USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Biographical annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settlers > Part 54
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685
BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
ens) Himes, of Chester county. The grandfather died at Honeybrook, and Rees C. came in his boy- hood with his widowed mother to Lancaster county, settling in East Earl township. In his carly man- hood he engaged successfully in mercantile pursuits in Leacock township, later yielding its more active daties for the comparative quiet of an agricultural life, passed in Salisbury township. Here he died in the prime of life in May, 1849, aged forty-nine years. He had married Sarah Eckert, a native of Lancaster county, and a daughter of George Eckert. She sur- vived him many years, passing away in August, 1899, at the ripe old age of eighty-seven years. Rees C. and Sarah Himes were active members of the Bellevue Presbyterian Church. The children born to them were as follows: Clinton, subject of this sketch : George Clemens, a farmer who died in 1856: Cecelia, who married Rees C. Himes, a re- tired farmer of Shippensburg, Pa .; Anna C., who lives unmarried on the old homestead Spring Run Farm, in Salisbury township; Susan .A. and Mar- : tha L., both residing unmarried on the old honic- stead; P. Timlow, who died young ; and Rees L., justice of the peace at Kinzers, Pennsylvania. 1
Clinton Himes was a lad of eighteen years, the eldest of a family of eight children, when the house- hold was bereft by the death of the father and hus- band. Responsibility thus came to him carly in life. He took up its cares, and for many years conduered the affairs of his mother's estate. Hle attained stand- ing in public and religious affairs, and possessing the taste and the opportunities for a broad culture le ripened into a deep and influential thinker, attain- ing prominence in the constantly widening circle of his acquaintanceship.
Mr. Himes married Feb. 28, 1878, at Peoria, Ill., , tives, respectively, of Lancaster county, Pa., and of Sophia R. ( McIlvaine) Negley, daughter of Rev. William B. and Elizabeth ( Breading) Mellvaine. Her father was a well-known divine of the Presby- terian church, who for forty-one years was pastor of East Liberty Church at Pittsburg. Pa., but re- signing that charge on account of ill health, he re- moved to Peoria, Ill., where he preached for twenty years.
The MCILVAINE family had been prominently identified with the development of Lancaster county for several generations. It was founded here by Robert McIlvaine, who in 1729, came to the county from Philadelphia. He had been an elder in the old Pine Street Church at Philadelphia. and after his set- tlement in Lancaster he followed farming. His home consisted of a 200-acre tract, Iving in Salis- bury and Paradise townships, which had been pur- chased from William Penn by his father-in-law. George Duffield. To Robert and Mary (Duffield) McIlvaine were born five children: Andrew, who removed to Butler county : William ; Elizabeth (Mrs. Springer) ; George : and Robert.
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George Mellvaine, son of Robert and Mary (Duffield) Mellvaine, was born about 1742. He was a lieutenant in the Continental army during the
Revolutionary war, and served at Valley Forge. He was a man of superior intellectual attainments, and for forty years was an elder in the Leacock Presby- terian church. He married Jane Hamilton, and their family consisted of four children, namely: Robert ; Mary, wife of William Dickson, editor of the Lan- caster Intelligence; Jane, wife of Capt. John Slay- maker ; and Elizabeth, wife of James Boyd, of Phil- adelphia. George McIlvaine, the father of these children. died in 1807, aged sixty-five years: his wife died in 1700, aged thirty-two years.
Robert Mcilvaine, son of George and Jane Mc- Ilvaine, was, like his father, a farmer by occupation. He served as an ensign in the war of 1812. and was for twenty years an elder in the Pequea Church. He was twice married; by his first wife, Sarah Slem- mons, who died in ISI8, aged thirty-seven years, he had six children, namely : Thomas S., George D., ! William B., Jane ( who married James Slaymaker) and John and Sarah ( twins, the latter becoming the wife of Isaac Walker). By his second wife. Abi- gail Whitill, Robert Mellvaine had one child, Mary, who married James Mellaffy. Mr. Mellvaine passed away in 1832, aged fifty-five years.
