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 76
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M ATTHIAS J. PENNYPACKER,
M. D., who is a graduate from the medical department of the Pennsylvania university, and has served as a member of the legislature of this State, is the youngest and only surviving son of Matthias and Sarah (Anderson) Pennypacker, and was boru at Pennypacker's mill, Schuylkill township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, September 10, 1819. There he was prin- cipally reared, receiving a superior English
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and classical education in the famous school conducted by Joshua Hoopes at West Ches- ter. On leaving school he began the study of medicine, and later entered the Pennsyl- vania university at Philadelphia, from the medical department of which he was grad- nated with honors in the elass of 1841. For a time lie was engaged in the Philadelphia hospitals, and later located in his native county, where he practiced for a short pe- riod, and was then offered and accepted a position as assistant superintendent and man- ager of the Phoenixville Iron works. Here he remained two years, and at the end of that time, in 1849, he became superintend- ent of Durham Iron works, at Durham, Bucks county, this State, which position he was forced to resign one year later on ac- count of failing health. He then returned to Chester county, and purchasing the home- stead farm engaged in agriculture, in hope that ont door life would restore his waning strength and former vigor of constitution - a hope in which he was not disappointed. So well did farm life agree with him that he has ever since maintained his connection with agricultural pursuits, owning a fine farm of one hundred and twenty-seven acres of improved land, and also a grist mill.
Dr. Pennypacker was one of the original republicans of Chester county, and has kept his political faith alike in victory or defeat down to the present hour. In 1854 he was elected to the l'ennsylvania house of repre- sentatives, and served oue term (1855) as a member of that honorable body. He has always taken a deep and abiding interest in general polities, and in every movement caleulated to advance the public welfare, or benefit the people of his county, and is a prominent member of the Methodist Epis- copal church at Phunixville.
On April 27, 1848, Dr. Pennypacker was married to Annie R. Walker, a daughter of William and Sarah Walker, of Tredyffrin township, and by this union had a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters, six of whom arrived at maturity : William HI., who married Mary Anna Wetherill. and now resides in Schuylkill township, where he is engaged in farming ; Matthias A., now deceased, who married Ella Garrison, of the city of Philadelphia, and was employed as superintendent of the Baldwin Locomotive worksin Philadelphia ; Sarah, Mary Athalia, Isaac A. and Annie W., the four latter liv- ing at home with their father. Mrs. Aumnie R. Pennypacker died in 1868, and in 1878 Dr. Pennypacker wedded Kate A. Cook, an intelligent and cultivated lady of Parkers- burg, West Virginia, and a daughter of Til- linghast J. Cook, of that city. By his second marriage the Doctor has one child. a son, named James C., who is living at home with his parents.
The family of which Dr. Pennypacker is a member was spoken of sixty years ago by Hon. Isaac Anderson, in his history of Charlestown township, as " rich. respectable and numerous," and has lost none of these characteristics in the years which have elapsed since then. It originated in Hol- land, where its representatives may yet be found. and about 1650 was transplanted to Germany, where the original name Panne- bakker (tile-maker) was Germanized to Pfannebecker. In 1699 lleinrich Pfanne- becker, born in Germany in 1674, came to Germantown, near Philadelphia, and from there removed to Skippaek, now in Mont- gomery county, where he died in 1754. He was the first German surveyor in Pennsyl- vania, and a large land owner. Several of his grandsons crossed the Schuylkill into
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Chester county. One, Jacob Pennypacker (as the name soon came to be spelled in America), came to Perkiomen Junction in 1772. Matthias (grandfather) came in 1774, and settled at the point now known as Pennypacker's mill, in Schuylkill township; and Harman, John and Benjamin came to Chester Springs in 1792, 1794 and 1796, respectively ; while Henry settled in Vin- cent in 1794.
