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 18
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WILMER M. BEAN, instructor in music in the public schools of Norristown and prominent in church choir work, is the son of Edwin A., and Elizabeth (Hood) Bean. He was born in Nor- ristown, April 23, 1859. He received his early education in Mrs. Jane Craig's private school, in the old Central Presbyterian church on Main street. Later he entered Oak Street public school, from which he graduated in June, 1874, at
the age of fifteen years. In September of that year he entered the office of the Norristown Herald, and learned the trade of a printer, work- ing at that place about six years when he went to Philadelphia, where he found employment for some time in the job printing department of Leh- man & Bolton's lithographing establishment, on Library street. He left there to become a part- ner in a job printing enterprise with Theodore Knabb, also of Norristown. After several years in business, he withdrew from the firm and in a clerical capacity entered the printing house of George S. Harris & Sons, at Fourth and Vine streets, afterwards at 816 Arch street, Philadel- phia. A change in the management of the house caused a change in his position, which he shortly afterwards resigned. For some time thereafter Mr. Bean filled various positions as printer, proof- reader and foreman in several Philadelphia print- ing houses. He finally settled in the work of a compositor, and for ten years held that position on the old North American, located at Seventh and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia. He takes pride in referring to this, as it was the best po- sition he ever held in the printing business.
From boyhood Mr. Bean had always mani- fested a decided aptitude for music. When an ap- prentice at the Herald office he studied music with Professor Thomas H. Ervin, the blind organist of Olivet Presbyterian church, Philadelphia. Afterwards he displayed remarkable skill on the cornet, on which he learned to play without a teacher, performing on that instrument for several years in the Norristown Band and Philharmonic Orchestra. He is one of three surviving mem-
bers of the last named organization, the others being W. S. Gourley and Charles Kirk, Jr., now residents of Philadelphia. It has often been re- marked that few could produce better tones from the cornet than he, and he still delights to play on the favorite instrument of his boyhood days.
It was while he was engaged as a printer on the North American that a vacancy occurred in the leadership of the choir of the First Baptist church of Norristown. Some of his friends in the church suggested him for the position. He was elected in 188g, and this was the beginning of his
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musical career in church work. By thorough study in the new field, he made a reputation for excellent music for the church, and gathered about him one of the best volunteer choir organizations that Norristown has ever had. His care and pre- cision and the keen judgment he displayed in the selection of anthems placed him in the front rank of choir leaders. While holding this position he was selected from a number of applicants for the percentorship at the Tabernacle Prebyterian Sun- day-school, at Thirty-seventh and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia, which he still holds.
After directing the music in the Baptist church for nearly eight years Mr. Bean was unanimously chosen choir master by the vestry of St. John's Episcopal church, Norristown, which position he has filled most acceptably to vestry and congrega- tion ever since. In 1892 he withdrew from the printing business to take charge of the music in the public schools of Norristown, and from that time has devoted himself entirely to his adopted profession, proving a most faithful and efficient teacher. From the beginning Mr. Bean has had a successful musical career, as may be attested by his many private pupils and public positions. For three years he was the principal instructor of the Philadelphia Choral Union's sight-reading classes, but the press of other duties and the severe strain obliged him to discontinue that work. In 1903 he was elected supervisor of music in the public schools of Bridgeport.
Mr. Bean has spent fifteen years of active effort in church choir work and has seldom or never been absent from rehearsals or service. He has written some very good music, principally hymn tunes, which have attained prominence and popularity. On the training of the boy voice and indeed on all matters pertaining to voice culture, Mr. Bean is an authority, as his vested choir of men and boys at St. John's church fully attests. As a vocalist Mr. Bean has a fine resonant bari- tone voice.
In religious faith Mr. Bean is an Episcopalian, being a member of St. John's church. He mar- ried Miss Kate Jamison, daughter of Robert Jam- ison, of Norristown. They have two daughters,
Edith Marion and Bessie Lane Bean, the latter a gifted musician and organist of the First Presby- terian church of Conshohocken. Miss Bean also attained distinction for her literary work as a member of the graduating class of 1903 of the Norristown high school, she having been awarded the alumni prize of ten dollars in gold for the best essay in the use of standard English. Her subject was the Power of Shakespeare in the De- velopment of Character. In the same year she was also awarded the prize of ten dollars offered by the Historical Society of Montgomery County for the best essay on the subject of Valley Forge.
