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 77
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N ATHAN E. REINHART, V. S., of
Pottstown Landing, whose indomitable energy and acquired skill has won him de- served success and an enviable rank in his chosen profession, is the eldest child and only son of Daniel and Lydia (Evans) Rein- hart, and was born in East Coventry town- ship, Chester county, Pennsylvania, Septen- ber 16, 1836. He was educated at a board- ing school, and commenced the study of medicine in 1860 with his uncle, John F. Evans, who was a domestic practitioner, and had been graduated from Jefferson Medical college in 1844. The civil war followed and he turned his attention to veterinary surgery, purchasing horses at government sale that were unfit for army service, and after bringing them up to good condition, selling them again. This afforded him ex- tensive practice and valuable experience, and also proved a source of considerable profit. Later Mr. Reinhart took a course of training under Dr. James McCoart, V. S .. of the Pennsylvania college of veterinary surgeons, and after passing the required ex- amination, received a certificate of member- ship in that college. Dr. Reinhart has been in active practice ever since, engaged also in stock raising much of the time.
In 1873 he located at Steelton, Dauphin county, near Harrisburg, where for thirteen years he was successfully engaged in the line of his calling, and built up a large and lucrative practice in Harrisburg, Steelton
and surrounding country. In 1881 he was elected burgess of Steelton, being the sec- ond to occupy that office. In 1887 he re- turned to this county and settled at Potts- town Landing, where he has since resided and practiced. His business has steadily grown in importance and his reputation ex- tended among horsemen in every direction. During his whole career he has been active, energetic and successful, having taken great pains to thoroughly fit himself for his duties and afterward kept well posted on all ad- vances or improvements made in his line. lIe uses the best and most approved appli- ances known to the profession, and owing to his great skill and uniform success has attained high standing in his chosen voca- tion. Dr. Reinhart is a member of the Pennsylvania State Veterinary society, and has been ever since its organization August 23, 1883. He has been especially active in its interests since the society was incorpor- ated, June 31, 1885, and was one of the ear- liest to favor its incorporation. In politics Dr. Reinhart is a republican, and has been elected and served two terms as school di- rector in his township. He is also a men- ber of Pottstown Lodge, No. 351, Royal Arcanum.
In his twenty-fifth year, January 30, 1861, Dr. Reinhart wedded Enima G. Reiff, a daughter of Jacob Reiff, of North Coventry township, this county, and by this marriage had two children, both daughters. The eldest, Elizabeth, married M. P. Bernard, a jeweler of Kennett Square, and the other, Mary E., is living at home with her parents. Mrs. Reinhart was born March 9, 1835, and was reared and educated in North Coventry township. Her father, Jacob Reiff, is also a native of that township, where he has al- ways resided. He was born February 14,
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
1814, is a blacksmith and farmer by occupa- tion, in politics a republican with whig an- tecedents, and has served as a school director for nine years. In religion he is a member and deacon of the German Reformed church. He married Elizabeth Geist on St. Valentine's day, 1835, and to them was born a family of six children, five of whom are yet living: Henry, now a clerk in the German Reformed Publishing house at Philadelphia; Emma G., now Mrs. Reinhart ; Rebecca, married W. E. Rhodes, and resides in Berks county, this State; Allen, a carpenter and wheel- wright of Pottstown ; and Taylor, a carpen- ter residing at Conshohocken, Montgomery county. . The deceased was a daughter, named Lizzie.
The paternal grandfather of Dr. Nathan E. Reinhart was Abraham Reinhart, a native of East Coventry township, this county. where he lived all his life, and died in 1843, at the advanced age of seventy-nine years. By occupation he was a farmer, and ranked among the most progressive and successful men of his neighborhood. He was an old- line whig in politics, and in religion a strict member of the German Baptist church. His wife was Mary Price, and they reared a large family of ten children, seven sons and three daughters, all of whom are now deceased, except one son, Joshua, and Rebecca, the widow of John Halderman. Daniel Rein- hart (father) was born in East Coventry township in 1804, and died in South Cov- entry in 1865, aged sixty-one years. Ile also was a farmer, and passed an active and useful life in the cultivation of the soil and in stock raising. In his earlier years he was a whig in politics, but on the dissolution of that organization he identified himself with the Republican party, and actively supported the latter until his death in 1865, when in
the sixtieth year of his age. He always ad- hered tothe German Baptist church, in which faith he had been reared. and for many years was an active and influential member of that denomination. In February, 1833. he mar- ried Lydia Evans, a daughter of Mark Ev- ans, who was born in Limerick township, Montgomery county, this State, and died in East Coventry township, Chester county, in 1844, at the age of fifty-three years. He was a farmer by vocation, an ardent whig in polities, and married Susannah Frick, by whom he had a family of two sons and three daughters, the youngest of whom became Mrs. Reinhart. By this marriage Mr. Rein- hart had a family of two children, one son. Dr. Nathan E., and a daughter named Mary. who married Joseph Meredith, and resides in the city of Philadelphia, where her hus- band is engaged in the grocery and feed business, and is also president of the Vulcan Road Machine Company of Charleston, West Virginia. Mrs. Lydia Reinhart, mother of Dr. Reinhart and Mrs. Meredith, is living in Philadelphia with her daughter, Mrs. Mere- dith. She is now in her eighty-second year.
