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 94
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father of W. H. Burns, was a native of Ches- ter county, where he died in July, 1830. His wife was Margaret Greene, of English descent. Their son, Peter Burns, sr. (grand- father), was born about 1795, and lived at Berwyn, where his occupation was for some time that of farining, and where he died in 1877. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was a cabinet maker by trade, and dur- ing the late civil war was engaged at Phil- adelphia in working in the navy yard of the United States. After the war he returned to his farm of seventy-five acres, on a part of which the present town of Berwyn is built. He was a republican, and a member of Berwyn Presbyterian church, whose or- iginal house of worship he was largely in- strumental in erecting. He married Eliza- beth Jones, who was of Welsh descent, and had seven children : Benjamin, Isaac, Han- nah, Eliza, Peter, Sallie J. and Henry, who died from the effects of a wound received at the battle of Chattanooga during the civil war. Peter Burns (father) was born May 12, 1827, in Philadelphia, and is a stone mason by trade. He has followed contract- ing on masonry work for a business, and has, until within the last few years, made a specialty of stone bridges. He is an active and well posted republican, and a trustee of Berwyn Presbyterian church. He is also a member of Berwyn Lodge, No. 999, Inde- pendent order of Odd Fellows ; and Thomp- son Lodge, No. 340, Free and Accepted Masons, and in the Masonie fraternity has attained a high rank, being a third degree Mason. He married Ellen.J. Dyson, daugh- ter of John Dyson, of Millerstown, Perry county, Pennsylvania. Their children are : William Henry, Estella J., Joseph S., John D., Frank L., Anna May, Martie and Bessie.
789
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
G EORGE B. JOHNSON, a member of the Chester county bar since 1880, and a public speaker of considerable repute, is a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Coale) Johnson, and was born February 8, 1858, near Parkesburg, Sadsbury township, Ches- ter county, Pennsylvania. The founder of this branch of the family was Robert John- son, who came from England with a party of English and Irish Quakers in 1725, and located in New Garden township, this county, where he came into possession of four hun- dred acres of land, from one of the original land grants. From him through Benjamin Johnson, the subject of this sketch is de- scended. Benjamin Johnson went to Phila- delphia at an early day and became one of the pioneer book publishers of that city.
Ilis mother, Elizabeth Ferree Coale, a daughter of William Coale, of Harford coun- ty, Maryland, and Elizabeth Ferree Brinton, of Paradise township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, is descended from the early set- tlers of Maryland and Pennsylvania of Qua- kerand French Huguenot origin. Thecolo- nial laws of Massachusetts prohibited Qua- kers from coming into the colony. " And if a Quaker was found there not coming by sea, he was to be punished by death." Sewell records that in 1661 Josiah Coale went from England to Virginia, and from thence trav- eled on foot, in winter, through the willer- ness to New England, to advocate liberty of conscience to the stern followers of John Endicott. The history of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, records the annals of the exile, John Ferree, a French Huguenot, who was driven from France, after the revocation of the edict of Nantes, and took refuge in Lan- dau, Germany, where he died in the cause of Calvin, and his family came to the Pequea valley among the first pioneers.
George B. Johnson received a good edu- cation, graduating at the Westtown Friends' school, and later pursuing a post graduate course equivalent to completing the junior year at Harvard, under Prof. J. II. Worrall at West Chester. After completing his studies and leaving school he engaged in civil engineering for a time, being thus employed for nearly three years. In 1876 he was ap- pointed to a position in the bureau of awards of the centennial exposition at Philadelphia, and spent the summer and autumn of that year in discharging the duties connected therewith. He then entered the law office of Oliver Sidwell, Esq., at West Chester, and began preparing himself for the legal profession under the tuition of Hon. Joseph J. Lewis; one of the ablest lawyers in the State. After having completed the pre- scribed course of reading and passed the nec- essary examination, he was, in September, 1880, duly admitted to practice in the courts of Chester county. He soon afterward opened a law office in this city and has ever sinee been industriously occupied in the le- gal duties connected with his profession.
On May 29, 1889, Mr. Johnson was mar- ried to May Cooke, a daughter of Dr. George Cooke, of Oxford, this county. She is an estimable lady of many admirable qualities and very popular among her many friends. In politics Mr. Johnson is a republican and generally takes an active part in political campaigns, frequently doing his party ex- cellent service as a speaker on the stump.
