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 71
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
598
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
W ALTER H. LEWIS, the present offi- eial stenographer of the fifteenth judi- cial distriet of Pennsylvania, comprising the courts of Chester county, and a member of the active and well known stenographie firm of Clift & Lewis, of Philadelphia, is a son of Christopher and Louisa K. (Hallowell) Lewis, and was born in Highland county, Ohio, November 17, 1862. His paternal grandfather, Daniel Lewis, was a native and life-long resident of Highland county, Ohio. Hle was a farmer by occupation, and a member of the Society of Friends, and died in 1847, aged about fifty years. He married Priscilla Hussey, by whom he had five children, three sons and two daughters. One of his sons, Chistopher Lewis (father), was born Sep- tember 22, 1831, and npon arriving at man- hood's years engaged in farming, which he still follows. He is a republican in politics, and a member of the Society of Friends. Ile married Louisa K. Hallowell, of Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1859, and they have three children : Engene C., Walter H. and Marion, all of whom now reside in Pennsylvania, the latter being married and living in Montgomery county.
Walter H. Lewis was reared in southwest- ern Ohio, near Cincinnati. He received his early education in the public schools of that State, and afterward at Miami Valley col- lege, at Springboro, Ohio. After coming to Pennsylvania he took a special course at the West Chester State Normal school. Ile studied stenography with Elias Longley, at that time the official stenographer of the courts of common pleas of Cincinnati, and publisher of shorthand books and period- ieals. After doing considerable work with Mr. Longley he became book-keeper in a mercantile establishment at Springboro. Ohio, which he resigned in about one year
to come to Pennsylvania. After spending about one year in Philadelphia, with Mr. Francis H. Hemperly, at that time one of the leading reporters in that city and private secretary to the postmaster, he located per- manently in Chester county, first acting as reporter on the Morning Republican, and doing general shorthand work. In 1886 he was appointed official stenographer of the courts of Chester county by Judge Futhey, which position he has held ever since. In addition to his eourt work in Chester county he is actively engaged in the same line of work in all the counties in eastern Pennsyl- vania, Philadelphia and New Jersey, with headquarters in Philadelphia, where he is a member of the stenographie firm of Clift & Lewis, whose offices are at No. 441 Chestnut street, in that city.
On April 19, 1888, he was united in mar- riage with Maude Ker Smith, daughter of I. Milton Smith, formerly of Unionville, Chester county, Pennsylvania, and now of Philadelphia. Their union has been blessed with two children, Walter Hallowell and Ralph Milton.
In politics Mr. Lewis is a republican, is an active member and secretary of the county committee, and always gives his party an earnest and hearty support. He is a mem- ber of the Society of Friends, and stands high as an honorable and upright citizen.
JOSEPH T. PRICE, a thorough and practical machinist of West Chester, is a son of Lucius D. and Anna M. ( Haines) Price, and was born in that horough on April 23, 1859. His paternal grandfather, James B. Price, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and died in Baltimore county, Mary- land, about 1847, aged fifty-three years.
599
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
His profession was that of a physician. Lucius B. Price (father) was born in Balti- more county, Maryland, and came to West Chester in 1848, where he now lives, en- gaged in the harness business. lle is a stanch republican, giving his party an earn- est support, but entertaining no political ambitions for himself. In 1852 Mr. Price was married to Anna M. Haines, a daughter of John T. and Hannah W. Haines, of West Chester. She passed away to her final rest on March 13, 1865. They had three child- ren, one daughter and two sous: Anna, Joseph and Jacob.
Ilis maternal grandfather, John T. Haines, was a native of Pennsylvania, and lived all his life-with the exception of thirteen years, which he spent in California-in the borough of West Chester, where he was en- gaged in the business of a contractor and builder. In politics he was an old-line whig, and after the birth of the Republican party, gave it his support. In 1829 he was mar- ried to Hannah W. Williams, by whom he had a family of six children, four of whom grew to maturity and became useful and re- spected members of society.
Joseph T. Price received his education in the public schools of his native borough, being graduated from the High school in the class of 1877, and began fitting himself for his chosen occupation - that of machin- ist -serving as an apprentice in the shop of Speakman & Miles from 1877 to 1881.