Matthias Pennypacker, paternal grand- father of the subject of this sketch, was born October 14, 1742, and died in Sehulkill township, this county, February 8, 1808, at the age of sixty-six years. lle wasa wealthy farmer and miller, carrying on an extensive business, and running a line of boats on the . Schuylkill river to carry his flour to Phila- delphia. Part of the product of his mill was also sent to that eity in wagons, a num- ber of which he kept constantly employed. He was a member and bishop of the Men- nonite church, was the first preacher in the old church at Phoenixville, and spoke both the English and German languages fluently. While the Continental army lay at Valley Forge, a number of American officers were quartered at his house, and in 1777 the British destroyed much property at his mill. He was a man of large beart and clear head, and was universally acknowledged as a leader in his community. In 1784 he was ap- pointed by the assembly one of the com- missioners to provide for the navigation of the Schuylkill river, and in 1793, when Philadelphia was ravaged by the yellow fever, he sent two hundred and forty dollars in cash to be distributed among the poor of that city. He married Mary Custer, of Montgomery county, by whom he had a family of six children : John, James, Joseph, Matthias (father), Elizabeth and Margaret.
His first wife dying in 1798, he afterward married Mary, widow of Christian Marys, by whom he had a daughter named Sarah. All his children are now deceased.
Matthias Pennypacker (father) was born on the old homstead, August 15, 1786, where he was reared, and obtained his edu- cation in the subscription schools of that early day. After attaining manhood he en- gaged in farming and milling, both of which he conducted on a large seale. He also operated a saw mill and dealt in lumber for a number of years. In religious faith he was a Mennonite, and a prominent member of that church for many years. He died at his home on Pickering creek, April 4, 1852, aged sixty-six years. Politically he was an old line whig, and ardently espoused the cause of Ilenry Clay, and was a great ad- mirer of Gen. William Henry Harrison. In 1826 and again in 1827 he was elected a member of the State assembly, in which he served three terms with distinction, and in 1837 was a member of the Constitutional convention, in which he took an active part. In 1831 he was chairman of the organiza- tion of the leading men of Chester county which made the first move toward the con- struction of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad, and was one of the incorporators of that road. Ile ranked with the first citi- zens of Chester county, and was regarded as authority on questions of political economy. In 1807 he married Sarah Anderson, a daughter of Hon. Isaac Anderson, of Schuyl- kill township, and by this nion had a fam- ily of five children, four sons and a daugh- ter, the youngest of whom is the subject of this sketch. The eldest son was James A., born December 12, 1808, and died Decem- ber 23, 1851, aged forty-two years. Ile married Ann Pennypacker, by whom he had
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three children : Sarah Frances, who died in childhood : Dr. Nathan A., who married Eliza Davis : and Mary Elizabeth, who mar- ried William Williamson, of Pottstown. The second child was Mary. A., born Ang- ust 12, 1810, and died August 29, 1887, at the old homestead where she had always lived. The third was Dr. Isaac A., born July 9, 1812, and died February 13, 1856, in his forty-fourth year. He married Anna Maria Whitaker, and was the father of six children : John C., died in early youth ; Samuel W., now a judge in the Philadelphia court of common pleas, who married Vir- ginia Broomall; Harry C .. married Clara Kames, and resides at Moore Hall, this county ; Josephine, died in infancy : Isaac R., married Charlotte Whitaker, of Havre- de-Grasse, Maryland, and now lives at Mount Holly, New Jersey ; and James L., who wedded Grace Coolidge, of Boston, and re- sides at Haddonfield, New Jersey. The next child of Matthias and Sarah Pennypacker was Washington, born September 20, 1814, and died August 20, 1867. He married Eliza Wright, of Safe Harbor, this State, by whom he had five children : Matthias, who died at Harper's Ferry, in 1862, while serving in the Union army ; Susannah, mar- ried L. Wesley Free : Mary A. ; Jennie, mar- ried George Kirk, and now resides in the State of Washington ; and Benjamin B., who wedded Annie Lamar, and lives in the same State.
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JESSE B. DAVIS, a leading citizen of Willistown township, who for nine years has been a justiee of the peace at White Horse, and is favorably known in all parts of the county, is the younger of the two surviving sons of George and Ellen ( Bangh ) Davis, and was born at " White Horse."
Willistown township, Chester county, Penn- sylvania, March 31, 1831. There he re- mained until his ninth year, when he went to reside with his grandfather in West Goshen township. After two years passed in that township he removed to East Brad- ford, and two years later went to Delaware county, where he lived during the next eight years. His education was obtained principally in the public schools, and in 1852 he returned to Willistown township. where he engaged in milling and has ever since resided. For a period of seven years he conducted the old Thomas mill on Crom ereek. after which he began farming, and now owns a splendid farm containing one hundred and ten aeres of choice and very valuable land, all well improved. On April 9, 1881, he was commissioned by Governor Beaver as a justice of the peace for Willis- town township, and has been acceptably filling that office ever since, being now in the ninth year of consecutive service. In polities Squire Davis is independent, sup- porting such men and measures as in his judgment are best calenlated to advance the interests of the people and subserve the public good. He is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, and for eight years was a member and officer-steward -of the Penn- sylvania State Grange of that organization.
