youngest son of Robert and Ruth (Potts) May, was born in South Coventry township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, December 18, 1811. His father, Robert May, was of English ancestry, an ironmaster of large means, of fine business qualifications, and extensively engaged in business. He was owner of sev- eral iron works. He was highly esteemed by all who knew him, a man of fine presence, and great dignity of character. He was an Episcopalian, and was accidentally killed by a fall from his horse, November 21, 1812. He was twice married, first to Rebecca Grace Potts, who died July 30, 1789. His second wife was Ruth Potts, a younger sis- ter of Rebecca, and, after this marriage, he removed to Coventry village.
Ruth ( Potts) May, the mother of Addison May, was a woman of refined and lovely character, an earnest Christian, and devoted to the interests of her family. She was the daughter of Col. Thomas and Anna (Nutt) Potts. ller father, Col. Thomas Potts, vas one of the first men to develop the iron in- terests of Pennsylvania : and in 1757 mar- ried Anna, the only child of Rebecca Sav-
age and Sir Samuel Nutt, jr., an English baronet. He was a man of much intelli- gence and culture, was one of the original members of the American Philosophical society, had entertained Washington at his Pottstown residence, was elected a member of the assembly from Philadelphia county, in 1775, and was active in the cause of lib- erty. In 1776 he raised a battalion, of which he was commissioned colonel by con- gress, expending liberally of his large means to fill up his companies. He was a member of the convention assembled at the State house in Philadelphia, July 9, 1776, for the purpose of forming a new goverment. His devotion to the cause of colonial inde- pendence greatly impaired his fortune, and he died March 22, 1785, while attending the session of the legislature, of which he was a member.
This zealous and able patriot was the grandfather of AAddison May, and from him and from his parents he inherited an abiding love of country and its highest good, and an intense aversion to injustice and wrong.
Addison May was born in the beautiful little valley of the French creek, in an old ancestral mansion, built, it is supposed, by Robert Grace, who had married the young and beautiful widow of Sir Samuel Nutt - for Thomas Potts, upon his marriage with Anna Nutt, the daughter of Mrs. Nutt, about the year 1757. He had the misfor- tune to lose his father, Robert May, when only a year old, and at seven years of age he lost his mother, and the home was broken up. His eldest sister, Eliza May, daughter of Robert May and his first wife, Rebecca Grace Potts, was married to Gov. Samuel Stevens, of Maryland. She was a woman of finely cultivated mind and heart, and
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
took her young brothers to her home. Ad- dison May attended a private school until he entered Jefferson college, Cannonsburg, in western Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated. He held a. high rank at college as a student of the classics. One year after his graduation he entered the of- fice of William H. Dillingham, of West Chester, and studied law. After being ad- mitted to the bar he settled in Erie, Penn- sylvania, and began the practice of his profes- sion. He married Elizabeth Shafer, youngest daughter of Hon. Samuel and Martha Bull Shafer, and then removed to Norristown, Pennsylvania, devoting himself to his pro- fession and becoming a most successful law- yer. While in Norristown he interested himself in the cause of education, and served on the board of school direetors. He early sympathized with the anti-slavery move- ment. In polities he was first a whig and afterward a republican. His health became broken down in Norristown, and at the same time Judge Shafer-his father-in-law-lost his wife, and at his solicitation Mr. and Mrs. May left Norristown and lived with Judge Shafer until his death, which occurred in 1856. He spent much time among his books and the study of botany. The peo- ple in the neighborhood came to him for legal advice, which was always willingly and gratuitously given. After Judge Shaf- er's death, Mr. May removed to West Ches- ter in 1859. Here he remained during the rest of his life, interesting himself in public and philanthropic matters. He was school director for some years, then served for sev- eral years on the board of trustees of the State Normal school. He was appointed as a trustee of the State hospital for the in- sane at Norristown, and strongly advocated the choice of a woman physician, to be put
in charge of female patients, and Dr. Alice Bennett was chosen. He resigned this po- sition at the solicitation of his family, in 1887. He was one of the organizers of the West Chester Trust and Relief society, and was president of the board until within two years of his death, when he resigned the office. He was for several years one of the inspectors of the Chester county prison. In addition to these public trusts, so well known was his character for strict integrity and kindness, that he was frequently asked to accept private trusts as a guardian of orphans and the property of widows. He was very social in his nature, his friends were always sure of a courteous welcome ; and the youngest child who came to the house was as sure of courteous attention as the oldest of his guests. He was a man of broad culture and of extensive reading. He rarely read a translation of a Latin author, preferring to read the works in the original. He was for many years a vestryman of the Church of the Holy Trinity, West Chester, and when the new church was built he was treasurer of the building fund, and contribu- ted generously to its erection.