In politics Mr. Bean is an active Republican but he has never sought or held office except that of assessor in the first ward of Norristown. He is a member of Norris Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Charity Lodge, No. 190, F. & A. M .; of Norristown Chapter, R. A. M., and of Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Templar.
Edwin A. Bean (father) was born February 6, 1831, in Norriton township. In 1848, at the age of seventeen years, he entered the Clayton flour, grist and saw mill, on the township line be- tween Lower Providence and Norriton, as an apprentice, and at the end of two years, left the establishment capable of doing full duty as a fin- ished journeyman. In 1850 Mr. Bean came to Norristown and entered the employ of Bean & Morgan, in their sawmill and lumber yard, being engaged there one year, and then entering the planing mill of Bolton & Christman, where he re- mained until August 1, 1862. He then enrolled himself in the Company of Captain David B. Hartranft, Seventeenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry. On September 19, 1862, he was mus- tered into the United States service for three years, at Harrisburg.
On November 1, 1862, Mr. Bean was made quartermaster's sergeant of the regiment and served in this capacity until May 1, 1864, when he was promoted to be quartermaster of the regi- ment, with the rank of first lieutenant, serving as such until the end of the war. He was mustered out of service on June 16, 1865, at Cloud's Mills,
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Virginia. From the day of his enlistment until the expiration of his term of service at the close of the war, Quartermaster Bean was with his reg- iment in all its battles, raids and skirmishes, among them being the following : Chancellorsville, Beverly Ford, Aldis, Upperville, Goose Creek, Gettysburg, Williamsport, Funktown, Beaver Creek, Boonsboro, Falling Waters, Brandy Sta- tion, Racoon Ford, Barnett's Ford, Martin's Ford, . Stevensburg, Brandy Station (second), Rappa- hannock Station, Oak Hill, Thoroughfare Gap, Liberty, Bealton Station, Rickeysville, Mine Run, Barnett's Ford, Kilpatrick's Raid to Richmond, Todd's Tavern, Yellow Tavern, Meadow Bridge, Hanovertown, Hawes' Shop, Old Church, Cold Harbor, Trevillian Station, White House, Jones' Bridge, Darbytown, White Post, Cedarville, Ber- ryville, Kearnsville, Leetown, Smithfield, Win- chester, Luray, Tom's Brook, Cedar Creek, Gor- donsville, Sheridan's raid to the James river canal and White House, Dinwiddie Courthouse, Five Forks, Scott's Crossroads, Drummond's Mills, Saylor's Creek, Appomattox Station and Ap- pomattox Courthouse.
The war ended, Mr. Bean returned home, and accepted a position in a planing mill in Philadel- phia, owned by Rimby & Maderia, and also in the new mill built by the firm after being burned out. He became superintendent, having the planing and flooring work under his charge. About 1878 a new company was formed on the ruins of Rimby & Maderia, of which Mr. Bean became a member. After a short career, misfortune overtook the combination and the mill was sold to Mahlon Ful- ton, Mr. Bean remaining as manager until Mr. Fulton's death, when the son of Mr. Fulton as- sumed the management and with him Mr. Bean continued until the year 1900, since which time he has lived retired in Norristown.
On January 27, 1856, Edwin A. Bean mar- ried Elizabeth, daughter of Simon and Magda- lena (Gotwals) Hood. They have but one child, Wilmer M.
Edwin A. Bean is a member of Norris Lodge, No. 430, I. O. O. F .; also a member of the Ma- sonic Fraternity ; formerly of Hiram Lodge, No. 21, of Virginia, now of Charity Lodge, No. 190,
of Norristown, also a life member of H. R. A. Chapter, No. 190, also of Norristown, Pennsyl- vania.
JOHN H. TYSON, a prominent business man in Norristown, is a member of an old Montgomery county family of Dutch origin. He is a son of the late ex-sheriff Jacob Tyson and Sarah Y. (Lin- derman) Tyson. He was born January 17, 1857, in the township of Upper Providence, near what was then the village, now the borough of Trappe, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.
