USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Biographical annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, containing genealogical records of representative families, including many of the early settlers and biographical sketches of prominent citizens, Vol. I > Part 12
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Samuel Noble was educated in Abington Friends' School and the Friends' Central School, Philadelphia, under the care of Aaran B. Ivins, a very thorough teacher. He spent his early life on the homestead farm, remaining there until 1899, when the farm was sold and he purchased a farm in Buckingham township, Bucks county, Penn- sylvania, where since that time he has engaged in agricultural pursuits and in dairying. He has filled the position of school director.
JAY COOKE, a resident and citizen of Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania, honored through- out the nation and favorably known to the entire civilized world for his eminently useful and pa- triotic services during the Civil war, was to the nation in that tremendous struggle what another masterly financier, Robert Morris, was to it in its infancy, during the battling for independence.
He is a native of Ohio, born in Sandusky, Au- gust 10, 1821. He is of Puritan ancestry, and his father, Eleutheros Cooke, was an early settler in that state. The elder Cooke located at what was then called Portland, which was then changing from an Indian village to what is now known as · the city of Sandusky, and there built the first stone house in the village. He was the leading lawyer in that region, and represented his district
in the legislature for a number of years, both be- fore and after he had served in congress, (1831- 33) and was primarily instrumental in procuring the granting of the first railroad charter in the world, in 1826. Mr. Cooke was a man of great public prominence, and was orator on the occa- sion of a visit by President Harrison (1835) and other of the great men of that day.
Jay Cooke, after completing his education, en- tered the banking house of Enoch White Clark & Company, in Philadelphia, in 1838. He soon gave evidence of that masterly ability which was after- ward to stamp him as the foremost financier of the world in his day, and before attaining his ma- jority was made the confidential clerk of the firm, with power of attorney, and personally conducted many of its most important transactions. On his twenty-first birthday he was admitted to partner- ship, and was a member of the firm for sixteen years. During this period he personally effected the sale of the Western, Northern, Wyoming & Delaware Divisions of the Pennsylvania Canal, and assisted in the negotiation of the government loans required to carry on the Mexican war. This special experience served to fit him for the masterly part he was to take in financiering the much more important conflict of 1861-65.
Early in 1861 Mr. Cooke associated with him- self William G. Moorhead in the banking firm of Jay Cooke & Company. The firm opened houses in New York and Washington City, under its own name, and established a branch house in London in connection with Hugh McCulloch & Company, under the firm name of Jay Cooke, Mc- Culloch & Company. This banking business, probably the most extensive in the country, was carried on with entire success, including the build- ing and financing of nearly all the older railroads of the country, and until the setting in of the panic of 1873, the inevitable revulsion from the unprecedented inflation of the period immediately following the war. The era of shrinkage and liquidation had come, and many hitherto prosper- ous banking establishments went down in the geri- eral crash. Jay Cooke & Company were heavily involved in consequence of their effort to carry through the construction of the Northern Pacific
JAY COOKE
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Railroad, the most stupendous and important en- terprise of the times. Their suspension was a na- tional calamity, and expressions of regret were un- iversal, the fact being generally recognized that their failure was consequent upon their making possible the construction of that great transcon- tinental line which promised so much to the pros- perity and development of the west and of the na- tion at large. It is gratifying to note that Mr. Cooke, with wonderful courage and indominatable will, set himself to the work of self-restoration, and in a few years had retrieved his shattered fortune.