DAVID M. TAYLOR, a veteran Union soldier and an able financier of south- eastern Pennsylvania, who has been promi- nently identified with the prosperity and progress of Oxford for over a quarter of a century, is a son of Joseph C. and Jane M. ( White) Taylor, and was born in Little Britain township, Lancaster county. Penn- sylvania. December 8, 1841. The Taylor family traces its transatlantic ancestry to England, and the American branch of the family was founded by Joseph Taylor, who married Mary Maris in 1709, and settled in Newlin township. Chester county. His
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
son, Jesse Taylor, was born in 1726, and re- moved to Kentucky, where he followed sur- veying. He reared a family, and one of his sons, David Taylor (grandfather), was born near Unionville, Chester county, in 1775. Ile was drowned while assisting in seining Laurel dam, in 1810, when in the thirty-fifth year of his age. He was a prosperous and successful farmer, and a federalist and whig in politics. He married Hannah Craig, by whom he had three children: Joseh C., Anna W. Woodrow and Lydia Pierce. Joseph C. Taylor (father) was born in 1804, at Unionville, and after serving an appren- ticeship to the tanning business under Jesse Hills of Chatham, removed to Oak Hill, Lancaster county, where he and Jonathan Pierce built and operated for several years what is now known as Harlan's tannery. Shortly after quitting the tanning business he went to Little Britain township, that county, and purchased a farm, which he afterwards left to engage in the general mercantile business at Ashville, the same county, where he died April 26, 1876, in the seventy-first year of his age. He was a prominent and influential man in his con- munity, and ranked as one of the leading abolitionists of Pennsylvania. He was a man of great determination, and when con- vinced that a course of action was just or right he pursued it regardless of conse- quences. On one occasion a colored woman and her two children who lived at " Wolf Hollow" near his farm, were kidnapped by two slave drivers from Maryland, and were driven almost to the Maryland State line before Mr. Taylor succeeded in overtaking them. He had borrowed a shotgun when starting, and with this single weapon com- pelled the slave drivers, although heavily armed, to give up their captives. He was a
man of good legal knowledge, and married for his first wife, Susan, danghter of John Twaddle, by whom he had two children : Anna and David, who are both dead. After her death he married, on Jannary 17, 1837, Jane M. White, who was born in County Armagh, Ireland, and died in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1890, at seventy-seven years of age. By his see- ond marriage Mr. Taylor had five children : B. Frank. justice of the peace and real estate agent at Oxford; John T., who enlisted in Co. A, 97th Pennsylvania infantry, on Aug- ust 22, 1861, and was killed at the mine ex- plosion in front of Petersburg, while gal- lantly bearing the colors of his regiment ; David M .; Dr. Edward C .; and Howard J., born October 28, 1857, and died January 11, 1878. Dr. Edward C. Taylor is a re- publican, and Presbyterian, who was born February 21, 1844, was graduated from the university of Pennsylvania in 1867, and after practicing for eleven years at Marlton, Burlington county, New Jersey, came to Oxford, where he has practiced ever since, and where, on June 4, 1890, he was united in marriage to Merey A., daughter of R. H. Kirk.