William B. Mellvaine was born in 1807. He was reared in Lancaster county and received a col- legiate education at Dickinson College. Carlisk, Pa., concluding his theological studies at Princeton The- ological Seminary, from which institution he grad- uated. He was thrice married, his first wife being Sophia S. L. Duffield. daughter of Dr. William Dui- field, who died at Pittsburg in 1830. His second wife, whom he married in 1832. was Elizabeth Breading, who was born in Fayette county, daugh- ter of Nathaniel and Mary ( Ewing ) Breading, na- Cecil county, Md. Nathaniel Breading served in the Continental army as commissary in 1777-78: he was principal of the academy at Newark when the Rey- olutionary war began, but the Continental troops took possession of his school, and his occupation thus gone, he found service in the army. He be- came judge of the courts in Favette county, where he died at Tower Hill. The Breading and Ewing families came from Londonderry, Ireland. in 1,25, the former settling in Little Britain. Lancaster Co., Pa .. and the latter in Cecil county. Md. By his marriage to Elizabeth Breading Rev. William B. 1Ic- Ilvaine had four children : Mary E .. who died at the age of twelve years ; George H., who for many years was cashier and later president of the Peoria Na- tional Dank. and who died Jan. 1. 189 ;; Sophia R., wife of our subject ; and William D., who died at the age of ten years. The mother died in 1850, aged forty-one years. The third wife of Rev. William B. Mellvaine was Margaret McGiffin. daughter of Thomas McGiffin. of Washington. Pa., and to them was born a son, Thomas, now a physician at Peoria. Ill. Rev. McIlvaine died at Peoria in May, 1892, aged eighty-five years.
To Clinton and Sophia R. (McIlvaine) Himes 1
685
BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
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ens) Himes, of Chester county. The grandfather died at Honeybrook, and Rees C. came in his bo ;- hood with his widowed mother to Lancaster county, settling in East Earl township. In his early man- hood he engaged successfully in mercantile pursuits in Leacock township, later yielding its more active duties for the comparative quiet of an agricultural life, passed in Salisbury township. Here he died in the prime of life in May, 1849, aged forty-nine years. He had married Sarah Eckert, a native of Lancaster county, and a daughter of George Eckert. She sur- vived him many years, passing away in August, 1899, at the ripe old age of eighty-seven years. Rees C. and Sarah Himes were active members of the Bellevue Presbyterian Church. The children born to them were as follows: Clinton, subject of this sketch; George Clemens, a farmer who died in 1856: Cecelia, who married Rees C. Himes, a re- tired farmer of Shippensburg, Pa .; Anna C., who lives unmarried on the old homestead Spring Run Farm, in Salisbury township; Susan _1. and Mar- tha L., both residing unmarried on the old honic- stead; P. Timlow, who died young ; and Rees L., justice of the peace at Kinzers, Pennsylvania.
Clinton Himes was a lad of eighteen years, the eldest of a family of eight chiktren, when the house- hold was bereft by the death of the father and hus- band. Responsibility thus came to him carly in life. He took up its cares, and for many years conducted the affairs of his mother's estate. He attained stand- ing in public and religious affairs, and possessing the taste and the opportunities for a broad culture he ripened into a deep and influential thinker, attain- ing prominence in the constantly widening circle of his acquaintanceship.
AIr. Himes married Feb. 28, 1878, at Peoria, Ill., Sophia R. ( McIlvaine) Negley, daughter of Rev. William B. and Elizabeth ( Breading) Mellvaine. Her father was a well-known divine of the Presby- terian church, who for forty-one years was pastor of East Liberty Church at Pittsburg. Pa., but re- signing that charge on account of ill health, he re- moved to Peoria, III., where he preached for twenty years.
The MCILVAINE family had been prominently identified with the development of Lancaster county for several generations. It was founded here by Robert Mellvaine, who in 1729, came to the county 1 from Philadelphia. He had been an elder in the old Pine Street Church at Philadelphia. and after his set- tlement in Lancaster he followed farming. His home consisted of a 200-acre tract, lying in Salis- bury and Paradise townships, which had been pur- chased from William Penn by his father-in-law. George Duffield. To Robert and Mary (Duffield) McIlvaine were born five children: Andrew, who ; removed to Butler county : William ; Elizabeth (MIrs. Springer) ; George: and Robert.
George Mellvaine, son of Robert and Mary (Duffield) Mellvaine, was born about 1742. He was a lieutenant in the Continental army during the
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Revolutionary war, and served at Valley Forge. He was a man of superior intellectual attainments, and for forty years was an elder in the Leacock Presby- terian church. He married Jane Hamilton, and their family consisted of four children. namely: Robert; Mary, wife of William Dickson, editor of the Lan- caster Intelligence; Jane, wife of Capt. John Slay- maker ; and Elizabeth, wife of James Boyd, of Phil- adelphia. George McIlvaine, the father of these children. died in 1807, aged sixty-five years ; his wife died in 1790, aged thirty-two years.