On October 14, 1886. Mr. Price was uni- ted in marriage with Jeannetta Bailey, a daughter of Jesse Bailey, of West Chester. To Mr. and Mrs. Price have been born three children : Walter E., deceased ; Joseph H., and George T. Having worked as a jour- neyman for nine years, Mr. Price was well qualified and capable of going into business
on his own account, which he did in Feh- ruary, 1890 -- first locating on Bernard street and afterward moving to his present site. on the corner of Chestnut and Walnut streets. Ile does a general jobbing busi- ness, makes working models and experi- mental machines, and in connection with this, makes a specialty of creamery sup- plies of all kinds. In politics he adheres to the principles of the Republican party, and is a member of West Chester Lodge, No. 42, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Price is a thorough mechanic and a prac- tical business man of wide experience, who has met with unusual success. He has a shop well supplied with the best of machin- ery, and his work gives entire satisfaction to his patrons and is rapidly building up a lucrative business and creating an enviable reputation for Mr. Price among the manu- facturers and business men of Chester county,
R OBERT W. PECHIN, a prosperous farmer residing near Strafford, this county, is a son of William and Eliza ( Bew- ley) Pechin, and was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 15, 1831. The Pechins are of French Huguenot stock, and the family was founded in Amer- ica by Christopher Pechin, who was driven by religions persecution from his native country, with many others of like frith, and emigrating to America, finally settled in Philadelphia. Ile was a merchant and for many years did a thriving business in the city of his adoption, actively supporting the cause of the colonies in their conflict with England, and contributing liberally of his means toward carrying on the revolutionary war. Among his children was John Pechin (grandfather), who was born in Philadel-
600
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
phia, where he passed his entire life, dying there in 1860 at the good old age of ninety- four years. He was a carpenter by trade, and served as tax collector in that city for a number of years. In religion he was an Episcopalian, always liberal in his contribu- tious for religious or benevolent purposes, and his remains sleep in front of St. Paul's Episcopal church-the third church of Philadelphia in point of age. Politically he was a whig, and took an active interest in the success of his party. He married a Miss Wallace, and reared a family of four children, three sons and a daughter, named respectively Robert, William, John and Almira. Peter Pechin, a brother of John, was a prominent citizen of Montgomery county in his day, and noted for his liberal contributions in aid of church work and religious and benevolent objects generally.
William Pechin (father) was born in the city of Philadelphia about 1794, where he grew to manhood and was educated. He continued to reside there until 1867, when he removed to Montgomery county, and died near King of Prussia, that county, in 1875, aged nearly eighty-one years. He was a tanner by trade and followed that occu- pation successfully for half a century. Po- litically he was a democrat, though never taking any prominent part in politics. He was twice married, first wedding a Miss Adams, by whom he had one child, a son named John, who is now a farmer of West Whiteland township. After his first wife's death Mr. Pechin married Eliza Bewley, and to this union was born a family of eight children, seven sons and a daughter: John, William, Albert, Robert W., the subject of this sketch ; Edward T., deceased; George; Charles J., dead ; and Anna, also deceased.
Robert W. Pechin was reared in Phila-
delphia and received his education in the public schools of that city. In 1843 he re- moved to Tredyffrin township, Chester county, where he has since resided, engaged in agricultural pursuits. He owns a good farm consisting of sixty-eight acres of ex- cellent land, all well improved and supplied with good fences and haudsome farm build- ings. In his political affiliations Mr. Pechin is a stanch democrat, and while taking no very active part in practical politics is at all times loyal in his support of democratic principles and policy.
On October 1,1852, Mr. l'echin was mar- ried to Mary Henderson, a daughter of John Henderson, of the city of Philadelphia. Mrs. Pechin died May 26, 1872, aged thirty- six years, and leaving behind her a family of seven children, four sons and three daugh- ters, all of whom are still living: Mary E., who married John W. Pechin, a prosperous farmer of Montgomery county ; Robert W. jr., who wedded Anna Parks, and resides in the State of Iowa; Eliza, the wife of John Andrews, a butcher and farmer of Mont- gomery county, this State ; Warren R., now residing at Valley Store, East Whiteland, engaged in farming; Anna, engaged in teaching; John R., who married Lilian Lewis, and lives on the old homestead with his father; and Lorenzo P., who married Ida K. Axe, and is a farmer of Valley Store, in East Whiteland township.
GEORGE G. CARDWELL, a success-
ful dental surgeon of West Chester, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Septem- ber 10, 1841. He attended West Chester academy,from which he graduated, and after- ward studied dentistry under Dr. Clayton. After fourteen years of continuous practice,
Satiett Elwood Brownback.
