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 92
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Reared in the Presbyterian faith, he be- came president of the board of trustees of the Central Presbyterian church of Down- ingtown, and gave especial attention to the business methods and temporal affairs of the church. After thirteen years of pleas-
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
ant labor on the board, he and two-thirds of the trustees, including all of the officers, withdrew on account of a bitter, protracted public contest for charter rights, in opposi- tion to the session's encroachment of affairs temporal. The latter was thereafter dis- approved by the General assembly of the Presbyterian church.
A republican from his youth, but not a partisan, he served in his township, as chairman of the Everhart independent cam- paign committee, and urged Mr. Everhart's re-election to Congress, by speech and deeds. Of the betterment in his neighbor- . hood, in which he took a leading part, is the establishment of the post office at Whit- ford, and the securing of the fine substantial county bridge over valley creek, in sight of his home.
W ILLIAM ACKENBACH, of Charles-
town township, stands in the front rank of the progressive farmers of Chester county. He is a son of.Jacob and Margaret (Blank) Ackenbach, and was born in Beiten, Prussia, February 26, 1842. The Acken- bach family has been resident of Prussia for several generations, where its members have always been accounted quiet and in- dustrious people. Jacob Ackenbach was a shepherd in Beiten, where he spent his life. He was industrions like all of his ancestors, and left a son, Jacob Ackenbach, who mar- ried and was the father of Jacob Ackenbach, whose son William is the subject of this sketch. Jacob Ackenbach was reared to habits of industry and economy, and fol- lowed well in the footsteps of his father be- fore him. He married Margaret Blank, and to their union were born eight children, four sons and four daughters.
William Ackenbach received his educa-
tion in the excellent public schools of Prussia, and after performing the required military service of his native country, engaged in farming, which he followed in various parts of the present great German empire until 1867. In that year he left Hesse, one of the most important States of Germany, and on March 24th landed at New York city, which he left a few days later to engage in farming at Germantown, near Philadelphia, this State. Within a year he left Germantown and went to New Jersey, in which State he remained but a short time, and then came back to Pennsylvania, where he settled in Montgomery county. There he was suc- cessful in farming, and after nine years spent in different townships, he rented a farm near North Wales, that county, which he tilled with very profitable results for nearly four years. At the end of that time, in 1880, he came to the Chester valley in this county, where he rented a farm then owned by John Wilson. On it he spent six years, and by industry, economy and good management, so increased his savings that he was enabled to purchase his present farm of one hundred and twenty-four acres of land, near the village of Charlestown, in Charlestown township. His farm is fertile and well watered, has substantial buildings of all kinds, good fences, and is so carefully and scientifically cultivated as to retain its fertility, while yielding large and remuner- ative crops. Perceiving the want of Phil- adelphia for an increase of its milk and but- ter supply, he established a dairy, which is now one of the largest dairies in the town- ship.
On January 3, 1873, Mr. Ackenbach mar- ried Anna Harrah, a daughter of William and Martha (Rogers) Harrah, of Montgom- ery county. To Mr. and Mrs. Ackenbach
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
have been born three children, two sons and one daughter : Edgar, now attending Chester Springs academy; Leo, a student at the same academy ; and Edith.
In polities Mr. Achenbach has always been a strong democrat, and believes in the principles of democracy as taught by Jeffer- son and practiced by Jackson and Cleveland. His family are members of Pikeland Evan- gelieal Lutheran church. William Acken- bach possesses those sterling traits of the great German race which have made it fam- ous alike in war and peace. Industrious, honorable and economical, he has risen from the position of a penniless stranger in this county, to that of one of the most prosper- ons farmers and well respected citizens of Charlestown township.