Robert Mellvaine, son of George and Jane Mc- Ilvaine, was, like his father, a farmer by occupation. He served as an ensign in the war of 1812. and was for twenty years an eldler in the Pequea Church. He was twice married; by his first wife, Sarah Slem- mons, who died in ISIS, aged thirty-seven years, he had six children, namely : Thomas S., George D., William B., Jane ( who married James Slaymaker) and John and Sarah ( twins, the latter becoming the wife of Isaac Walker). By his second wife. Abi- gail Whitill, Robert Mellvaine had one child, Mary, who married James Mellaffy. Mr. Mellvaine passed away in 1832, aged fifty-five years.
William B. Mellvaine was born in 18oz. He was reared in Lancaster county and received a col- legiate education at Dickinson College. Carlisle, Pa., concluding his theological studies at Princeton The- ological Seminary, from which institution he grad- tiated. He was thrice married, his first wife being Sophia S. L. Duffield. daughter of Dr. William Dui- field, who died at Pittsburg in 1830. His second wife, whom he married in 1832. was Elizabeth Breading, who was born in Fayette county, daugh- ter of Nathaniel and Mary ( Ewing ) Breading, na- tives, respectively, of Lancaster county, Pa., and of Cecil county, Md. Nathaniel Breading served in the Continental army as commissary in 1777-78 : he was principal of the academy at Newark when the Rev- olutionary war began, but the Continental troops took possession of his school, and his occupation thus gone, he found service in the army. He be- came judge of the courts in Fayette county, where he died at Tower Hill. The Breading and Ewing families came from Londonderry, Ireland. in 1,25, the former settling in Little Britain. Lancaster Co., Pa., and the latter in Cecil county, Md. By his marriage to Elizabeth Breading Rev. William B. MIc- Ilvaine had four children : Mary E .. who died at the age of twelve years ; George H., who for many years was cashier and later president of the Peoria Na- tional Dank. and who died Jan. 1. 189 -; Sophia R., wife of our subject ; and William D., who died at the age of ten years. The mother died in 1850, aged forty-one years. The third wife of Rer. William B. Mellvaine was Margaret McGiffin. daughter of Thomas McGiffin. of Washington. Pa., and to them was born a son, Thomas, now a physician at Peoria. Ill. Rev. Mellvaine died at Peoria in May, 1892, aged eighty-five years.
To Clinton and Sophia R. (Mcilvaine) Himes
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BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
was born one child. a daughter, Sarah Rees, who re- sides at home with her parents. Ar. and Mrs. Himes are prominent members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he has been trustee for the past forty years. In politics he is a Republican. With its ancestry of several generations, both paternal and maternal, prominent in the development of Lancas- ter county, men and women of superior mentality, possessing strong personal convictions and high prin- ciples, combined with business sagacity of a high order, it would be but natural to look to this family for a representative of the best life of Lancaster county. Nor would that expectation he disappointed. The home life of Mr. and Mrs. Himes is one in which may be found the charm of manner. the graces and accomplishments which blossom best in an en- vironment of earnest purpose. of good will towards men, of interest in public and social affairs, of de- votion and loyalty to causes espoused. It is a home from which radiate many strong influences for the happiness and the development of those whose good fortune it is to come within its beneficence.
GEORGE EDWARD WISNER, the leading manufacturer of paper and cigar boxes in Lancaster, has an exceedingly interesting history, not only in the matter of his long and illustrious ancestry in this country, but in the development of his business from `a very small beginning to extensive proportions. His ancestors on his father's side came from Germany. while the progenitors of his mother, the Werntzes and the Fon Dersmiths, came from Berlin. Quite re- cently articles appeared in the press of this country telling of the claims the descendants of these people made to the greater part of Berlin, alleging that it was given to one of their ancestors in payment for arms furnished the authorities in one of the early German wars. Mr. Wisner's great-great-grandpar- ents on both sides are buried at Strasburg, Lancas- ter county, thus showing the early settlement of these families in Lancaster.
Jacob Wisner, the grandfather of George E., once farmed the land on which the home and factory now stand. Indeed, he farmed a large tract of land in that section before the western development of the city took place.