David M. Taylor received his education in the common schools and the Millersville State Normal school, and was then engaged in the mercantile business until August 22, 1861, when he enlisted in Co. A, 97th Pennsylvania infantry, in which he served for three years, being honorably discharged at Bermuda Hundred on August 22, 1864. He participated in the siege of Charleston, and the attack on Ft. Wagner, then was on detached service in Florida, and at the end of that time his regiment was sent to Richmond, where he took part in the bat- tle of Cold Harbor and the siege of Peters-
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
burg. Returning home from the army of the Potomac he was variously engaged until 1866. when he became teller of the National bank of Oxford, and served in that capacity for two years. He then became cashier of the newly organized bank of Kirk, Me- Veigh & Co., and held that position up to 1872, in which year he helped organize the Oxford Banking Company, with which he remained until 1883, when it was reorgan- ized as the Farmers' National bank of Ox- ford, of which he has been cashier ever since. This bank is situated on the corner of Third and Locust streets. It has a cap- ital of seventy-five thousand dollars, with a surplus of twenty thousand dollars, and de- posits amounting to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
On December 16, 1868, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage with Violet HI., daughter of Azariah Rittenhouse, of Rising Sun, Maryland. David M. Taylor is a republican in politics, and has been for several years a member of the Presbyterian church of Ox- ford, of which he is now trustee. He is a member of Oxford Lodge, No. 353, Free and Accepted Masons, and W. S. Thompson Post, No. 363, Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Taylor is largely identified with the in- terests of Oxford. He is treasurer of the Oxford Milling Company, secretary of the Building and Loan association, and presi- dent of the Electric Light Company, and the Land Improvement Company of Oxford, which has an incorporated capital of one million dollars. He is also interested in financial and business affairs ontside of his county, and is a director of the First Na- tional bank of Delta, York county, and of the Steel Company, of Norristown, Mont- gomery county. Mr. Taylor is active, court- eous and energetic. He is thoroughly ac-
quainted with the correct principles of gen- eral business. Ile has had twenty-five years of successful bank experience as a teller, cashier, and director, and is recognized in business circles as an excellent financier.
G1 EORGE S. ROBB, now resident of Berwyn, and who was engaged actively for several years in the produce and com- mission business in Philadelphia, is a son of Thomas and Melina (South) Robb, and was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, July 2, 1842. Thomas Robb was born in Philadelphia, where he was engaged extensively in the lumber business until his death, which occurred at Burlington, New Jersey, in 1874. He was an active republican in political matters, and married Melina South, by whom he had three children : George S. ; Charles C., who died in infancy ; and Charles S., who only lived to reach his sixth year.
George S. Robb received his education in the private schools of Mt. Holly and Bur -- lington, New Jersey, and Friends' school of Philadelphia. Leaving school he was en- gaged for a while in farming with Elisha Newbold, in Bucks county, and then tried farming on his own account for three years in that county. At the end of that time he beeame a bookkeeper for William R. Bish- op, which position he afterward resigned to become an employee of the produce and com- mission firm of Hunter & Reall, with whom he remained for several years. Withdraw- ing from the produce and commission busi- ness in 1880, he was variously employed until 1890, when he removed to where he now resides, at Berwyn. He has a neat and tasteful home and has retired from active business. He is a republican in politics,
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
and takes an active part in supporting the party of his choice.
On March 1, 1888, Mr. Robb married Mrs. Lottie R. Bitler, who was the widow of Joseph Bitler, who had two sons, William F., who is in business in Philadelphia, and J. Clarence, now in the employ of the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company. Mrs. Lottie R. Robb, who was born November 10, 1849, is a daughter of William G. Nagel, who was born August 7, 1824, in Philadelphia, where he was a chemist by profession. He was a son of George Nagel, a native and prom- inent city officer of Philadelphia, who served in the Union naval service during the late war, and at his death left four children : Mary Fuhr, Susan Waters, William G. and John. William G. Nagel married Annie DeNunneville, daughter of Charles DeNun- neville, and a grand-daughter of Charles and Sarah (Umphrey) DeNunneville. To Wil- liam G. and Annie Nagel were born five children: William H., Clara, Annie G. Woods, Edmon and Lottie R., wife of the subject of this sketch.
WILLIAM R. BRANSON is a son of James G. Branson, and was born in Westtown township, Chester county, Penn- sylvania, October 28, 1830. After con- pleting his eduction he engaged for a time in teaching, and later graduated from a commereial college and served in several responsible positions in the revenue service, and as bookkeeper, until he became finan- cial manager of the woolen mills of Jarvis Ellis, a position he has acceptably filled for some fifteen years. Mr. Branson has always been an ardent republican, and has taken an active interest in political affairs, both local and national.