A peculiar tribute is due Mr. Cooke for his great services during the Civil war period. The story is one which in a sense belongs to a past age, and only one who lived through the tre- mendous conflict which absorbed the energies of the American government and of the people for nearly five years can form an adequate idea of the vastness of his task and of the necessities which called into exercise his magnificent abilities as a financier. Without the successful negotiation of the government loans, the war could not but have proved a failure, no matter how brave the sil- diers of the Union upon the field of battle, or how skillful their generals. When President Lincoln issued his initial call for seventy-five thousand men, following the assault upon Fort Sumter, the national treasury was practically bankrupt, and the credit of the country was at a low ebb. President Buchanan had been obliged to pay twelve per cent. interest for a loan to carry on the government upon its ordinary basis during the latter part of his administration. The enormous sums of money required to equip and maintain the army and navy, in fact to create them, were not to be had until the genius of Mr. Cooke was in- voked to aid in the sale of the government bonds whose issuance was imperatively necessary as the sole resort. To Mr. Cooke, as the fiscal agent of the government, was entrusted the great task of negotiating the loans, and nobly did he. fulfill the trust, devoting to it his undivided attention and weighing himself down with a vastness of respon- sibility which would have crushed one of less heroic mould. Appealing to the patriotism of the
American people and enlisting the aid of their local leaders in every walk of life, he achieved a remarkable success, negotiating all the great gov- ernment loans, amounting to the stupendous sum of more than two thousand million of dollars, and at a less compensation that his firm had received for negotiating the Mexican war loans of less than seventy million dollars. At one critical time he saved to the United States Treasury one hun- dred millions of dollars, at the same time elevat- ing the national credit to a higher point than that of any nation on earth, and making possible the death-stroke to the great rebellion. It is not too much to say that Mr. Cooke was in the field of these, his stupendous transactions, as necessary to this great result as was Lincoln in the presidency, Grant on the field, and Farragut on the sea. During all the years of the great conflict, Mr. Cooke enjoyed confidential relations with the prin- cipal public men of that day. He made repeated visits to Washington for conference with Presi- dent Lincoln, Secretary of the Treasurry Chase, Senators Fessenden and Sherman, and General Grant, besides many others, and all the great men named visited him from time to time at his home near Philadelphia.
For many years past Mr. Cooke has resided in Montgomery county, in the serene enjoyment of a happy and well earned retirement. Upwards of eighty years of age, he preserves his mental fac- ulties unimpaired, keeping closely in touch with the events of a period less stirring than was his own, and secure in the affection of his family and of a troop of friends who hold him in honor for the usefulness of his life and the nobility of his character. Soon after the war he erected the pal- atial residence which is his home in Cheltenham township, at Ogontz, so named for the Indian Chief of the early days of Ohio, his father's chosen friend, upon whose shoulder he had been carried as a child.
ANDREW KEEL ARGUE, a leading real estate and insurance agent of Jenkintown, Penn- sylvania, is a native of Philadelphia, where he was born January 14, 1860. He is the son of George W. and Hannah M. (Keel) Argue. His maternal
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ancestors were of German origin. On his father's side they were probably of French-Huguenot ex- traction, although at an early date they emigrated to Ireland. It is believed that the grandfather, Robert Argue, was the progenitor of the family in this country. He located at Evansburg, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He was a veteran of the war of 1812. He resided in Evans- burg until near the close of his life, when he went to reside with his son, George W., in Philadelphia, and he and his wife both died in that city. He married Sarah Parks. He had a brother, David, who was a resident of Philadelphia, where he was engaged in business as a contractor, he having two sons and two daughters. Of the sons, Will- iam resided in Washington, and Robert in Phila- delphia.
George W. Argue was the only son of his parents. He was born in Evansburg, and spent his early life on the homestead farm. He subse- quently became a locomotive engineer, and a resi- dent of Philadelphia because of his employment in that city. The latter part of his life was spent in Norristown, where he died. He married Han- nah M. Keel, of an old Montgomery county fam- ily. Their children : Theodore, died in infancy ; Robert David, who married first Sarah Barr, and had one child, May, wife of Charles Felter, his second wife being Gussie Richter, by whom there were no children; Andrew K., subject of this sketch ; Annie E., Sarah J., wife of George Mc- Coy, who resides in Norristown.
Andrew K. Argue acquired his education in the public schools of Philadelphia. After leav- ing school he engaged with C. H. Royal in the leather business. He was next employed with McNeely & Co., as leather assorter, and then for a time with Costello, Covey & Co., as assorter and traveling salesman. He was also engaged with Francis Haggerty in a similar capacity, the duties of general manager being added, and with Selser, Meurer & Co. In 1889 he engaged in the leather business on his own account in Philadel- phia. In 1896 he retired from it, and established a fire and life insurance business in the borough of Jenkintown, to which somewhat later he added real estate.
Mr. Argue married, in Philadelphia, May 9, 1882, Mary E., born October 8, 1858, daughter of Andrew Watson. Their children are : 1. Andrew S., born February 8, 1883; 2. Theodore E., born July 23, 1884, died June 22, 1885; 3. Grace M., born February 11, 1886, died November 7, 1890; 4. Elsie K., born October 12, 1887 ; 5. Mabel A., born August 15, 1889, died November 17, 1890; 6. Robert E., born July 4, 1891 ; 7. Edith M., born November 18, 1892 ; 8. Harold S., born May 2, 1894; 9. Arthur C., born June 15, 1896; 10. Mary E., born May 28, 1899, died August 2, 1899; II. Ruth, born March 6, 1901, died July 25, 1901.