In April, 1878, he had the great misfor- tune to lose his wife. Mrs. May was a woman of benevolent character. She was very retiring in disposition, devotedly at- tached to her family and her home. Mr. and Mrs. May had only one child, a daughter, Martha E., who was married, in 1869, to Dr. Joseph Trimble Rothrock, of whom notice will be found in this volume.
Mr. May was the last survivor of the eight children of Robert May. His oldest sister, Eliza May, wife of Gov. Samuel Stevens, of Maryland, died at Compton, Talbot county, Maryland, December 8, 1834. Ifis second sister, Anna Nutt May, was mar-
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
ried to the IIon. David Potts. She died at Coventry, March 17, 1823. His oldest brother, Thomas Potts May, was rector of St. John's church, Norristown, and St. Thomas' church, Montgomery county. He died of yellow fever in 1819.
Dr. Robert May was the second brother of Addison May, was graduated from the medical department of the university of Pennsylvania in 1822, and died in 1866.
The Rev. James May, D. D., was the fourth son of Robert May -the third son having died in infancy. He was born in 1805, and was graduated from Jefferson college, Can- nonsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1823. IIe en- tered the Theological seminary in Alexan- dria, Virginia, in October, 1825, but soon found it necessary to remove to Philadelphia to study more immediately under the di- rection of the ecclesiastical authorities. He was called 10 St. Stephen's church, Wilkes- barre, and two years afterward married Ellen Stuart Bowman, danghter of Captain Samuel Bowman, and a sister of the right reverend Samuel Bowman, of this State. In 1836 Mr. May accepted a call to the rectorship of St. Paul's church, Philadel- phia, and in February, 1837, "added to his arduous pastoral labors the editorship of the Episcopal Recorder." His health failed, and The made a trip to Europe and Africa. In 1840 he accepted the professorship of church history in the Theological seminary at Al- exandria, Virginia, where he remained until 1861, when he came to Philadelphia, and accepted the same position in the Divinity school of that city, but refused to succeed his brother-in-law, right reverend Samuel Bowman, as assistant Bishop of Pennsylvania. In 1863 he published a re- ply to Bishop Hopkins' "Bible View of Slavery." It was a clear, calm, forcible re-
view, and went more deeply into the heart of the whole matter than anything else then published. On December 18, 1863, he en- tered into life eternal. " Dear Mr. May," was the testimony of one who knew him well, "seemed to me more holy than any one I ever knew."
Mr. May's fifth brother was Newton May. M. D., born December 26, 1807. Ile was a graduate of Jefferson college and the uni- versity of Pennsylvania. In 1837 he set- tled in Holmesburg, and practiced until his death in 1889. He was a thoroughly edu- cated allopathie physician, but afterward took up homeopathy.
Mr. Addison May's brothers all attained to eminence in the professions they followed. His last illness was an extremely painful one, but all suffering was borne with that beautiful patience and resignation which were such marked traits of his character. After intense suffering he entered into rest on January 8, 1892.