603
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
he entered Philadelphia Dental college, from which he was graduated in the class of the Centennial year, and after graduation he re- turned to West Chester, where he has been ever since, actively and successfully engaged in the practice of dental surgery. His com- modious and well fitted up parlors, at No. 119 West Market street, are fully equipped with all the necessary modern appliances of dentistry, and special care and attention are given to all his patrons, and to every detail of his office work.
Dr. Cardwell is a good workman in his profession and stands well with the public as a man and a citizen.
GA ARRETT ELWOOD BROWN-
BACK, the largest retailer in the but- ter business in the United States, and prob- ably the largest in the world, is a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and was born December 27, 1846, near Bethel church, East Vincent township, on land originally settled by his great-great-grandfather, Ger- herd Brownbaugh, about 1716. He is a son of Jesse and Elizabeth (Christman) Brown- back. Gerherd Brownbaugh was a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, who came to America in 1685, and settled where Ger- mantown now stands. He died in 1757. On coming to Chester county he purchased and settled on the land now occupied by Lazetta Garber, near Bethel church. He was the founder of Brownback's German Reformed church, was an extensive farmer, owning one thousand acres of land, and also kept the first hotel in that locality. His wife was Mary Papen. a granddaughter of William Ritenhouse, and by her he had two sons, Benjamin and Henry, and five daugh- ters. The sons both became Chester county
farmers, and Benjamin succeeded his father in the hotel business, and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Henry Brown- back (great-grandfather) was born, lived and died in East Coventry township, this county, and among his children was Peter Brown- back (grandfather), who on March 29, 1803, married Susannah Defrane Brownback, wid- ow of Edward Brownback, by whom he had a family of two sons: Jesse and John, only one of whom now survives. Jesse Brown- back (father) was born in East Coventry township on March 18, 1807, where he still lives at the age of eighty-five years. He married Elizabeth Christman, of Chester county, and was the father of eleven chil- dren, ten of whom still survive : Penrose W., Clemantine, Anna, Garrett Elwoodl, subjeet of this sketch : Martha, Frederick, Jacob C., Edith, Margaret, and Lewis C., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere on these pages- which see for additional ancestral history of the Brownback family.
Garrett Elwood Brownback was educated in the State Normal school at Millersville, being graduated in 1865, and subsequently took a course in pharmacy under Professor Kimble, studying the analysis of milk. He then became a clerk for Jesse Rinehart at Brownback's store in Chester county, where he remained one year. In 1867 he formed a partnership with his brother, Penrose W., and embarked in the mercantile business on his own account, in the storeroom owned by George Davis, at Linfield. There they conducted the business successfully for a pe- riod of three years, at the end of which time they erected and removed to a store build- ing of their own. The firm continued to prosper, and Garrett Elwood Brownbaek re- mained a member thereof until 1876, when ! he withdrew to engage in his present busi-
604
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
ness, of which a writer in the "Industrial and Commercial Growth of Montgomery County," published in 1891, speaks as fol- lows :
" In referring to the vast commercial in- terests of Montgomery county the creamery industry is one of importance, and prom- inent among the largest representatives in this line is Mr. G. E. Brownback, a native of Chester county, and a gentleman named after old Garrett Brownback, one of the first settlers in Pennsylvania. The name of Brownback extends back several genera- tions, and is substantially well known throughout this section of the State. Mr. Brownback originally established his enter- prise here in October, 1877. He also oper- ates two other creameries-one known as the Elgin and the other as the Limerick Square creamery. An extensive business is prosecuted and thousands of quarts of cream is weekly worked up into 'Famous Golden Butter,' which is believed to be un- surpassed in firmness of texture, flavor and general excellence. The output at present is from nine hundred to one thousand pounds of butter daily, besides some twenty- five hundred pounds purchased weekly from other reliable sources to supply an extensive trade which is all over Philadelphia. Mr. Brownback, to facilitate the demands of the business, has four stalls, two wholesale and two retail, in Ridge-avenue farmers' mar- ket, and from here are supplied ten thousand pounds of butter, besides a large amount of eggs, poultry, and other produce. Mr. Brownback now offers to his patrons and others the purest creamery products of the market, and delivers orders to any part of the city, and without a doubt sells more but- ter than any other retail dealer in Philadel- phia. To cater to the demands of so vast a
trade fifteen skilled men are employed in the creameries and four teams utilized. The creameries are fitted out with the De- Lavalve separators, the finest in the market ; Blanchard churns, and Babcock milk test- ters. The machinery is operated by four fif- teen-horse-power engines in all. Mr. Brown- back is a thorough dairyman in every sense of the term. In 1888 he attended a course of lectures under Professor Trimble at Phil- adelphia, on the analysis of milk, and is a practical analyst himself. He operates also an ice plant for his own use, and can make ten thousand pounds of ice a month. In the successful conduet of such an establish- ment every known trade improvement is enjoyed. Hammond typewriter, telephone, fine large safe, and the office generally is fitted out in an attractive and perfect man- ner. Socially, the subject of this extensive review is well known for his personal worth, energy and thrift. He owns about one- third of Linfield and is the most extensive real estate owner here. He is a director of the Industrial Savings bank and vice-presi- dent of the Home National bank of Royer's Ford, and commands the esteem of all with whom he comes in contact."