Jacob Tyson (father of the subject of this sketch) was born near Trappe, January 10, 1818, a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bergey) Ty- son. His ancestors were residents of the county for several generations. On his mother's side, Sheriff Tyson's ancestors (Bergeys) were an old Revolutionary family. John Tyson, his grand- father, was a weaver by trade and a well educated man for those days. Jacob Tyson, grandfather of John H. Tyson, was born near Skippackville, January 6, 1786. He was a farmer by occupation, a good business man, and a citizen of the strictest integrity. In religious faith he was a member of the German Reformed church. He had nine chil- dren, one of whom is still living-Harriet Saylor, a widow. Those deceased are: Susan, Charles, Mary, Abraham, John, Margaret, Elizabeth and Jacob. Abraham and John emigrated to Canada in 1845, were married there and reared large fam- ilies. Abraham located permanently in Berlin, Waterloo county, and John in the city of Guelph, both places being in Canada West. Jacob Tyson during his boyhood days, alternated his time working on his father's farm and attending school, as was the custom with boys reared on farms. He continued to live on the same home- stead for a period of sixty years. During this time, in addition to conducting large farming in- terests, he was for twenty years engaged in the butchering business, a part of which time he drove a wagon over a portion of Montgomery county. He continued the quiet routine of a farmer's life until 1877, when he was prevailed upon to offer himself as a candidate for the office of high sheriff of Montgomery county. He was
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elected to the position and during his incumbency made a very efficient official. For a number of years subsequently, he was actively identified with both political and public interests in the county, but during the last dozen years of his life he was engaged in the coal business, although he had lived semi-retired until the time of his death which occurred November 9, 1899.
Sheriff Tyson was a Democrat and a staunch supporter of the policy of that party. He was president of the live stock company of his town- ship for many years. He had filled various local and political places of trust. He was a member of the German Reformed church. He married, March 12, 1846, Sarah Y. Linderman, daughter of Isaac Y. Linderman, Esq., of Limerick town- ship, in Montgomery county. This marriage re- sulted in the birth of seven children, all of whom are living, as follows: Wilhelmina L., wife of Joseph R. Hunsicker, of Norristown ; Joanna L., wife of H. H. Hunsicker, deceased, also of Nor- ristown; Sallie L., widow of Amos Forker ; Har- riet L., wife of Allen G. Reiff ; Elizabeth L., wife of Clarence R. Free ; Mary L. ; and John H.
John H. Tyson was reared on the farm near Trappe, where he grew to manhood. His edu- cation was obtained at the ordinary neighborhood schools, and he was for some time a student at Washington Hall Collegiate Institute, at Trappe, conducted by County Superintendent Abel Rambo, long since deceased, where boys were fitted for a college career or for a business life. Like other boys of that day, who were sons of farmers, he worked on the farm during the sum- mer months. In November, 1877, Mr. Tyson's father being elected sheriff of Montgomery county, he removed to Norristown with the fam- ily, and served during his father's term as sheriff in the position of outside deputy, doing nearly all the laborious work connected with the office. He is well acquainted throughout the county. At the expiration of the term in the sheriff's office, he engaged in the coal business with his father at Marshall street and Stony Creek, where they did a very successful business. About a year prior to his father's death, which occurred in 1899, he purchased his father's interest in the business
and has since managed it, giving it careful atten- tion and adding largely to the amount of business done. Mr. Tyson is a Democrat in politics but not an office seeker in any sense of the word. He has been a member of county and borough com- mittees of the party, and on several occasions a delegate to county and state conventions. He is. and has been from boyhood a member of the Re- formed Church of the Ascension of Norristown. He is a stockholder of the Peoples National Bank of Norristown. He owns and takes care of con- siderable real estate in Norristown and vicinity, and is administrator or executor of several estates, to which he gives his personal attention, manag- ing them very successfully. He also finds time to pursue his avocation of auctioneer, conducting many sales of personal property in Norristown and its vicinity.
Mr. Tyson married, November 21, 1901, Miss. Iola E. Kehl, daughter of Augustus and Eliza- beth (Walt) Kehl, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Their union has been blessed with one child, Elizabeth K. Mrs. Tyson was born March 29, 1860, in Bechtelsville, Berks county, where her parents were then living, her father being exten- sively engaged in the commission business. Her parents removed from Bechtelsville to Limerick township, in Montgomery county, where her father bought a large farm which he owned and cultivated for forty years, he being one of the most successful men of his day and locality. He had a good education for that day, was a clerk in mercantile business, and afterward did a whole- sale and retail commission business in Philadel- phia. In politics he was a Democrat, and held various township offices but never sought any- thing higher in that line. He was one of the or- ganizers of the National Bank of Royersford and a director in the institution to the time of his death. In religious faith he was a Lutheran, be- ing a member of St. James church, Limerick, in which he was for many years an elder and at the time of his death a trustee. He married Eliza- beth Walt, January 13, 1859. The couple had three children, as follows : Iola E. (Mrs. Tyson) ; George H., who was born March 17, 1862, and died February 17, 1899; and Laura A., who was.