H. MORGAN RUTH, the popular and efficient clerk of the court of Chester county, and a man who has done much for the material development and upbuilding of this section of the State, is the second son
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790
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
of Davis and Margaret (Griffith) Ruth, and was born January 25, 1845, at Malvern, Chester county, Pennsylvania. The family isof Welsh extraction, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketeh being among the early settlers of Chester county, and dy- ing near Green Tree, at an advanced age. He was a mechanic by occupation, married and reared a family, among whom was David Ruth (grandfather). The latter was born in this county, where he married Mar- garet Kitzseling and became a prosperous and well-known citizen. IIe was also a me- chanic and resided for many years at Green Tree, and it was there that he closed his earthly career. His wife lived to be ninety- three years old. Among their children was Davis Ruth (father), born in Chester county in 1817. After attaining manhood he be- came a carpenter and builder, and being an excellent workman and serupulously honest in the execution of contracts, soon found himself with a good business, and his ser- vices in constant demand. Originally a dem- ocrat in politics, he espoused the republican cause in the early years of that organiza- tion, and ever after remained a faithful ad- herent of that party. He was a member of the Willistown Baptist church, and served it as trustee for many years, dying at Green Tree in December, 1890, after a busy life spanning three quarters of a century. In early manhood he united in marriage with Margaret Griffith, a daughter of John Grit- fith, of this county, and to them was born a family of eight children, six sons and two daughters : David N., who enlisted in Co. C, 97th Pennsylvania infantry, early in the civil war, and died of yellow fever at IIilton Head, South Carolina, in 1862; H. Morgan, the subject of this sketch; Emma, married Stephen Eachus, of the borough of West
Chester; James G., now trainmaster on the central division of the Pennsylvania rail- road, and residing at Media; John A., a passenger conductor on the same division of the Pennsylvania road, with residence in the city of Philadelphia; Margaret K., em- ployed in the clerk of court's office at West Chester; William E., an engineer in the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad; and Elmer E., a carpenter of Malvern, thiscounty. The mother of these children, Mrs. Mar -. garet Ruth, is still living, and is now in the seventy-second year of her age.
H. Morgan Ruth received a good English education in the common schools of his na- tive county, and after leaving school learned the trade of carpenter with his father. In October, 1871, he began business on his own account as a carpenter, contractor and builder, and his energy and ability soon re- sulted in building up a large and flourishing business. IIe continued to give his per- sonal attention to this enterprise until the fall of 1890, when he was elected clerk of the court of Chester county. Since that time the management of this part of his business has been in the hands of his young- est brother, Elmer E. His building opera- tions have been conducted on an extensive scale and have extended to all parts of the county. IIe has erected not less than four- teen of the handsome churches in which the people of this county worship, and many of the residences of persons of wealth and taste are the embodiment of his handiwork. In the prosecution of this business he has demonstrated the possession of great abil- ity as an architect and designer, as well as the power to translate the plans of other men into finished editices.
On the 9th day of May, 1871, Mr. Roth was united in marriage to Annie E. Fultou,
791
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
a daughter of Joseph Fulton, of Delaware county, this State. To this union was born a family of five children, three sons and two daughters : Charles R., born July 30, 1872; Emma B., born Jan- uary 24, 1874; Annie E., born June 10, 1881; M. Warren born September 18, 1885; and Allen, born July 16, 1890. Two of these children, Annie and Allen, died in infancy.
In polities Mr. Ruth has always been a stanch republican, giving his party a uni- form support on all leading questions. He has served as a school director in the town- ship of Willistown for the extended period of eleven years, during five of which he has been president of the board. In 1890 he became the candidate of his party for the office of clerk of the court of Chester county, and was elected to that responsible position in the autumn of that year. Ile soon after entered upon the discharge of the duties connected with the office, and with his us- ual comprehension of the situation and eare- ful management of details, has succeeded in rendering satisfaction alike to the court and the mass of people who have business with it. He is a prominent member of the Ma- sonic fraternity, being connected with Thom- son Lodge, No. 340, Free and Accepted Masons; Philadelphia Chapter, No. 169, Royal Arch Masons; and St. Albans Com- mandery, No. 54, Knights Templar. He is also a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America. Ile served as a member of Co. B, 43d Pennsylvania militia, during Lee's invasion of this State in 1863, and is now connected with General McCall Post, No. 31, Grand Army of the Republic, at West Chester. In religion he is a Baptist, being an active supporter of the various in- terests of his denomination.