V OSBURG NEWTON SHAFFER is
a retired civil and mechanical engineer, of Phoenixville, who has also distinguished himself as a journalist and iron manufne- turer. He has attained an eminenee in Masonie circles equaled by few men of his generation, having passed the thirty-third or highest degree in Masoury, and received the honorarium as Sovereign Grand In- spector General Thirty-third degree North- ern Masonic jurisdiction of the United States of America, at Chicago, Illinois, Sep- tember 14, 1886. Hle is the only son of Thomas and Jane (Vosburgh) Shaffer, and was born in Saugerties, New York, July 17, 1842. The Shaffer family emigrated from Germany prior to the revolutionary war and
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
settled in Westchester county, New York, where Thomas Shaffer (father) was born May 22, 1815. His father and grandfather were both large manufacturers of paper, and the latter built and operated a paper mill at what is now known as Five Points, in New York city. This mill was designated by congress, during the revolution, as one of the two mills to furnish the government with paper on which to print the conti- mental money. After peace was declared this mill was moved to Spottswood, New Jersey. Thomas Shaffer's father died while he was yet a boy, and by a series of unex- ampled misfortunes, including the destruc- tion of a will by interested parties and the subsequent burning of the land records in the capitol at Washinton, by the British soldiery in 1814, the rightful owners of this property were defrauded and the true heirs dispossessed, leaving Thomas dependent on his own exertions for an education and a career in life. His first employment was as errand boy in a paper mill, and at the age of twelve years he entered the Ulster iron works at Saugerties, New York, where he became a general favorite with employers and managers, and rapidly worked his way through all branches of the trade. Under the efficient instruction of a skilled work- man from abroad he gained a complete mastery of the best processes then known or used, and was known as the first finished American workman. He remained with that firm for eighteen years, having entered its employ as a boy and rose to the position of manager, having charge of three trains of rolls, and the reputation of a thoroughly educated mechanic. After leaving New York he was engaged as master-workman and mill manager successively at the works of Thomas Hunt, of Philadelphia, the Fair-
mount Iron works, and of the Iron Rail mills of Safe Harbor, this State. In 1856 he received the appointment of mill man- ager in the extensive works of the Phoenix Iron Company, at Phoenixville, Pennsyl- vania, and held that responsible position for more than a quarter of a century, and until his death. In politics he was first a whig and then a republican, always taking au active interest in public affairs, but never allowing his name to be used as a candidate for any office. During the civil war he ma- terially aided the Union cause, freely using his entire income for that purpose, except- ting what was necessary for the support of his family. He was especially liberal in earing for the families of the old soldiers in the field. and continued his benefactions during his life, to the dependent relatives of many who laid down their lives at their country's call. He died July 9, 1888, at the advanced age of seventy-four years, leaving behind him a record which is a shining example of what may be aecom- plished by superior ability backed by in- domitable energy, in the face of even the most adverse circumstances-a record of which his descendants may well feel proud. For nearly fifty years he was an acceptable member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and during that entire period served the con- gregation with which he was connected in some official capacity. He was also con- nected with the fraternity of Odd Fellows during the last thirty-six years of his life. In 1836 he married Jane Vosburgh, of Ulster county, New York, by whom he had a family of three children, of whom the son, subject of this sketch, and one daughter now survives. Mrs. Shaffer died January 4, 1891, aged seventy-four years.