Since the above was written Mr. Brown- back's business has largely increased, so that his weekly sales amount to from teu to twelve thousand pounds of butter per week. Ile is now proprietor of the Elgin cream- ery, at East Coventry, Chester county; the Linfield creamery, at Linfield, Montgomery county ; the Limerick Square creamery, at Limerick Square, same county ; and the Big Spring creamery, at Big Spring, Lebanon county. Beside selling the entire product of these four creameries, he buys for his trade about twenty-five hundred pounds of butter every week from the Excelsior cream-
605
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
ery. Mr. Brownback has about twenty thousand dollars invested in the creamery business, and the aggregate of milk con- sumed every day is about thirty thousand pounds, producing nearly fourteen hundred pounds of butter. He resides at Linfield, Montgomery county, where he owns one- third of the real estate in that beautifully situated and thriving village, which contains about five hundred inhabitants, and is situ- ated on the Reading railroad, about thirty- four miles from the city of Philadelphia. Mr. Brownback is noted for his business tact and the urbanity of his manners, and is said to be one of the best salesmen that ever stood behind a counter or in a market stall. His trade extends west to Chicago and east to New York city, and the reputation of his "golden butter" is unsurpassed by that of any other on the face of the globe. He is regarded not only as a leader in his line of business, but as authority on all questions connected with ereameries or butter making.
On January 20, 1874, Mr. Brownback was united in marriage to Emma Evans, a daugh- ter of Thomas B. Evans, an aged and prom- inenteitizen of Linfield, Montgomery county. this State. To their union has been born a family of six children, three sons and three daughters: Mary Elizabeth, Carrie Grace, Lottie Evans, Garrett Arthur, Jesse Evans, and John Kenneth, all living at home with their parents, except the two oldest, who are (1893) at the Moravian school, Lititz, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Mary Elizabeth Brownback graduated in 1892.
...
THOMAS D. GROVER, an active re- publican leader of Chester county, and an extensive contractor and builder of Phe- nixville, is one who has lived a busy and
useful life and has promptly and honorably discharged the duties of every position in which he has served. He is a son of Thomas J. and Eliza ( Miles) Grover, and was born in Schuylkill township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, December 10, 1840. He at- tended the common schools of his native township and after receiving a good English education, he learned the trade of carriage maker, which he followed for seven years. At the end of that time he learned the trade of carpenter, and entered the shops of the Phoenix Iron Company, where he was soon made foreman of the riveting shop, in which. under his supervision, was constructed the greater part of Second and Third avenue New York city elevated railroad. After ten years of continuous service in the em- ploy of that well known company, he re- signed his position in 1880 and engaged in his present prosperous contracting and build- ing business.
The founder of the Grover family in America was Christian Grover, who married and came from Germany to Chester county, where he cleared ont a large farm in Tredy- ffrin township, on which he resided until his death. Hle reared a family of eight children : John, born April 16, 1759; Hugh, November 28, 1760: George, October 27. 1762; Mary, December 1, 1765; Robert. .Inne 1, 1767: Elizabeth, May 21, 1770: Margaret, April 15, 1773; and Sarah, No- vember 10, 1775. Robert Grover, the fourth son, and grandfather of Thomas D. Grover, was reared in Tredyffrin township, where he spent his life as a farmer, was born June 1, 1767. He was a democrat, and a mem- ber of the Protestant Episcopal church, and on May 2, 1793, wedded Ann Reed, by whom he had ten children : Elizabeth, born May 1. 1794; Margaret, Junuary 29, 1796; JJohn
606
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
R., December 10, 1796; Eleanor J., March 10, 1798; Mary, June 25, 1799 ; Margaret, August 30, 1800 : Ann, July 1, 1803 ; Sarah, May 29, 1804; Thomas J., January 3, 1806; and Eleanor, August 11, 1807. Thomas J. (father), the youngest son, was reared on the farm, and died in his native township, on August 25, 1891, aged eighty-five years, six months and twenty-two days. On Oc- tober 2, 1834, he married Eliza Miles, who was born October 16, 1809, and passed away August 30, 1872, at sixty-five years of age. They were the parents of six children : Rob- ert, a farmer of Montgomery county, born February, 1835; Angeline, born March, 1837; Mary A., born January 10, 1839, and the wife of William Werstler; Thomas D. ; Charles F., born October, 1842, and now resident of Phoenixville ; and Leonard F., a farmer, who was born March 29, 1846.