Jonah Wisner, father of George E., married Ann Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel and Rosanna Werntz, of Strasburg. Mr. Werntz was known as "The Blacksmith" of Strasburg, and was employed at one time by the Colemans, the "iron kings" of Cole- brook furnace, Lebanon county. By this union there were four children, of whom George E .. is the only survivor. The father died in 1861, when George was only thirteen years old, but the mother still sur- vives and resides with our subject.
ing his way in the world. The young lad first se- cured employment in the rifle works of Henry E. Leaman. and his next scene of employment was at Twining's whip factory. At the age of fourteen he took entire charge of a soap factory for six months. In 1861 he entered the old Express office as an apprentice at printing, remaining there for three years. From printing he passed to photographing, and then was employed at the confectionery busi- ness with Charles Eden and Joseph R. Royer. Af- ter finishing his apprenticeship he started in the confectionery business for himself at the corner of North Queen and Walnut streets, where he remained five years, when he moved to Columbia, Lancaster county, and continued in the same business four years longer. At the end of that time he closed out his business and returned to Lancaster. In 1884 Mr. Wisner began the manufacture of cigar boxes at his present location. No. 515 West Chestnut street, starting the enterprise in the wash-kitchen of his residence. As his business grew he converted an extensive chicken coop on his lot into a cigar box factory. In Ifor he built a four-story brick struc- ture 20x40 feet, fitting it out with the most modern requirements for the trade, having added paper boxes to his line. His business has so greatly in- creased, that in ISO; he built a four-story brick annex to his main structure, 40x30 feet, both buildings be- ing filled to-day with busy workers engaged in sup- niying Mr. Wisner's patrons in Lancaster and the neighboring towns. He employs some sixty hands.
In 1875 Mr. Wisner was married to Miss Mary R., daughter of the late Charles Kryder. of Lan- caster. the manufacturer of a celebrated herbs bit- ters. To this union were born two children. one of whom died in infancy. The other. Charles Edward, was the leading salesman in Kirk Johnson & Co.'s music store for a number of years, but is now a teacher of music, and an organist and pianist of ac- knowledged merit: his work is largely devoted to classical music. He is the organist of the First Methodist Church of Lancaster. Mrs. Wisner died in 1885.
Mr. Wisner is a member of the First Methodist Church, having been associated with this body since 1867. He has been a church and Sunday School worker from boyhood, and was secretary of the Sun- day School for fifteen years. He is now president of the Landisville Camp Meeting Association, in which he is very nnich interested : was an organizer and is a director in the Lancaster General Hospital, and be- longs to the Lancaster Board of Trade. Mr. Wis- ner is a member of the Knights of Malta, the Odd Fellows, and the Junior American Mechanics. In politics he is a stalwart Republican and a champion of the temperance cause, in which he has been en- gaged since he was fifteen years old, and his posi- tion on that subject is beyond doubt or hesitation. Positive and upright as he is, his heart is ever open
George E. Wisner was born April 27, 1848, and up to the time of his father's death attended the pub- lic schools of this city, but at that time he bravely faced his duty as a loval and devoted son to his : to the appeals of the erring, to whom he has always widowed mother, and right manfully set about mak- i proved a good Samaritan.
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BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
McGOWAN. Few citizens of Sadsbury town- . ship Jeit more friends when called from earth than did John McGowan, whose widow. MRS. ANNIE E. McGowx, lives on the comfortable home place in this township. Mrs. McGowan was born on the old home farm, in Bart township, whither her parents had removed in 1832. a daughter of Samuel and Eliza A. (Hollis ) Good. natives of Chester coun- ty. The mother died in 1861 at the age of fifty-eight years, but the father, having lived ten years of re- tirement, in Christiana, died in IS88, at the age of eighty-eight years. Their parents were: Jacob and Anna ( Boy!) Good, of Chester county, and Ger- man ancestry, and George and Ann ( Moore) Hol- lis, natives of Chester county, who moved to Lan- caster county at an carly day. :
The children born to Samuel and Eliza A. ( Hol- lis) Good were: Joseph F., who is a machinist, at Renovo, Pa. : Annie E., who became the wife of John McGowan: Sarah J., unmarried, living in Chester county : William H., who is an insurance agent in Philadelphia ; Mary L., who lives, unmarried, with her sister in Chester county ; Samuel R., a contrac- tor and builder of Philadelphia: George W., de- ceased ; John M., a farmer of Bartville. The parents were worthy and consistent members of the Presby- terian Church, and were buried in Midale Octoraro cemetery.
JOHN McGOWAN was born in Sadsbury township Aug. 20, 1832. a son of John. Sr., and Catherine (Knott) McGowan, and he died June 28, 1897.