Vosburgh N. Shaffer came to Phoenix-
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
ville, this county, with his father's family in 1856, where he has since resided. He was liberally educated, finishing his academic course at Lititz, Lancaster county, and then entering Dickenson college, at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1863, with high honors. He chose the profession of a eivil and mechanical en- gineer, and soon after leaving college ac- cepted a position as assistant mechanical engineer with the Phoenix Irou Company, at Phoenixville, where he had served his time as a machinist before graduation. He held this position until 1868, when he re- moved to Elizabethport, New Jersey, as secretary and treasurer of the Elizabeth Iron Company, then ereeting a rolling mill at that place. After one year in that posi- tion he spent a year as general superinten- dent of the Lochiel Iron works, Harrisburg, this State, but in 1870 returned to Phoenix- ville and purchased the plant of the Inde- pendent Plurnis newspaper. He continuedits publication under that name for some years, and then changed it to Phornixcille Inde- pendent, put in a steam press, and issued a daily edition as well as the weekly. This was the first daily paper ever printed in the town, and the first number was issued Jan- uary 3, 1881. Mr. Shaffer continued to publish these papers until 1890, when he sold out to the Republican Publishing Com- pany, the present proprietors. Since that time he has given his attention principally to his real estate interests in and near Phoenixville. His residence, located on Main street, and ereeted by him in 1886, is one of the handsomest and best arranged briek and stone structures in the borough. It was built after plans made by himself and fitly displays his architectural ability and taste.
Vosburgh N. Shaffer has been twice mar- ried, first to Elizabeth T. Rengier, daughter of Charles F. Rengier, of Lancaster city, Pennsylvania, who died in 1867, leaving one son, Charles R., who passed away at the early age of five years. On November 13, 1870, Mr. Shaffer was wedded to Irene Dis- mant, youngest daughter of Amos Dismant, of Mingo, Montgomery county, this State. The Dismants were among the earliest set- tlers of Pennsylvania, and the orignal homestead estate at Mingo remains in the family to-day. By this marriage Mr. Shaf- fer has a family of three children, two sons and a daughter: Jennie V., Thomas N. and Robert G.
In religion Mr. Shaffer and his family, unitedly, are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of Phoenixville. During the time of the civil war he left college for a season and volunteered with a Carlisle company for the emergency, and participa- ted in the battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862. Later he enlisted for three months, as corporal in Co. B, 34th Penn- sylvania militia, and served during the Gettysburg epoch. He was honorably dis- charged with his company August 10, 1863. In the Masonic circles of this country Mr. Shaffer has long been prominent. He was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in Phoenix Lodge, No. 75, Free and Accepted Masons, Phoenixville, April 28, 1866, and was installed Worshipful Master of his Lodge December 27, 1873. He is also a Past High Priest of Phoenix Chapter, No. 198, Royal Arch Masons : a Past T. I. G. M. of Palestine Council, No. 8, Royal and Select Masters, and a l'ast E. C. of Jerusalem Commandery, N. 15, Knights Templar, all of Phoenixville. He is a Past Commander-in-Chief of Caldwell Consis-
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
tory, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, in the Valley of Bloomsburg, and has taken all the intermediate degrees and chairs. He received the Honorarium as Sovereign Grand Inspector-General, 33ยบ, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America, at Chicago, in 1886. He is a Past Sovereign of Orient Conclave, No. 2, Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine, and Very Illustrious Grand Junior General of the Grand Council of this Order for the State of Pennsylvania. He served as Grand Master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Pennsylvania in 1883-4, and as a Deputy of the Grand Council. The number of Masons who have reached the thirty-third degree is very limited. There are less than five hundred of them in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States, among whom are Gen. B. F. Butler, Rev. Minot J. Savage, ex-Governor George Hoadley, J. II. McVieker, and other eminent men.
THOMAS W. MARSHALL, the sen-
ior member of the banking firm of T. W. Marshall & Co., of West Chester, and a well known and successful financier of Chester county, is a son of John W. and Edna (Webb) Marshall, and was born in East Marlborongh township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1843. He is descended from Abram Marshall, who came from Nottingham, England, and settled in what is now East Bradford township. He married and reared a family, and one of his descendants was John W. Marshall, who was born in 1804 in West Bradford town- ship, and upon arriving at maturity pur- chased a farm in East Marlborough town- ship and resided there up to the time of his
death, which occurred June 17, 1863. He was an old-line whig in politics, and married Edna Webb, who died August 13, 1884, aged seventy-eight years. They reared a family of eight children, four of whom still survive.