WILLIAM A. WEIGEL, the capable and experienced foreman in the factory of the American Wood-paper Company at Spring City, is the second son and third child of Gideon and Mary (Vocht) Weigel, and was born at Spring City, this county, June 3, 1844. He received a good primary education in the public schools at Spring City, which was afterward supplemented by a course of study in a superior night school at Dakota, Stephenson county, Illinois. At the age of fourteen he began life for himself as a driver on the towpath of the old Schuylkill canal, where he remained for three sum- mers, and then entered the employ of Ladd & Georges, at the paper factory in Spring City. He remained with that firm until the works passed into the hands of the Ameri- can Wood-paper Company, in 1865, when he became an employee of the latter firm, and, with the exception of about six years, has been connected with their paper factory
ever since. In 1867 he went to Illinois, where he learned the painter's trade and re- mained a couple of years. Returning to Pennsylvania, he worked in the paper fac- tory until 1872, when he accepted a position in the Buckwalter stove works at Royer's Ford, Montgomery county, and spent four years at that place. In 1876 he renewed his connection with the American Wood-paper Company, and for a period of twelve years has been foreman of their factory at Spring City. They employ a force of about fifty men, and manufacture all grades of book, envelope, writing and eard papers. The product is first-class in every particular, and finds a ready sale in the best markets of this country. Politically Mr. Weigel was form- erly a democrat, but is now inelined to be independent, supporting the men and meas- ures which in his judgment are best calen- lated to advance the publie welfare. Ile is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is also prominent in secret society eir- eles, being a member of Spring City Lodge, No. 553. Free and Accepted Masons ; Pho- nix Lodge, No. 212, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and LaFayette Castle, No. 59, Knights of the Golden Eagle. Ile is grand trustee of the Grand Castle of Pennsylvania, and has held this position nearly five years.
On December 25, 1870, Mr. Weigel was married to Kate Epright, a daughter of James Epright, of Spring City. She died in 1876, leaving no children. In 1878 be was married again, this time wedding Mary Keiter, youngest daughter of Jacob Keiter, also of Spring City. By this union he has a family of four children : Archie II., Lillie, Ida and Merrill.
The Weigels are of German descent, but have resided in Pennsylvania since early times. Peter Weigel, paternal grandfather
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
of William A., was a native of York county, this State, where he grew up and was edu- cated. In early manhood he removed to Union county, settling near Lewisburg, where he followed his trade of shoemaking for a number of years, dying about 1846, at the age of seventy-two years. He married Christina Hause, and reared a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters : Peter, Elias, Jesse, Gideon, Elizabeth, Lydia, Sarah and Rachel. Gideon Weigel (father) was born in Union county, this State, No- vember 12, 1813, and now resides in Spring City, this county. He was reared and edu- cated in his native county, but removed to Chester in 1838, settling near Spring City. While yet a young man he learned the trade of carpenter, and followed that occupation all his active life. Since 1890 he has prac- tically retired from business of all kinds and is living a quiet life. In politics he is a democrat, and in religion a Lutheran, hav- ing been an active member of that church for many years. In 1839 he married Mary Vocht, a daughter of Godfrey Vocht, of Union county. She is still living, be- ing now in the seventy-third year of her age. To theni was born four sons and two daughters: Eliza, now the widow of Isaac Palmer, who lives with her parents in Spring City; Charles, living near Springton, New Jersey, where he is employed as "finisher" in a paper factory ; William A., the subject of this sketch ; John A., now a resident of Columbia, Lancaster county; Samuel, who died in childhood; and Ellen, living with her parents in Spring City.
JOSEPH YEAGER, of East Pikeland township, who has been successfully en- gaged for the last decade in farming, dairy-
ing and trucking, is a son of George and Hannah (Ecker) Yeager, and was born Jau- uary 26, 1842, on the farm on which he now resides, in East Pikeland township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. His paternal grand- father, John Yeager, came about the com- mencement of the nineteenth century to Pikeland township, where he purchased and cleared out the present farm of the subject of this sketch. A part of the improvements which he made still remain in a good state of preservation, and attest the hard toil with which in that early day he cleared out and improved his tract of one hundred and forty- two acres of land. He married and reared a family of six children, two sons and four daughters, among whom were John, George, Rachel and Rixstine. George Yeager(father) was born in 1806, and died in 1883, aged seventy-seven years. He learned the trade of tailor, at which he worked for only a short time, and then was engaged in farm- ing during the rest of his life. He was a democrat and held various township offices, while in religion he was of the Reformed faith, having served for many years as a deacon and elder of St. Peter's Reformed church. His wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Ecker, was a daughter of Christo- pher Ecker. Mr. and Mrs. Yeager were the parents of three children, one son and two daughters : Joseph, Magdalena Rixstine and Mary A. Rixstine.