H ENRY PAINTER, who died at his home in West Chester, February 5, 1893, was the popular and efficient manager of the Delaware & Atlantic Telephone Com- pany, whose headquarters are at West Chies- ter. He was the seventh of the nine sons of Samuel M. and Ann (Vickers) Painter, and was born in West Chester, Chester county, Pennsylvania, in May, 1849. This family was planted in America previous to 1705, by Samuel Painter, who came from England and settled in the city of Philadel- phia. ITis son Samuel purchased five hun- dred and thirty-two acres of land in Bir- mingham, in 1707, and the father bought land adjoining him in 1711. The son mar- ried Elizabeth Buxcey at Concord meeting, April 7, 1716, and had six children : Mary, married Isaac Gilpin ; Samuel, great-great- grandfather of the subject of this sketch ; John, married first to Agnes Cobourn and second Sarah Yeatman; Thomas, married Grace Cloud; Ann, became the wife of Robert Chamberlin; and Lydia. Samuel Painter (great-great-grandfather) married Esther Gilpin, a daughter of Joseph and Hannah Gilpin, of Birmingham township, on June 5, 1741, and their children were : James, who married Jane Carter; George ; Lydia, married Isaac Baily ; Joseph, great- grandfather of Henry; Thomas, Hannah, married Joseph Townsend, of Baltimore ; and Sammel. Joseph Painter (great-grand- father) was born April 1, 1748, and died October 24, 1804. He was a cloth fuller by occupation, and lived most of his life in East Bradford, now Birmingham, township, this county. Hle married Elizabeth Wood- ward, who was born June 12, 1748, and died August 24, 1808. She was a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Kirk) Woodward, and bore him five children. Of these
792
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Joseph Painter (grandfather), was born July 5, 1782, and died August 12, 1855. At Bradford meeting, on September 12, 1805, he married Lydia Marshall, a daughter of Samuel and Rachel Marshall, of West Bradford. She was born August 2, 1788, and died May 10, 1857. They resided for many years in East Bradford, but removed to West Chester in 1829, where Mr. Painter became the founder and editor of the Anti- Masonic Register, afterward changed in uame to Register and Examiner. He was also en- gaged in the manufacture of woolen goods for a time in Birmingham. Politically he was an ardent whig, and being a man of strong character he wielded a controlling in- fluence in local politics for many years. He was a strong abolitionist, a firm temperanee advocate, an able writer and a first-class business man, accumulating considerable property. It has been well said of him that he "was a humanitarian in its broadest sense, a friend of liberty and good society, and a foe to tyranny, whether in govern- mental, religious or mental economics, and for a long period was the brilliant and trusted leader of a party whose most able exponent he was with his trenchant pen and iron will." By his marriage to Lydia Marshall he had a family of eleven children: Mary Ann, born July 11, 1806, and died November 11, 1809; Rachel M., born April 17, 1808, died November 15, 1865; Samuel M., father of Henry; Elizabeth P., born May 31, 1813, married Joseph Vickers, and died Septem- ber 8, 1863; Lydia S., horn August 3, 1815, died November 24, 1832; Sarah, born De- cember 8, 1816, died June 30, 1817 ; Joseph H .. born October 5, 1818, married Esther Kersey, February 19, 1840; Mary II., born September 30, 1820, married Chalkley M. Valentine, December 30, 1840; James G.,
born May 12, 1823, married Mary II. Pierce ; Cyrus P., born November 20, 1825, married Abigail A. Alison ; and Thomas, born July 7, 1830.