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born November 19, 1864, and married, June 9, 1903, Samuel H. Porter, a prominent druggist of Pottstown. Augustus Kehl, father of Mrs. Tyson, was the son of George and Sarah (Dotterer) Kehl. Their children were: Augustus, Jonathan, William D., Margreta and Sarah Ann. A few years before his death, Augustus Kehl purchased a fine home in Pottstown, and retired from active business, dying there. The Walts are of an old family in Montgomery county, of German de- scent, Henry Walt having emigrated with his wife Catharine from the fatherland. Among their children was Andrew, who resided in Upper Salford township, Montgomery county, where he spent the greater portion of his life as a farmer. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Abraham Schwenk. They had eight children. Henry S. Walt, grandfather of Mrs. Tyson, was born De- cember 6, 1806, in Upper Salford, where he re- mained until his removal to Limerick at the age of fourteen years. His father's death, when Henry was a mere schoolboy, cut short his educational opportunities as his services upon the farm were invaluable, he being the chief dependence of his widowed mother. After renting the homestead farm for two years, he removed to another farm, belonging to his grandfather Schwenk, in Skip- pack, which he cultivated in ten years. In 1842 he purchased his home in Limerick, devoting thirty years to the employment of farming thereon. In 1872 he sold this farm to one of his sons. Mr. Walt married, March 26, 1829, Eliza- beth, daughter of Abraham Stauffer, of Limerick. They had nine children. Mr. Walt was a Repub- lican in politics, and served as school director. He was identified with St. James Lutheran church, Limerick, as elder, deacon and treasurer.
HENRY A. KEELER. There were seven brothers named Keeler came from Germany to America, two of whom settled in Pennsylvania and the remaining five went to different sections of the country, their place of settlement being un- known except that it was in the west. The two who settled in Pennsylvania were James and Joseph. James went to Phoenixville where some of his descendants still reside. Joseph (great-
grandfather) located in Frederick township, Montgomery county. He owned a large farm on which stood the Green Tree Hotel, which he con- ducted in connection with his farming. For forty years or more he was the host of the hotel and was known far and near as a genial and an up- right man. He was a member of the Reformed church and donated the ground on which the Keeler church now stands, which he and his chil- dren helped to build. It is occupied on one Sun- day by the Lutherans and on the next by the Re- formed church. Several years before his death he rented the hotel to his son Eli, and building a fine residence on one corner of his farm he lived in retirement until his death in the early part of the '6os. He married Mrs. Boyer and they had the following children : James, Eli, Benjamin, Frank- lin, Lebina and Delina (twins), and Sarah.
Benjamin (grandfather) was born in the hotel, as were all the other children, and received his education in the district schools during the winter months. During the summer he worked on his father's farm. He married Miss Esther Stitler. daughter of Adam Stitler. After his marriage he rented his father's farm, on which he worked until 1856, when he came to Norristown and entered the employment of Bean & Wentz, lumber dealers, and remained there until two years before his death, which occurred in 1875. Benjamin, like his father, was a Democrat, but never held office. He was a member of the Wash- ington Troop of Cavalry, commanded by Captain John Smith, of Pottstown. He and his wife are both buried in the Keeler cemetery. Their chil- dren were: Franklin, Amanda, Adam Wilson, William, who died in infancy, Henry S. and Mary Jane, deceased. Franklin married and Amanda became the wife of John Auckie. Adam Wilson enlisted in Company E, Ninety-fifth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers and served in the Sixth Corps, which belonged to the Army of the Po- tomac and was in the battles and skirmishes inci- dent to four years' service. He never married as he was a sea-faring man and saw but little of shore life. Henry S. married Miss Ida Mc- Cauley, but had no children. He enlisted in Com- pany G. One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Penn-
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sylvania Regiment, attached to the Western Army, and did duty chiefly at Rock Island, Illi- nois. Mary Jane married Walter Rodenbaugh and had two children, Walter and Norman.