Joseph Yeager was reared on the farm, received his education in the common schools, and then was engaged in farming with his father until the death of the latter, when he purchased sixty-eight acres of the home farm. His land is well improved, well watered and very productive. To farming Mr. Yeager has added dairying and trucking, and in each of these lines of business has met with
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
good success. He is a democrat in politics and a member of Vincent Reformed church, in which he has served as a deacon.
On October 18, 1862, Mr. Yeager married Sallie Snyder, a daughter of John and Sarah (Friday) Snyder, of East Vincent township. To Mr. and Mrs. Yeager have been born six children, five sons and one daughter : George A., who married Ida Shantz, and was sue- cessively engaged in butchering and work- ing in a paper mill until his death in 1890, at the age of twenty-six years and six months ; Harry S., married Annie D. Aiken, and is a farmer of Schuylkill township; Howard, Emma J., J. Willis, and Luther, who is now dead.
WILLIAM S. GREEN, a leading and influential citizen of Malvern, and who is largely interested in the marble busi- ness there and at Atglen, is a son of Charles E. and Mary (Jones) Green, and was born at Marion Square, Montgomery county, Penn- sylvania, October 16, 1843. He received his education at Plymouth meeting house in his native county and then learned the trade of marble cutter, which he has followed ever since 1868. Hle first opened a shop at Waynesburg, now Honeybrook, where he re- inained until 1889, when he came to Malvern. He has a large shop and marble yard at that place and a half interest in another shop and yard at Atglen, which is conducted under the firm name of Green & Miller. He does a good business in all lines of marble, stone and monumental work, which is noted for eleganee of design, finish and workmanship. It has ever been the aim of Mr. Green to furnish first-class work, and he turns out fine head stones, monuments and memori- als of various styles and sizes in polished granite or marble. He likewise attends to
all kinds of cemetery work. At the agri- enltural fair which was held at West Ches- ter in September, 1891, he took first pre- mium for the best display of stone and monumental work.
I. 1869 Mr. Green married Mary C. Kasley, who was a daughter of Samuel Kasley, and died in 1870, leaving one child, a daughter named Mary, who is now dead. On September 10, 1872, Mr. Green wedded Laura, daughter of Cloud B. Batton, and by his second marriage has three children, one son and two daughters: Embury E., Matora A., and Beulah A.
His paternal grandfather was a native of Doylestown, Bucks county, and by his wife, Elizabeth, had three children : Beulah, dead ; Charles E., now deceased ; and Martha, widow of William Seitzingler of New York city. Charles E. Green (father) was born August 23, 1820, and died at Norristown, this State, June 10, 1892. He was a merchant tailor, and a democrat, and married Mary Jones, who is a daughter of John Jones, a drover, of Welsh lineage, and who still resides at Norristown. Their children were : William S., the subject of this sketch; Beulah, wife of Rev. D. W. Gordon, pastor of Centenary Methodist Episcopal church of Philadelphia ; Martha, who married Rev. D. M. Gordon, a Methodist minister; Charles Edward, jr., a contractor and builder of Norristown, this State; and Flora, wife of Benjamin F. Whitehead, a grocer of Norristown.