H ON. ABRAM DOUGLAS HAR-
LAN, ex-State senator and present marshal of the United States circuit court of appeals for the Third circuit, is one of the active public-spirited and influential men of the county and State, who is hon- ored for the usefulness of his public services and the integrity of his private life. He is a son of Ezekiel and IIannah M. ( Buller) Harlan, and was born in West Marlborough township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, September 3, 1833. He received his educa- tion in the public and private schools of his county, and then engaged at an early age in the mercantile business at Coatesville, which he followed until 1862. In the spring of that year he entered the service of the Christian commission and labored diligently and successfully in caring for the sick and wounded soldiers at Fortress Monroe, Har- rison Landing, Washington city and Antie- tam. After Lee's retreat from Antietam he was so impressed with the necessity of his country for soldiers that he felt it to be his duty to take up arms in defense of the Union. and at considerable financial loss he left his business and voluntarily entered the army, October 16, 1862. He served as a private soldier in an independent company of cav- alry, and was first lieutenant and regimental quartermaster of the 157th Pennsylvania volunteers, and was honorably discharged, July 31, 1863, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Returning from the army to Coatesville, he became an extensive dealer in real estate, and through his efforts much of the farm land at that time within and adjoining the borough limits was laid out into lots on which houses have been erected and along which streets have been opened. In order to carry out this building up of his borough he organized the Coatesville Building asso-
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
ciation, and to-day a large number of houses and several beautiful streets are evidences of his successful efforts for the progress and prosperity of Coatesville. He was the first to suggest gas works and to conceive the idea of Fairview cemetery, while in the edu- cational interests of the borough he was as active as in its material progress and devel- opment. He served for twenty-one years as a member and officer of the school board and in many ways was instrumental in se- curing advancement in the schools and in- creased efficiency in their management. Since eighteen years of age Mr. Harlan has been a member of the Coatesville Presbyte- rian church, of which he was elected a rul- ing elder in 1871, and of whose Sunday school he has served as superintendent for nearly forty years. In 1880 he was sent as a commissioner to the Presbyterian general assembly by the Presbytery of Chester.
On January 1, 1857, Mr. Harlan married Elizabeth Boyd Scott, who was a daughter of Samuel W. and Jane ( Boyd) Scott, who died November 21, 1883. They had three children : Walter L., who died in infancy ; Justin Edwards, born September 27, 1860, and now practicing dentistry at West Ches- ter; and Wallace Scott, who was born March 28, 1862, and is a member of the Chester county bar. On June 18, 1885, Mr. Harlan wedded for his second wife, Mrs. Ella Whyte, daughter of Abuer and Hannah E. Baldwin, of this county.
Abram D. Harlan is a lineal descendant in the sixth generation from Michael Har- lan, who with his brother, George, was the founder of the Harlan family in the United States, which has been prominently identi- tied with the history of Chester county al- most from its origin. Michael Harlan was born in England about 1655, and in 1687
came to Kennett township. His son, George Harlan, was the father of the George Harlan who was born in 1725, and whose son, Silas Harlan (grandfather), was born March 26, 1754. He was a farmer by occupation, and a member of the Society of Friends. He married Hannah M. Buller, and died Ang- ust 1, 1837, at eighty-four years of age. His son. Ezekiel Harlan (father), was born June 11, 1804, in West Marlborough town- ship, and followed agricultural pursuits un- til within a few years of his death, which occurred at Coatesville, February 8, 1868. Ezekiel Harlan was an old-line whig and republican in polities, and had been a mem- ber and trustee of the Presbyterian church for many years before his death. He was an industrious and useful citizen, and on January 8, 1828, married Hannah M. Buller, by whom he had three children: Mary A., wife of E. S. Koons; Susan A., wife of ('ol. W. B. Mendenhall, president of the Ameri- ean Sewing Machine Company, at Philadel- phia; and Hon. Abram D. Mrs. Harlan was born February 23, 1806, and is a daugh- ter of William Buller, who wedded Mary ( Brenneman) Buller, and whose father, John Buller, married Hannah Harlan, a daughter of Ezekiel and Mary ( Bezer) Harlan, who was a granddaughter of George Harlan, brother of Michael Harlan, who was married in 1687 in Ireland, and who was among the first white settlers on the Brandywine in this county,
Abram D. Harlan is a stanch republican, and his political career commenced in 1864 when he became transcribing clerk of the Pennsylvania house of representatives. He served as elerk of the same body during the sessions of 1865, 1866 and 1867, and five years later served as a representative dele- gate from his county in the Republican State
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
convention of 1872. He was one of the assistant elerks of the constitutional con- vention of Pennsylvania during its entire session of 1872-73. He next served for two years as a special clerk in the internal reve- nue department under Hon. A. P. Tutton, and at the end of that time became assistant cashier of customs at the port of Philadel- phia, where he served for six and one-half years under Ilon. A. P. Tutton and Maj .- Gen. John F. Hartranft. He resigned as cashier on December 31, 1882, and return- ing to his native county, was elected on March 31, 1883, as State senator, to fill the unexpired term of Hon. James B. Everhart, from the Nineteenth senatorial district, composed of Chester county. In Novem- ber, 1884, he was re-elected by a majority of thirty-six hundred and thirty-six, for the full senatorial term of four years, and his course in the State senate was such as to win him the commendation of the republi- cans, while it secured him the respect of all ' parties. In 1888 he was renominated and elected by a majority of four thousand and twenty-one, but resigned on June 16, 1891, to became marshal of the United States cir- cuit court of appeals for the third circuit, which position he has held ever since.