Thomas D. Grover is a republican, and has always been active and influential in the political affairs of his county. He was a can- didate for recorder of deeds at the repub- lican primaries of Chester county, which were held on September 3, 1892. No man takes a greater interest in the prosperity of Phoenixville than Mr. Grover. He is a mem- ber of Phoenixville Baptist church, Phoenix Lodge, No. 212, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Sankanoe Lodge, No. 58, Knights of Pythias; Washington Castle, No. 45, Knights of the Golden Eagle; and Josiah White Post, No. 45, Grand Army of the Republic. When Pennsylvania was invaded by Lee in 1863, Mr. Grover was one who patriotically responded to the call of the State and Nation for help, and enlisted in Co. B, 134th Pennsylvania militia, in which he served until the Confederates were driven from the State.
ted in marriage with Mary E. Pennypacker, a danghter of Mathias and Elizabeth Penny- packer, of Phoenixville. To Mr. and Mrs. Grover have been born three children, two sons and one daughter: Eliza Olivia, born November 15, 1866, and married to Harry S. Priest, of Phoenixville; J. Harry, born October 5, 1871, living at home with his parents ; and Robert P., born November 15, 1875, and also at home.
JOHN F. KAUFFMAN, an intelligent and respected citizen and a well known surveyor and conveyancer of Berwyn, is a son of Henry and Sarah (Campbell ) Kauff- man, and was born in Easttown township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, January 7, 1831. His paternal grandfather, John Kauffinan, was a son of one of three brotli- ers who came from Germany to Pennsyl- vania, one of whom settled in East White- land township, the other two going farther west. One located in Lancaster county, and the other made his home on the Juniata river, in Center county. John Kauffman was a miller, and soon removed from East Whiteland to Easttown township, where he exchanged the occupation of milling for that of farming. He was a whig in politics, and died in 1846, leaving three surviving ehil- dren : Jacob, Isaac and Henry; David and Mary having been dead for a number of years. Henry Kauffman (father) was born near Berwyn in 1805, and died in the same house in which he was born in 1864, aged fifty-nine years .. He was a cooper by trade, and carried on the business, making nail kegs for the Phoenix Nail Company, and four barrels, for a member of years, in con- nection with farming. He gave up cooper-
On March 23, 1864, Mr. Grover was uni- | ing about twenty years prior to his death,
607
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
and gave his time solely to farming. He was an old-line whig and republican in political matters, while in religious thought he was a Baptist. He married Sarah Camp- hell, daughter of. William Campbell, and who died in 1887, at eighty-seven years of age. By this marriage he had seven chil- dren : Eliza Bowman, John F., David, Mary Cleaver, Henry, Sarah Downing and Martha Fennemore. Of these children, Eliza, David and John F. attended Lewisburg university, and Mary was a student at Leititz academy.
John F. Kauffinan received his elementa- ry education in the public schools, and then took a special course at Lewisburg (now Bucknell) university. Leaving school he was employed in farming for his father un- til 1857, when he engaged in his present business of conveyancing and surveying, which he has followed ever since, except a short time spent in mining in the gold fields of Colorado, and six weeks spent in 1863 as an emergency man in defense of this State against the Confederate invasion of that year, during which alarming period he served as a private in the Pennsylvania militia. Mr. Kauffman has always sup- ported the Republican party, and is a mem- ber of Great Valley Baptist church, and of Thompson Lodge, No. 340, Free and Ac- vepted Masons. He has given such evidence of his ability and qualifications as a surveyor that his services as such are constantly in demand, while as a conveyancer he does a large amount of work.
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.