In politics William S. Green has always adhered to the Democratic party. In relig- ious belief and church membership he is a Methodist, and is a trustee and steward and the class leader of the church of that de- nomination at Malvern. Ile is a member of Thompson Lodge, No. 340, Free and Accepted Masons.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
M ARSHALL S. WAY, who is one of the most popular republicans and suc- cessful business men of eastern Pennsyl- vania, is now serving his eighth consecutive term as chief burgess of West Chester, an office to which he has always been elected without any opposition. He is a son of Samuel and Mary (Scarlett) Way, and was born February 12, 1845, in the house in which he has always lived, on West Miner street, in West Chester, Chester county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Way traces his ances- try back to Henry Way, who was born in 1583, in England, and in 1630 came to Mas- sachusetts, where he died at Dorchester in 1667. In lineal descent from him was Ja- cob Way, the great-grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, who settled in this county in 1737. His son, John Way, was born in New Garden township on February 11, 1772, and died August 17, 1848, aged seventy-six years. He was an industrious and prosper- ous farmer and a member of the Society of Friends. On January 22, 1795, he married Hannah, daughter of Jacob and Mary Heald. Of their children, Samuel Way (father), was born in Kennett township, October 5, 1803. He was reared on the farin, and after mar- riage came to West Chester, where he re- sided until his death, which occurred Decem- ber 6, 1871, when he was rapidly nearing his seventieth year. He was a carpenter and contractor, and was one of the first men to mannfacture brick in Philadelphia by machinery. Ile was an energetic and thor- oughgoing business man, and erected the Catholic convent and many other substan- tial buildings in that city. He served for over thirty years as a director and surveyor of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Chester county, and was recognized as a successful business man, a kind friend and
a useful citizen. He was a republican in politics and a member of the Society of Friends, and married Mary Scarlett, a mem- ber of the old Scarlett family of this county, who was born October 26, 1804, in what is now Kennett Square, and died May 13, 1883, aged seventy-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Way were the parents of six children, two sons and four daughters.
Marshall S. Way was reared in his native city, received his education in the public schools and Wyer's academy, and then con - menced life for himself as a clerk in the grocery and hardware store of Wood & Fairlamb. Five years later Mr. Way bor- rowed some money which he added to his own slender earnings and purchased the store, after which he formed a partnership with T. Elwood Townsend, under the firm name of Way & Townsend. This firm lasted one year, when Mr. Way sold out his interest to Richard Thatcher. He then found himself with a small amount of means which he purposed to invest in some profit- able enterprise. After examining carefully several business openings, he formed a part- nership with E. S. Mendenhall, and on Oc- tober 1, 1867, they purchased the coal and lumber business of Shoemaker & Robison, which they conducted very successfully for seven years. During that time he was one of a company of four who erected a row of houses on Barnard street, also another on south Darlington street. They also erected several fine buildings on West Miner street and a number of good residences in various other parts of the city. After re- tiring from the coal and lumber business, Mr. Way was not actively employed until 1877, when he embarked in his present real estate and loan business. His first office soon became too small and he removed to
Marshall S. Way.
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
another and larger room, but the rapid in- erease of his business in a short time caused him to leave his second office and secure his present commodious rooms in the Everhart building, on Market street, opposite the court house. From his initial effort in real estate transactions until the present time he has met with remarkable success, and now his volume of business is such that he keeps a regular force of clerks who are kept con- stantly at work. He makes a specialty of western mortgages, and in some years has loaned over $100,000 in the State of Kansas alone. Beside loaning a large amount of money in his own county, he is also doing an extensive business in fire insurance and real estate, his rent list being large, and he sells yearly a large number of houses, build- ing sites and farms. Marshall S. Way is an honest, plain and unpretending straight- forward man, of great energy, good judg- ment and remarkable business ability. He is prominently identified with the material development of his native city, of which he has been an important factor for the last decade. Among the different enterprises for the improvement of West Chester with which he is connected isthe Assembly build- ing, and he was also the originator of the electric street railway. He is a director and surveyor of the Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany of Chester county. He is also a di- rector of the First National bank, a trustee of the West Chester State Normal school, and president of both the boards of trade and health.
On Christmas day, 1867, Mr. Way mar- ried Anna E. Smedley, a daughter of Bar- tholomew and Margaret Smedley, of East Goshen township. Mr. and Mrs. Way have two children : M. Warren and Channing.
In politics Mr. Way is a strong republi- can. His political career commenced in 1885 as a conneilman, although he was of- fered a seat in the city council as carly as 1877, but the old town meetings were then in existence, and despite earnest solicita- tions to accept councilmanic honors he al- ways emphatically declined until the town meetings were abolished in the first named year. Ile then allowed his name to be used, and was elected as a councilman from the South ward. Ile served but one term, when he was elected in 1886 as chief burgess and since then he has been yearly elected to succeed himself without opposition in his own party.