On the 5th day of May, 1855. Squire Davis was united in marriage to Lydia Palmer, a daughter of James P. and Jane (Temple) Palmer, of the city of Philadelphia. To them was born a family of four children, one son and three daughters : Ella V., edu- eated at the Friends' Central school in Phil- adelphia, and is now engaged as a teacher of music; William, living at home and as- sisting his father in the management of the farm : Jennie, deceased : and Anna. who re-
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
ceived her education at the Friends' Central school in Philadelphia, and is an elocution- ist, teaching privately, and living at home with her parents.
The Davis family is of Welsh descent, and are among the older families of this State. Joseph Davis, paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Willistown township, this county, where he owned the property now occupied by Algernon Lukens, consisting of two bun- dred acres of fine land. He was a noted dairyman in his day, and it is said his butter always brought the highest price in the market and was in constant demand. In politics he was a whig, and in religion a Quaker, being a member of the Willistown meeting at the time of his death, which oc- curred at Edgemont in 1848, after an active life of three quarters of a century. He married Sarah Bishop, by whom he had a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters : Joseph, William, James, Samuel, Jesse, Sarah, (who married Jacob Huey, of Kennett township), Mary, (wedded Freder- ick Fairlamb, of Delaware county,) Martha (became the wife of Pierce Taylor, of Ken- nett Square), and George, father of Jesse B. They are all now deceased. George Davis (father) was born on the old homestead in Willistown township, as was all the family, and he passed most of his life there. He was reared on the farm, obtained his education in the common schools, and after attaining his majority engaged in farming, stock deal- ing and hotel keeping. He owned a farm of forty acres, was proprietor of the old White Horse hotel for many years, and be- came noted as a large cattle buyer, drover and butcher. On one occasion he slangh- tered the largest ox ever killed in the county, it is believed, which weighed two thousand
two hundred and twenty-seven pounds, dressed. In politics he was a whig and re- publican, and was always active in the pub- lie movements of his community. He was prominent in the celebration of November 20th, the anniversary of the Paoli massacre. In religion he was a Quaker, and a life long member of that Society. He died at Wil- liam IIugh's hotel in West Philadelphia in 1838, while on a visit to friends there, and his remains repose in the cemetery at Willis- town. In 1837 he married Ellen Baugh, a daughter of Daniel Baugh, of Tredyffrin, and to their union was born a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters : Elizabeth, Alfred, Milton, John, Jesse, Jos- eph, Sarah and Hannah. Alfred died from disease contracted while serving as a soldier during the civil war; Milton served under General Scott in the Mexican war as a member of the 68th United States infantry, and at the first call for troops in 1861 en- listed in the 68th Pennsylvania infantry, as captain of Co. I, under Colonel Tipton, and was in fourteen regular engagements, had charge of his regiment as senior captain in the battle of Gettysburg, and was killed soon afterward on the Rappahannock, in Virginia, by a stray shot fired by a Confed- erate picket ; Joseph served as lieutenant of Co. I, 68th Pennsylvania infantry, and was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg.