Thomas W. Marshall was reared on the farm, received his education at Kennett Square academy, and at eighteen years of age commenced life for himself as a clerk in a store at Wilmington, Delaware. Upon attaining his majority he removed to West Chester, where he entered the First National bank as a clerk, and was promoted from position to position until in three years and six months he became cashier, in which capacity he served up to 1872. He then resigned to form a partnership with Smed- ley Darlington, and they did a private bank- ing business in Philadelphia until 1875, when Mr. Marshall returned to West Ches- ter, where he conducted a private bank with Mr. Darlington for one year. At the end of that time the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Marshall commenced business on his own acconnt, which he continued by himself until 1887, when he admitted his nephew, William Chalfant, jr., into part- nership, under the present firm name of . T. W. Marshall & Co. He does a general investment business, and his bank is known throughout eastern Pennsylvania as a sub- stantial and safely managed financial insti- tution. He is a director of the National bank of Chester county, the oldest and largest bank in the county, and has always taken a deep interest in any enterprise that is intended to promote the material and business prosperity of his borough. He is also a director and first vice-president of the McKinley-Lanning Loan & Trust Company, of Philadelphia, and holds several other
1
Thomas Y. Marshall.
541
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
positions of responsibility and trust. He is an independent republican in politics.
On May 11, 1869, Mr. Marshall was uni- ted in marriage with Kate D. Worthington, daughter of Dr. Wilmer Worthington (see his sketch), a distinguished physician and politician of Pennsylvania.
JOSHUA L. GARRETT, a prominent
farmer residing near Sugartown, who is also treasurer of the Mutual Seenrity Fire Company, of Chester county, is the eldest son of Isaac and Lydia L. (Garrett) Garrett, and was born on the old homestead, in the sonthern part of Willistown township, this county, August 19, 1825. Ilis ancestors were English Quakers who came to America and settled in Pennsylvania at an early day. The paternal grandfather, Isaac Garrett, was also a native of Willistown township, born June 11, 1755, and died here January 12, 1837, aged eighty-two years. He was a farmer by occupation, owning one hundred and forty acres of land, and in religion a Friend or Quaker. In politics he was a whig, and he married Elizabeth Thatcher, of South Carolina, by whom he had a fam- ily of eight children : Isaac, William, Mary, Sarah, Edith and Amos, and after the house was destroyed by fire and the two boys, Isaac and William, were burned, two more were born, whom they named Isaac and William. Amos never married. Sarah married Brinton Darlington, Mary married a man by the name of Sheward, and, after his death, wedded Isaac Fred, while Edith married a man named Hoopes. All are now deceased. Isaac Garrett (father) was born at the Garrett homestead on Ridley creek, Willistown township, October 9, 1797, and died there February 7, 1870, in the 32
seventy-third year of his age. Ile was a farmer all his life, owning a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres of excellent and productive land. Like his father he ad- hered to the Quaker faith, and served as overseer of his meeting for many years. lu polities he was first a whig, and later a re- publican, and on November 4, 1824, married Lydia L. Garrett, a daughter of Abner Gar- rett, of Willistown township. By this union he had a family of four children : Joshua L., whose name introduces this sketch ; Elizabeth, born in 1827, married Thomas G. Smedley, on November 29, 1849, and died April 10, 1891, aged sixty-four; Wil- mer, died when one year old; and Amos, born May 21, 1833, married Anna M. Chand- ler, April 25, 1861, by whom he has three children, and now resides in Willistown.
Abner Garrett, maternal grandfather of Joshua L., was a son of Thomas Garrett, and was born March 19, 1776, in Willistown township, where his father had been born April 12, 1736, on the property where Thomas Cox now lives. He was a farmer by vocation, a Quaker in religion, and mar- ried Rebecca Maris, by whom he had a fam- ily of eight children : Rebecca Ann, Lydia, Abigail, George, Thomas, Jane, Abner and Hannah. He died October 14, 1849, aged eighty years, and his widow, Rebecca, died January 6, 1856, aged eighty-one.
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