John McGowan, Sr., was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, son of John and Anna McGowan, natives of that county, May 2, 1798, and he died in Sads- bury township Oct. 18, 1851, and was buried in Coch- ransville cemetery, but in 1895 his remains, with those of his two daughters, were removed to Mt. Pleasant, D'a. The other children in the family of John and Anna McGowan were: Anna. Margaret, ; Sarah, James and Thomas. John McGowan, Sr., came to America in June, 1819, and settied in New York for one year, and then removed to Lan- caster county, Pa., where he was employed on the farm of David Brisbea, in Salisbury township, for a period of three years. He then became a clerk for the late Daniel Buckley in the iron works in the Salis- bury district, remaining with that firm until the death of Mr. Buckley in 1825. Later he went to Lebanon county, and there became a clerk for James Coleman, in the iron works, for the succeeding three 1 years, when he was made manager for the late James ! Sproul, the iron manufacturer, in Sadsbury town- ship
Mr. McGowan remained with this concern for a period of six years and then became the manager in the iron works of Swayne & Pennock, located one mile from his former place of work. Here he re- mained for two years, but business difficulties as- sailed this firm and at a forced sale Mr. Sproul rent- ed these works for a period of thirteen years, John McGowan continuing as manager, making money
during this time not only for himself, but also for Mr. Sproul. After the death of the latter, who had always taken a deep interest in his faithful manager. Mir. McGowan moved to Atglen, Pa., where he lived for one year in retirement. Mr. McGowan, on April I, 1849, purchased a farm in the valley, in Sadsbury township, and there he passed the last years of a very useful life. Mr. McGowan was a man of su- perior education and great business ability. With al- most all of the progress and development of his sec- tion he was thoroughly identified, and he held many of the local offices, notably. school trustee and audi- tor. for many years. His family were left very well provided for, his estate being valued at something like $30,000, which was efficiently managed by his widow, who was a woman of excellent judgment and executive ability.
John McGowan, Sr., was married in 1830 in Lan- caster, to Catherine Knott, who was a daughter of William and Sarah ( Miller ) Knott, natives of Mary- land, who came to Sadsbury township at an early day, where Mr. Knott became an iron worker and farmer. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Gowan were: Hon. William, who for thirty-five
rears has been a justice of the peace in Christiana, Pa., has held all of the local offices except constable. served with distinction four terms in the House of Representatives, and was a delegate during two terms in the county convention; John. mentioned below : Joseph, in the government service, who was a soldier in the Civil war: Samuel, who is a retired merchant at Christiana, Pa. ; Caleb B., who lives a retired life at Atglen, Pa. ; Clement D., deceased ; Dr. Eliram, who is a well-known physician of Har- risburg. Pa .: Thomas, who was a deputy internal revenue collector : Noble, who is a merchant in Phil- adelphia ; Sarah A., who lives unmarried, in Chris- tiana ; Rachel, also unmarried, and resident of Chris- tiana ; Mary, unmarried, and living in Philadelphia; Elizabeth, wife of Philip D. Rea, of Chestnut Level, Pa. : Hannah P., who died in infancy ; and Margaret, who died ummarried, at the age of twenty-one years. The mother died Sept. 17, 1888, at the age of seven- ty-seven years.
John McGowan grew up on the farm and devoted his life to that occupation. His education was ob- tained in the public schools of his neighborhood. and he became identified with the best interests of his locality. In politics he was an active member of the Republican party, and most efficiently filled many of the township offices, notably those of assessor. tax collector and auditor, and was a leader in political circles.
Mr. McGowan was married (first) May 19, IS59. to Elizabeth J. Davis, and their two children were : Catherine, a resident of Christiana ; and Jo- anna, the widow of William E. Thompson. also of Christiana. On Feb. 6. 1879. Mr. McGowan wed- ded Annie E. Good, at her home in Bart township. The one son of this marriage. John W., manages the home farm. Here Mr. McGowan settled in 1891,
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BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
having previously occupiedl one located within one- eighth of a mile. It is well improved and valuable, Mr. McGowan having been an excellent farmer and good manager. His high character made him es- teemed through the county, while his neighborly kindness and domestic virtues made him beloved by a large circle of friends.
EUGENE BAUER, in his lifetime a popular hotelkeeper at Lancaster, was a native of Freiburg, Baden, Germany, where his parents, John Joseph and Margaret (Kern) Bauer, were well-to-do people. . They owned valuable stone quarries and a number of boats on the Rhine. Of their nine children. but three came to America: Eugene, Margaret, who married Frederick Munz, and resides in Philadelphia: and Malena, who married Charles Schmitt, of Phila- delphia. ---
. When he was eighteen years of age Eugene Bauer came to America to win home and fortune amid the wider opportunities of the new country. His first employment was at his trade, that of monument work, and he assisted in the building of the Columbia Bridge and St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Aban- doning his trade, he entered the employ of Lawrence Knapp, of the "Empire Hotel." in East King street, and after long service there purchased the "Golden Horse Hotel," which he conducted for thirteen years. His genial disposition made him an ideal host, and his hostelry was ever popalar and well filled. His death occurred Aug. 14, IS94, when he was aged forty-four years.
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