JOHN H. REX. The Rex family are of German origin, having come to this country a century and a half ago. Levi Rex (great-grand- father), was a resident of Chestnut Hill. He married Catharine Riter, the couple having a large family of children. Among his children was John Rex (grandfather), who married Sarah Lentz. The couple lived on a farm in Whitpain township which descended to him from his. father, Levi Rex. John Rex was an active Whig, and on retiring from the farm, re- moved to Norristown, where he lived at the lo- cation on Main street afterwards occupied by Dr. Louis W. Read, and now by Dr. A. H. Read and sister.
John S. Rex (father) married Charlotte Hobensack, a member of a well known family in that section of Montgomery county. John H. Rex was born in Whitpain township, September 18, 1870. He attended successively the public schools of the neighborhood; Sunnyside School, Amibler, conducted for many years by the Misses Knight ; the William Penn Charter School, a Friends' institution, founded more than two cen- turies ago and located on Twelfth street below Market, Philadelphia; the University of Penn- sylvania, in the Arts Department, where he studied two years preparatory to the law course, entering the law department in 1890. After some time spent in study, his health became impaired and he went west, residing at Colorado Springs for a year or more. Having recovered com-
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pletely, he returned to Montgomery county and became a law student under the late Charles Hunsicker, and on his death, continued his legal studies with the late Henry R. Brown. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1896. About five years ago he located with Mr. Brown in His- torical Hall where he has continued his legal practice with considerable success. In 1900 he was elected a member of the town council of Nor- ristown, serving for three years, and resigning during the term because he has been nominated and elected a member of the house of represent- atives of Pennsylvania, on the Republican ticket, in November, 1902.
Mr. Rex, as well as his parents, took up his residence in Norristown more than a dozen years ago, they occupying elegant residences on West Main street. Mr. Rex married Emily, daugh- ter of Dr. Geeorge T. Harvey, and Mary, his wife (deceased), of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The Harveys are an old Bucks county family, their ancestors being among the early settlers of that part of the state. The couple have one child, Robert Bertram, born June 24, 1902.
As a member of the town council Mr. Rex was progressive, public spirited and an earnest advocate of borough improvements of every kind. He was one of the most active as well as most useful members of that body. In the legislature Mr. Rex took a very active part in business, be- ing a member of several important committees and introducing many notable measures.
In politics Mr. Rex has made a reputation as an earnest and aggressive Republican, a pleasing and powerful speaker, and an indefatigable worker for party success. During the campaign of 1902, when he was a candidate for assembly- man, he visited all sections of the county, speak- ing in behalf of the election of Samuel W. Penny- packer for governor, and his party ticket, con- tributing greatly to the splendid majority re- corded in November of that year. His ability as a public speaker was generally recognized by his party associates and by Republican leaders.
In addition to his labors in law and politics, Mr. Rex has engaged very successfully in build- ing houses in West Norristown, as well as in
other sections of the borough. Either alone or in conjunction with others, he has erected ele- gant residences on Lafayette, Oak, Main, George and Kohn streets, and Forest Avenue, in the sale of which he has been remarkably successful. Mr. Rex is a member of the Masonic order, the B. P. O. E. and of the Historical Society of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He is also a member of the Protestant Episcopal church.
HAMILTON CLAYTON, proprietor of the- hotel at Branchtown, in the Twenty-second ward. of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a' representative of one of the oldest, best known and most prominent families in Montgomery county. He was born in Moreland township, in the lower section of Montgomery county, and ad- jacent to the rural portion of Philadelphia, Sep- tember 14, 1832, a son of Ezekial and Ann (Sny- der) Clayton.
Ezekial Clayton (father) was a native of Moreland township, Montgomery county, and his entire life was spent in that vicinity. He was ex- tensively engaged in agricultural pursuits, from which he derived a lucrative income. He married Ann Snyder, daughter of Christian and Sarah (Bennett) Snyder, the former named having been elected to the position of sheriff of Mont- gomery county in 1825, and served in that capac- ity for three years. Ten children were the issue of this marriage, the majority of whom attained years of manhood and womanhood, married, and reared families. The surviving members of the family are : Hamilton, mentioned at length herein- after ; and Jonathan Clayton.