Senator Harlan worthily ranks with the prominent and useful men of his county, and his repeated election to the State senate by popular suffrage is cumulative evidence of merit and distinction.
R OBERT FUTHEY was born on the old homestead farm in West Fallow- field (now Highland) township, March 13, 1833. This farm was purchased by his grandfather, Samuel Futhey, in 1763. His parents were Robert and Margaret (Parkin-
son) Futhey. His education was obtained in the schools of the neighborhood, in one of which his brother, Judge J. Smith Futhey, was at one time a teacher.
At the outbreak of the late war he en- listed as a private in Co. A, 1st Pennsylvania volunteers, Colonel Roberts commanding, and served with the regiment until October, 1862, taking part in the various movements of the regiment, the campaign before Rich- mond, and the second Bull Run. In Octo- ber, 1862, he was promoted to first lienten- ant of Co. I, 175th Pennsylvania infantry, and served in Virginia and North Carolina, and was mustered ont near the close of the war. In 1869, with George G. Wilson as partner, he embarked in the mercantile business ; afterward purchased from Mr. Wilson his entire interest. Robert Futhey is a member and elder of the Atglen Pres- byterian church, and a director of the Parkes- burg National bank.
JOHN H. DARLINGTON, a represen-
tative farmer of this county, who was educated at Professor Weyer's military school and Professor Worrall's academy, in West Chester, is the eldest of the two sons of Job and Lydia ( Huey) Darlington, and was born February 11, 1850, on the farm where he now lives, in East Bradford town- ship, near West Chester, this county. The old, numerous and distinguished Darlington family of Chester county was founded in the early years of the eighteenth century by Abraham Darlington, an English Quaker, who came over with his brother John from Darnhall, Cheshire, and settled in Aston township, Chester (now Delaware) county, Pennsylvania. John removed to Maryland and all trace of him has been lost. Abra-
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
ham married Elizabeth Hillborn (see sketch of Frank P. Darlington in this volume), and from their nion comes the large family connection, estimated at nearly two thou- sand in all, now scattered throughont Ches- ter and adjoining counties. Several of the name have occupied important positions in this county, and others have distinguished themselves in various lines of industry and effort, including the law, journalismn, litera- ture, legislation and military achievements. The children of Abraham and Elizabeth Darlington were : Mary, Deborah, Elizabeth, Abraham, Thomas, John ( great-grandfath- er), Hannah, Rachel, Job and Rebecca. John Darlington, great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born at the old homestead (now owned by Clement Biddle), on Brandywine creek, this county, and on March 17, 1751, married Esther Dicks, daughter of l'eter and Sarah Dieks, of Prov- idence, and settled on a farm of one hun- dred acres in East Bradford township, this county, where in 1761 he built the house now occupied by his great-grandson, John II. Darlington, whose name heads this sketch. Here he lived, engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, until his death, February 3, 1813. His children were: Sarah, born March 1, 1752; Job, born December 20, 1753; Joseph, born December 12, 1755; Elizabeth, born August 15, 1757; Esther, born July 7, 1759; Deborah, born May 1, 1761; Leah and Rachel, twins, born Aug- ust 29, 1763; John, born March 17, 1766; and Zillah, born September 5, 1769. Job Darlington (grandfather) was born on this old homestead, and purchasing the farm from the heirs, passed all his days here, engaged in farming and stock raising. He married Rebecca Hoopes, and reared a family of five children, among whom was Job Darlington
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