One who is well acquainted with Marshall S. Way writes of him as follows: "Mr. Way's name has been proposed time and again for legislative honors from this dis- triet, but his foot has been invariably set down upon every offer of the kind, he pre- ferring to remain at home attending to his large and lucrative business, and of serving the people at home with whom he has grown up and become familiar in business and social life. There is, perhaps, no man in the city who labors more industriously and constantly than the chief burgess. From early in the morning until late at night he is employed at his office or attending to some of the multifarious duties incident to the office. In administering the borough laws he does not believe in severity, but al- ways upholds the dignity and stability of the city's government, and strictly enforces the ordinances to the letter."
Marshall S. Way's life has been one of varied and uniform usefulness, in which he has achieved individual success and won the regard and esteem of his fellow-citizens.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
JOHN PRIZER, a justice of the peace of East Pikeland township, and the founder and proprietor of the well known Prizer roller process flouring mills of Kim- berton, is a son of Benjamin and Catharine (Shantz) Prizer. He was born in East Pikeland township, Chester county, Penn- sylvania, September 9, 1842, and grew to manhood at Kimberton, where he has re- sided ever since. He received his education in the common schools of his native town- ship and Freeland seminary of Montgomery county. Leaving school he assisted his father in his mill until 1867, when the latter retired from the milling business and Mr. Prizer assumed full charge of the mill, which he has conducted very successfully up to the present time. In 1884 he placed the roller process in his mill, which now has a daily capacity of twenty-five barrels. His mill is fully equipped with the latest and best of improved milling facilities. He manufac- tures first-class grades of pure roller flour, and has a trade which extends beyond his own immediate section. Within late years no other branch of industry in this county has made such marked improvement and progress as milling, and Mr. Prizer was one among the first in the county outside of the largest towns to avail himself of the change from the burr to the roller process in the manufacture of flour. His mill is situated close to the Pickering railway, which affords him good shipping facilities. .
On May 4, 1865, Mr. Prizer married Har- riet Towers, a daughter of Michael and Rebecca Towers, of this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Prizer have been born four chil- dren : Elmer, Warden (dead), Fondella and Laura L.
In politics John Prizer is a stanch repub- lican, who always supports the cardinal
principles of his party. He was elected as justice of the peace in 1889, and has served satisfactorily in that office ever since. He is a careful but public-spirited business man, and his management has been so enterpris- ing and well directed that the value of his milling and other property has increased largely during the last decade. He owns a valuable farm in addition to his mill.
The ancestral home of Henry Prizer, the founder of the Prizer family, of which the subject of this sketch is a descendant, was in . Germany, which he left to settle in Montgomery county during the last century. His son, John Prizer (grandfather), was born in Upper Providence township, that county, where he died in 1848, at seventy-five years of age. He was a stonemason by trade, an old-line whig in politics, and an Episcopalian in religious belief and church membership. His widow, Margaret Prizer, whose maiden name was Place, died in 1858, at seventy- five years of age. They were the parents of ten children : Josiah, Henry, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Frederick, John, Levi, Isaac, William and Nancy. Benjamin Prizer (fath- er), the third son, was born in Skippack township, Montgomery county, November 14, 1806. He learned the milling business, and in 1829 came to East Coventry town- ship, where he operated a grist and saw mill for six years. He then came to Kimberton and purchased an old mill, which he ran until 1867, when he erected the present sub- stantial Prizer flouring mill. In the same year he erected one of the finest residences in the county, for that day, after which he retired from active business life. He was an attendant of the Lutheran church, and an old-line whig and republican in politics, and died December 18, 1880, when in the seventy-fifth year of his age. Benjamin
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
Prizer was a man of prominence and useful- ness in his community. Ile had served as a director in two National banks, was often called ou to lay out roads, assess lands and act as an administrator, and besides acquir- ing a competency had gained a respected name. His farm and lands were a part of the original Penn purchase. On December 8, 1835, he married Catharine Shantz, a daughter of Jacob Shantz, of Lawrenceville. To their union were born five children, one son and four daughters : Franklin, Emeline, Catharine, Elizabeth and John. Of these children all are dead except John Prizer, whose name heads this sketch, and who has followed in the footsteps of his worthy father, and done honor to the name of the Prizer family, well known for its integrity, indus- try and usefulness.
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