J ACOB H. DEWEES, a prosperous and well known farmer and dairyman, re- siding in Uwchlan township, near Uwchlan postoffice, is one of the largest landowners in this vicinity. He is the eldest son of Thomas D. and Elizabeth ( Hause) Dewees, and was born February 5, 1859, in East Nantmeal township, Chester county, Penn-
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
sylvania. The family is of Welsh descent, and has been resident in this State since early times. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Waters De- wees, a native of this county, who passed his early life near Doe run, but later re- moved to West Nantmeal township, where he died at an advanced age. For many years he was engaged in the hotel business, but the latter part of his life was devoted to agricultural pursuits, on the farm now known as the Marsh property. Politically he was an old-line whig. He married Ann Bull, and reared a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters : George, Ed- ward, Thomas D., Sallie Clingan, Ann Wood, Rachel Roberts, Elizabeth Fries and Mary MeLain. Mrs. Dewees (grandmother) lived to be eighty-two years of age. Thomas D. Dewees (father) was born in West Nantmeal township in 1813, and spent his boyhood principally at Marsh, where he was edu- cated and resided until after his marriage. Hle then engaged in farming and marketing in West Vincent township, and followed that occupation during the remainder of his life, owning a farm of eighty acres of choice land. Ile died March 5, 1876, aged sixty- three years. Politically he was first a whig and later a republican, and for a number of years took an active interest in local poli- ties. In 1836 he married Elizabeth Hause, a daughter of Jacob Hanse, of East Nant- meal township, and by this union he had a family of twelve children, seven sons and five daughters : John, deceased; Howard, also dead ; Harry, Thomas, William, Jesse, Jacob II .. the subject of this sketch ; Elmira, who married John Davis; Ida, wedded William Yeager ; Sallie, became the wife of Preston Mosteller; Anna, who married William Leonard; and Hannah, deceased.
Jacob HI. Dewees was reared principally in West Vineent township, and received his education in the public schools adjacent to his home. Leaving school he engaged in farming, and has made that the leading business of his life. For four years he re- sided in West Vincent township, but in 1871 he purchased his present farm of one hun- dred and twenty-five aeres in Uweblan town- ship, and has since lived upon and cultivated this splendidly improved and well watered tract of land. He also owns four aeres of wood-land on Mill hill, and a farm of one hundred and fifty-six acres in West Vincent township. The latter is also well improved and carefully cultivated, and Mr. Dewees is justly regarded as one of the leading farm- ers of his township. In addition to his other operations he owns and manages a dairy, supplied by nearly fifty cows, and for more than twenty years has been engaged in ship- ping milk to Philadelphia. In politics Mr. Dewees is a staneh republican, and in relig- ion a striet member of the Vincent Baptist church, in which he is serving as trustee. In 1863 he served for a time in an emer- gency regiment, assisting to repel Lee's in- vasion of northern territory.
On December 13, 1866, Mr. Dewees was united by marriage to Sarah Stiteler, a daughter of Henry and Peninah Stiteler, of West Vincent township. To Mr. and Mrs. Dewees was born a family of three children, two sons and a daughter: Howard, living at home and assisting his father in the man- agement of the farm; George S., now a student in the West Chester Normal school. where he is preparing himself for a teacher : and Rosalind, living at home with her par- ents. Mrs. Sarah Dewees was born January 20, 1842, and educated in the public schools of West Vincent township.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
C EORGE WERSLER, a prominent farmer of Tredyffrin township, and a representative of one of the oldest families in this State, is the eldest surviving son of Major John G. and Mariah ( Davis) Wersler, and a native of Charlestown township, Ches- ter county, Pennsylvania, where he was born February 2, 1816. As the name would indicate, the Werslers are of German de- scent, but have been residents of this State since early colonial times, and were settled in Chester county prior to the revolutionary war. In 1775 George Wersler (paternal grandfather), who was the son of a Lutheran minister, came from his native county of Bucks and purchased a traet of twenty acres of land in Charlestown ( now Schuylkill) township, this county, whereon he erected a large saw mill and workshop. He was a carpenter and farmer, and beside his saw mill traet also purchased two others, each containing one hundred aeres. During the revolution he served as captain for a time, and also manufactured buttons for the uni- forms of the Continental army, being the first to use shanks on such buttons; and later made a large number of spinning wheels-large and small-which found a ready sale among the people, nearly all of whom manufactured their own clothing in those early days. He was also a practical surveyor, and surveyed much of the land in this section and in the coal regions around Wilkesbarre. He lived an active and use- ful life, and died in Charleston township about 1832, at the advanced age of eighty- four years. Politieally he was a democrat, and in religion a strict member of the Epis- copal church, in which he became prominent and influential. He married Anna Mariah Golden, of Bucks county, and was the father of one son and two daughters who grew to