Hamilton Clayton resided in his native town- ship until he was about thirty years of age, as- sisting his father on the farm in his boyhood days, and attending the schools of the neighborhood, in which he succeeded in obtaining a fair education. Not being desirous of making farming his life work, he served an apprenticeship at the trade of harness making, and after thoroughly mastering the details of this line of industry he followed it successfully for a number of years. Later he en- gaged in the business of stage driving, which prior to the introduction of steam railroads was an oc-
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cupation of some importance and a lucrative means of livelihood. For almost half a century, however, he has been the proprietor of the Branchtown Hotel, located on the Old York road, and dating back considerably more than a cen- tury. He is of a genial and cheerful disposition, at- tentive and considerate to the wants and wishes of his patrons, and therefore enjoys the distinction of being the most popular and obliging host in the section of the city in which he resides. He is also a reliable and public-spirited citizen, promoting the interests of his city, state, and nation to the best of his ability.
Hamilton Clayton was married May 30, 1860, to Margaret Shelmire, who was born January 3, 1843, a daughter of George F. and Sarah H. (Clayton) Shelmire, both of whom were natives of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Their children were : 1. Eleanor, born August 21, 1861, became the wife of George Childs Homiller ; 2. Josephine B., born October 9, 1864, became the wife of Walter B. Nimmo; 3. Emma, born De- cember 31, 1865; 4. Montgomery B., born De- cember 27, 1867, died September 24, 1883; 5. Jennie, born March 8, 1869.
ALFRED P. HALLOWELL, M. D. The Hallowells are an old family in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, dating back to the time of William Penn, the founder of the province. John and Mary (Sharpe) Hallowell emigrated to Darby, Pennsylvania, from Nottinghamshire, England, about 1682, and in 1696 settled at Ab- ington, where he purchased six hundred and thirty acres of land. John had been married twice, his first wife being Sarah, who bore him one child. His second wife, Mary (Sharpe) Hallowell, bore him nine children, three of whom were born in England, the others in America. They were: Sarah, 1677; Thomas, 1679; Mary, 1681 ; John, 1685; Elizabeth, 1687; Hannah, 1689: Samuel, 1692 : Benjamin, 1694 ; and Jane, 1696.
Thomas Hallowell, second child of John and Mary Hallowell, married, in 1702, at Darby, Pennsylvania, Rosamond Till, and became the progenitor of a numerous and influential family. Their children were: John, born in 1703; Mary,
1705 ; Thomas, 1706; William, -; Rosamond, 1709; Elizabeth, 1711; Sarah, 1714; Thomas, 1715; Samuel, 1717; and Joseph, 1719.
William Hallowell, son of Thomas and Rosa- mond (Till) Hallowell, was twice married. His first wife was Margaret Tyson, who bore him twelve children. She was born in 1708, died in 1753, and was a daughter of Matthias or Matthew and Mary Tyson. Their children were : Thomas, born in 1730; Rosamond, 1731; Matthew, 1733; William, 1734; John, 1736; Tynear, 1739; David, 1740; Mary, 1742; Isaac, 1744; John, 1746; John 3d, 1749; and Joshua, 1751.
John Hallowell, son of William and Margaret (Tyson) Hallowell, was born in 1749. He re- sided on the old homestead which has been in the possession of the family since 1783, when he pur- chased it from its previous owners, Robert Paul and his wife, Rachel Paul, the deed being dated April 19, 1783. He resided on this farm until his death in 1792, which was caused by yellow fever contracted while on a business trip to Philadel- phia, it being then epidemic in that city. Prior to the Revolutionary war he owned and operated a mill on the Pennypack creek. He married, No- vember 3, 1774, Martha Roberts, who was born March 9, 1753, daughter of Thomas, Jr., and Leti- tia Roberts, of Milford township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Their children were: Isaac, born in 1776, married Mary Fletcher ; Israel, mentioned hereinafter ; Ann, born in 1781, became the wife of Joseph Williams ; and John R., born in 1785, who married Ann Jarrett.