Franklin S. Keeler was born in Frederick township, where he grew to manhood and then came to Norristown to engage in canal boat trans- portation on the Schuylkill canal, in which he con- tinued for twenty years or until about 1875, when he engaged in the barge transportation business as captain, operating in New Jersey bay and Long Island sound, and is still thus engaged. His home is in Norristown, although he is away a good deal of the time. His opportunity for an education was afforded by the common schools of the day and since attaining manhood he has had the ev- eryday schooling of a practical life. In politics he is a Republican but was never in one place long enough to aspire to public office. He married Emma Heckman, daughter of John Heckman, who was killed in the Civil war. Their children were : Elmer A., Henry A., Katie A. and William S. Elmer A. married Ida Heckman, now de- ceased, and has two daughters, Laura and Cora, who reside in White Stone, Long Island, New York, and are attending college at Dean Acad- emy, Franklin, Massachusetts. Elmer A. com- menced driving mules on the canal for his father when he was ten years of age, attending school in the winter. After six years spent in this way he grew tired of the business and went to New York city. With the money he had saved he acquired a part interest in a barge, and managing his affairs with skill and industry he acquired more barges from time to time and eventually be- came a stockholder and manager of a Canal Com- pany. He is also president of the Excelsior Company of New York. He is a Republican. Katie A. is unmarried and resides with her pa- rents in Norristown. William S. is a graduate of the Norristown high school and is a draughts- man and assistant superintendent with R. S. New- bold & Son.
Henry A. Keeler was born in Hamburg, Berks county, August 21, 1867. He attended the common schools of Hamburg until he was thir- teen years of age when his parents removed to
Norristown. For a year he clerked in a grocery store owned by Mr. Davis. He then went to New York and was engaged by his brother Elmer on a barge. At the age of eighteen he returned to Norristown and served an apprenticeship of three years with James A. Hurst in the carpenter trade, and was Mr. Hurst's foreman for three years and a partner in the business for four years. Mr. Hurst went out of business and Mr. Keeler continued by himself as a contractor. He is a Republican and a member of Cavalry Baptist church.
He is a member of Norristown Lodge, No. 620, Free & Accepted Masons ; Norristown Chap- ter, No. 190, Royal Arch Masons; Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Templar ; Norris- town Lodge, No. 714, B. P. O. E.
He married Maud I. Matthias, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Dalby) Matthias. She was born in Radnor, Delaware county, December 14, 1872. Their children are : Earl A., Claud H., Ronald G., Ralph L., Marion E. and Henry.
HENRY C. CRESSMAN, one of the self- made business men of Norristown, is a native of Montgomery county. He was born near Barren Hill, called at that time Smoketown, May 2, 1832, remaining in that neighborhood until he was twelve years of age. Feeling that there was some- thing desirable for him beyond his father's house, he started out with all his worldly possessions in a small bundle, to seek his fortune in the world. His first employment was on the farm of Peter Streeper, about a mile from Barren Hill. His compensation was his clothing and board with an opportunity to attend school when not otherwise engaged. Mr. Streeper treated him kindly, find- ing an abundance of work for him and giving him a good home until he was sixteen years of age. The lad then went to visit a cousin in Philadelphia who was a marble cutter. Watching him while at his work, young Cressman became imbued with the idea of becoming a marble cutter and, without consulting any one, he entered into employment with Gordon & Fletcher as an apprentice in their marble yard. He remained, however, but a few months with this firm, owing to an accident in
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which a marble mantle was broken. He returned to his home, and the next spring, April 1, 1849, he went to Norristown, where he indentured him- self to Franklin Derr, the well-known dealer in marble, who had a vacancy caused by an appren- tice quitting his employ. Mr. Derr was loth to take another apprentice on account of the trouble he had had with the one whose place was vacant, but he finally concluded to do so and the papers of indenture were made out July 4. 1849. They were to hold him until he became of age. He was to receive as compensation for his services thirty dollars a year and board, but no schooling. The only holidays. were to be Fourth of July and Christmas. At the end of his term of service as apprentice, he had thoroughly learned his trade and had also gained the confidence of Mr. Derr to such a degree that he retained him in his em- ployment until his death. Mr. Cressman became in time Mr. Derr's right-hand man, and was the one looked to for advice and counsel. He was expected to oversee all kinds of work in that line of business.
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