maturity : John G. (father), Rebecca, who married William Bones, and Elizabeth, who wedded Abraham Zook -all now deceased. Major John G. Wersler (father) was born in Charlestown township, this county, in 1781, and spent most of his life here, dying at his home in this township November 20, 1876, in the ninety-fifth year of his age. By occupation he was a farmer and surveyor, a democrat in politics, and a leading man in his community all his life, holding at one time or another all the offices in his town- ship, and being connected with the settle- ment of a vast number of estates. He served with distinetion in the war of 1812, first as captain of a company bearing the name of Great Valley Light infantry, which he was instrumental in organizing, and later as cap- tain of the Chester County blues-so named on account of their blue uniform. Some time after forming this company, Captain Wersler was advanced to the rank of major of volunteers in his brigade. He was a strict disciplinarian, and his efficiency as an officer was frequently spoken of in the most flatter- ing terms by his superiors. He was also captain of a company of State militia for many years. In 1810 he served as deputy sheriff under George Hartman, and a few years later was a prominent candidate for the sheriffalty himself, but was defeated by two weaker candidates combining against him. In 1818 he was appointed by Gov. William Findlay to the office of prothiono- tary and clerk of the courts of Chester county, a position he held from March 25th of that year to February 29, 1821, discharg- ing its duties with credit to himself and sat- isfaction to all who were brought in official contact with him. He was a gentleman of the old school, courteous and unobtrusive in speech and manner, and possessed of the
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
very soul of honor and truthfulness. These qualities attracted many firm friends who yielded him their implicit confidence and remained loyal to the end. In religion he was an Episcopalian, and perhaps the fore- most member of St. Peter's church of that denomination, in which he served for many years as deacon and trustee, and as superin- tendent of the Sunday school. In 1810 he married Mariah Davis, a daughter of Heze- kiah Davis, and by this union had a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters : Milton, deceased; Anna M., who married B. G. Rapp, and is also dead : George, the principal subject of this sketch ; Harriet, wedded Thomas Hampton, and is now deceased; Anna, Albert H. and Wil- liam L.
Hezekiah Davis (maternal grandfather) was born in Charlestown township, this county, where he lived nearly all his life, and died December 27, 1837, when lacking only six years of being a centenarian. He was a saddler by trade, and also owned and operated a farm of one hundred and twenty- five acres. In religious faith he was a Pres- byterian, and politically a stanch demoerat. becoming prominent in local politics and holding all his township offices. He was elected a member of the State legislature, and represented Chester county one term in that honorable body. During the revolu- tionary struggle he served as quartermaster, when that position was a difficult and try- ing one, and by no means the sineeure it came to be during the civil war. At the battle of Long Island he was captured by the British and held a prisoner for some time, during which he formed the acquaint- ance of Anna Schenck (a descendant of Gen- eral Schenek), of Brooklyn, New York, whom he afterward married, and by whom 38
he had a family of nine children : Willemina, born May 8, 1782, married John Shriver: Harriet, born July 3, 1784, married Julius Anderson; Maria (mother), born August 4. 1786: Julia, born June 7. 1788; Adriana, born November 2,1790. married John Irven : Nicholas, born September 26, 1796; Nathan, born April 12, 1794; Hannah, born Sep- tember 24, 1796, married Henry T. Henion : and Thomas L., born September 11, 1799.
George Wersler was reared on his fath- er's farm in Charlestown township, and re- ceived a good common school education in the schools of his neighborhood. Leaving school he engaged in farming and resided in his native township for thirty years. He then removed to West Tredyffrin township, where he lived for eight years, after which he removed to the General Wayne farm, where he was engaged in agrienltural pur- suits for eight years. He afterward pur- chased his father-in-law's farm of one hun- dred and seventeen acres, where he now re- sides. The farm is well improved, the soil exceedingly fertile, and in every respect a desirable property and home. In his polit- ical affiliations Mr. Wersler has always been democratie, while in religion he is a Presbyterian, and all his family are mem- bers of the Great Valley church of that de- nomination.
On February 17. 1838. Mr. Wersler was wedded to Ann E. Beaver, a daughter of George and Anna Beaver, of Tredyffrin township, this county, and by this union had a family of nine children : Louisa, now the widow of David Clemmens, and residing in Kansas; Anna, married David Detwiler, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume: Maria E .: Ida, wedded Sylvester Tyson, a teacher, residing at Townsend. Delaware; Elizabeth, became the wife of
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
William Swearer, a prosperous farmer of Tredyffrin township; George P., married Alice Finch (who is now deceased) and lives with his father; Clara T., married Archie Catanach ; Emma W., living at home; and Jolın G., deceased.
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