Israel Hallowell, second son of John and Martha Hallowell, was born November 8, 1777. He purchased the old mill and homestead from his brother Isaac, who inherited the property, and resided there until his death, December 22, 1853. He married Mary Jarrett, who was born June 5, 1781, died January 6, 1867. Their children were : Ann L., born September 23, 1806, died July 4, 1882; she was the wife of Isaac Mather, of Jen- kintown, probably the oldest resident of Mont- gomery county, a sketch of whom appears else- where in this work. Martha, born March 8, 1809, died July 5, 1880 ; she was the wife of Sam- uel Parry, father of Franklin. John, born June
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25, 1811, died January 6, 1890; he was married to Rachel Williams, who was born July 23, 1812, and long deceased. Tacy, born October 22, 1815, died in March, 1891, was the wife of David East- burn. W. Jarrett, mentioned hereinafter. Harry W. Israel, born February 18, 1819, married Re- becca Williams. Mary, born December 21, 1821, died April 23, 1897. Jonas, born April 10, 1824. died December 25, 1899; he married Esther Fenton.
W. Jarrett Hallowell, second son of Israel and Mary Hallowell, was born on the homestead on June 8, 1816, and lived there his entire life. His active career was devoted to farming and milling. He was a very useful man in his community, and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. He was united in marriage to Lydia A. Lloyd, who was born in Moreland township, a daughter of John and Sidney (Paul) Lloyd. Their children were : Mary J., born April 3, 1850, died July 19, 1850; John L., mentioned hereinafter : Ella Ľ., born December 23, 1852; Mary J., second, born February 28, 1855, became the wife of Morris Williams, and died March 21, 1883, leaving one child, Mary Williams; Tacy J., born July II, 1858. W. Jarrett Hallowell died February 20, 1897.
John L. Hallowell, only son of W. Jarrett and Lydia A. Hallowell, was born April 21, 1851, on the old homestead where he still resides. He was educated at the Abington Friends' School; at Loller Academy, a somewhat celebrated school at Hatboro; at Friends' Central School, at Phila- delphia ; and Pierce's Business College, in Phila- delphia, where he pursued a year's course. Since leaving school he has devoted himself to farming and milling, residing all his life on the homestead. He is a Republican in politics, and served as su- pervisor in 1891, and township auditor for several terms.
In Horsham township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, October 14, 1875, Mr. Hallowell married Laura Phillips, who was born September 3, 1852, a daughter of Alfred and Mary F. (Comly) Phillips. Their children are: Walter, born November 1, 1876; and Alfred P.
Alfred P. Hallowell, second son of John L.
and Laura Hallowell, was born in Bethayres, Pennsylvania, March 18, 1878. He was educated in the Abington Friends' School, and after com- pleting his studies there began the study of medi- cine in the Hahnemann Medical College at Phila- delphia, graduating therefrom in 1900. For eigh- teen months thereafter he was the physician in the Children's Homeopathic Hospital. He began the practice of his profession at Ashbourne in 1902, and since that date has been engaged with build- ing up a large and lucrative practice, which is con- stantly increasing in volume and importance. He is a popular citizen, and is highly esteemed in the community in which he resides.
DR. DAVID GASTON HARVEY, a popu- lar physician and surgeon of Moreland township, residing at Huntingdon Valley, is a native of Phil- adelphia. He was born in that city, September 16, 1873. He is a son of David and Sarah (Kelley) Harvey, both residents of that city and natives of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Harvey was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia, and in the Manual Training School. He read medicine in the office of Dr. James S. Shoemaker for one year. He next took a preparatory course before entering the Hahne- mann Homeopathic Medical College, and after three years of study in that institution he gradu- ated with honors, May 8, 1894. After his gradu- ation he spent one year in the Children's Homeo- pathic Hospital in Philadelphia. Since 1895 he has been continuously engaged in the general practice of medicine in Huntingdon Valley, Beth- ayres, and elsewhere in that vicinity. Dr. Har- vey is a reliable physician, and is generally re- garded as a successful and skillful practitioner. He is held in high esteem for his careful atten- tion to his patients and his many excellent quali- ties. He is a member of the Alumni Association of Hahnemann College, and also of the Twenty- fourth Ward Medical Society of Philadelphia. He is also a member of Eagle Lodge, No. 222, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, of Huntingdon Valley. He is a progressive citizen, manifesting an active interest in whatever is calculated to promote the prosperity of his section of the
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county, and is deeply interested in public affairs. In politics he is a Republican, although too much engrossed in his practice of his profession to de- vote much time or attention to politics. In re- ligious faith, Dr. Harvey is a Presbyterian, be- ing a member of that church.
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