Samnel M. Painter (father) was born Sep- tember 16, 1809, in Birmingham township, this county, and died at West Chester, in 1882, aged seventy-three years. He spent his boyhood on the farm, and received a good common school education, which he afterward supplemented by a wide course of reading. On reaching man's estate he em- barked in merchandising, and in 1844 opened a lumber yard at West Chester, which busi- ness he continued to follow until his death, when it passed into the hands of his son, Uriah H. Painter. Politically he was a whig and republican, taking an active interest in local politics, and always firmly supporting the policy and principles of his party. He was a Quaker in religion, and on October 17, 1839, married Ann Vickers, a daughter of John and Abigail Vickers, of Uwchlan township, this county. To this union was born a family of nine sons, five of whom still survive. One of these is John B. Painter, the Cleveland, Ohio, millionaire, who is now traveling in Europe, and another is Uriah H. Painter, engaged in the lumber business at West Chester. The others were : William, now deceased ; Francis J., now in Europe; J. Elwood, died in Yokalıoma, Japan, while serving in the United States navy ; Albert P., resides in Florida, where he is engaged in growing oranges; Henry, the subject of this sketch, who died at his home in West Chester, February 5, 1893; Howard, who studied in Europe, graduating at Friedberg, Germany, served as a com- missioner to the Vienna exposition in 1878, and died recently at San Francisco, Cali- fornia ; and Clarence, who died in early
793
OF CHESTER CO
childhood. Mrs. Ann Painter died in 1890, at an advanced age. Her father, John Viek- ers, was a native of Pennsylvania, came to Chester while yet a young man, and died in Uwchlan township. He was a potter hy trade, a strong abolitionist and prominent in the "underground railroad."
Henry Painter was reared principally at West Chester and received a superior Eng- lish education, studying first in the publie schools here, where he spent nearly all his life, and later in the Millersville State Nor- mal school, and a popular boarding school in New Jersey. After leaving school he was variously employed until he became in- terested in the Delaware & Atlantie Tele- phone Company, of which he was manager at the time of his death. In politics he ad- hered to the traditions of his family, and was a life-long republican, earnestly supporting that party on all general questions, but in- clined toward independent action in local affairs. Mr. Painter never married.
D ANIEL W. FISHER, one of Tredy- ffrin township's substantial farmers, who served as a Union soldier in some of the hardest battles of the army of the Potomac, is a son of Abraham and Ann (MeDowell) Fisher, and was born in Shippenham town- ship, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1839. Ile was reared in his na- tive county, where he received his educa- tion, and in 1860 came with his father to Tredyffrin township. Two years later, on August 15, 1862, he enlisted at Upper Me- rion in Co. 1, 129th Pennsylvania infantry, and served as a private until May 12, 1864, when he was honorably discharged at Har- risburg, this State. His regiment was a part of the second brigade, third division.
fifth corps of the army of the Potomac, and he participated in the battles of Chantilley, second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antie- tam, Sheppardstown, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. After returning home he resumed farming, which he has successfully followed ever since. His farm contains ninety-two acres, is well improved and very - productive. Mr. Fisher is a republican in politics, and has served as supervisor of Tredyffrin township. He is a member of Thompson Lodge, No. 340, Free and Ac- cepter Masons, and ranks as an active and progressive farmer in the community where he.now resides.
The Fisher family in this country was founded by Malachi Fisher, who came from England and settled in Montgomery county, where his son, Malachi Fisher, jr., was born, and learned the trade of shoemaker. He worked at his trade during his active years, was a member of the Society of Friends, and married a woman who was a minister of that religious denomination. They reared a family of six children, three sons and three danghters. Their son, Abra- ham Fisher (father), was born at White Marsh, Montgomery county, July 9, 1804, and in 1840 removed to "Chestunt Hill," Philadelphia, which he soon left to return to Upper Merion in his native county. In 1860 he again left Montgomery county and settled in Tredyffrin township, this county, where he died May 12, 1890, when well ad- vanced in the eighty-sixth year of his age. He was an extensive farmer, and in politics was a whig and republican. While a resi- dent of Montgomery county he served one term as supervisor of White Marsh town- ship. He was a member of Friends' meet- ing, and married Ann McDowell. To their union was born nine children : Sarah Stout.
794
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Rebecca Nice, Amanda, Mary Eliza (dead), Malachi, William, Elwood, Daniel W. and Susan, uow deccased. The Fisher family is well known for its industry, morality and thrift.
GI EORGE HIMES, a reliable citizen of West Pikeland township, who has al- was been engaged successfully in agricultural pursuits, is a son of David aud Martha (Tal- by) Himes, and was born May 15, 1844, on the farm on which he now resides, in West Pike- land township, Chester county, Pennsyl- vania. He grew to manhood on the pa- ternal acres, where he was carefully trained to agricultural pursuits and habits of hon- esty and economy, received his education in the common schools of West Pikeland town- ship, and then engaged in farming, which he has followed successfully ever since. He has always resided upon the home farm, which he now owns. It contains thirty- seven acres of good farming land, and within the last few years Mr. Himes has purchased an adjoining farm of fifty acres, and started a dairy, which has yielded him very fair profits. At the time of the Pittsburg riots in 1877, he was a member of the National guard of Pennsylvania, and served for sev- eral weeks with his regiment which was engaged in quelling that lawless outbreak and restoring order in the "Iron City." He is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and willingly performs any service required of him at any time to secure Re- publican success and victory. He has by due dilligence, prospered in life, and secured for himself a good home, surrounded with all the substantial comforts of to-day.
George Himes married Sarah Sloyer, a daughter of George Sloyer. David Himes,
the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in August, 1810, on the farm where he has always resided. He followed farming during the active years of his life, and now, at eighty-two years of age, is in good health. He was a whig, and when that party went down, became a republican. He married Martha Talby, and to their union were born ten children, among whom were John, Maria (deceased), Elmira Prizer, George, the subject of this sketch ; Victoria Snyder, Nelson and William.
W ILLIAM C. DYER, an industrious and comfortably situated farmer resid- ing near Phoenixville, is a son of Henry and Mary C. (Coffman) Dyer, and was born May 23, 1846, on a farm now within the borough limits of Phoenixville, and adjoining the farm on which .he now resides in Schuylkill township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. He was reared on the farm, received his education in the public schools and at an academy of Phoenixville, and then assisted his father in farming until the death of the latter in 1889. Since then he has managed the home farm successfully, and has now about completed the necessary arrangements for its purchase. This farm consists of sev- enty-two acres of well improved land. Mr. Dyer is a republican in politics, and after the completion of his fifth term as super- visor of Schuylkill township in 1892, he was elected as a member of the school board.
William Dyer, the paternal grandfather of William C. Dyer, was a miller by trade, and ran the Moore Hall mill for several years. He owned a farm of two hundred acres. He was a republican in politics, and reared a family of eight children : Henry, James, Abram, John, Katie Showalter,
795
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
Rosanna Coffman, Mary Showalter, and one other. Henry Dyer (father) was born near Williams' Corner, in Schuylkill town- ship, in 1814. He followed farming and teaming in the early years of his life, and later purchased a farm on which a part of Phoenixville is now built. He soon sold that farm and purchased the one on which he died, in 1889, when in the seventy-fifth year of his age. He was a republican in polities, and a member and deacon of the Phoenixville Baptist church, in which he was very prominent and useful. He was an in- fluential man in his township, where he served his fellow-citizens as supervisor, as- sessor and school director. He married Mary C. Coffman and to their union were born four children : Barbara A., who died in childhood; Hannah C., wife of Jacob M. March, who is the stenographer and assist- ant receiver of the Spring Garden bank, and who served three years in the late war; William C. and Lizzie R.
F RANK BEAVER,a well-known farmer and highly esteemed citizen, residing on the old Beaver homestead near Vineent post-office, is the only son of Jacob and Eliza (Colehower) Beaver, and was born in East Vincent township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, February 11, 1857. The Bea- vers are one of the old families of Chester county. Daniel Beaver, paternal grand- father of Frank, was a life-long resident and farmer of Charlestown township, and died at his home there, at an advanced age. Ile married and reared a family of four sons : Devalt, Joseph, John and Jacob, all now deceased except the eldest, Devalt. Ja- cob Beaver (father), was a native of Charles- town township, where he grew to manhood and received his education. He was a farmer
all his life, accumulated considerable prop- erty, and died in East Vincent township in April, 1890, aged sixty years. Politically he was a stanch democrat, and frequently served as jndge of elections, school director, auditor, and in other official positions in his township. In religion he was a strict Lu- theran, and was one of the organizers of the Kimberton Evangelical Lutheran church, which he served as trustee for many years. He was always punctual in his attendance at church, and liberal in his contributions toward its support. He married Eliza Cole- hower, and by this union had an only son, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Eliza Bea- ver is still living, being now in her sixty- second year, and remarkably well preserved for a woman of her age.
Frank Beaver was reared principally in East Vincent township, and received a good English education, first attending the public schools of his neighborhood and later tak- ing courses of instruction at a private school in Phoenixville and at Professor Loek's sem- inary at Norristown. After completing his studies and leaving school, Mr. Beaver en- gaged in farming on the old homestead, and that has been his main occupation through life. He came into possession of the farm, containing one hundred and thirteen aeres of valuable land, and has added improve- ments until he now owns one of the best farms and finest residences in this section. llis farm buildings are all substantial, but his home is especially good, and is ele- gantly furnished.
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