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 31
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Bernard B. Freyer, married Catharine Kriebel, daughter of Job Kriebel, September 13, 1840. Their children: Esther (mother), born August 31, 1841 ; Jacob, born April 26, 1844; Judia, born October 2, 1846; and Susanna, born November 13, 1850.
The Cassel family have been very prominent in Montgomery county. They were originally Mennonites.
BENJAMIN C. CASSEL, a well-known and representative citizen of . Worcester township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, was born in that township, and reared on a farm not far from his present home, the place being now in pos- session of J. C. Blattner. He follows farming to a limited extent in connection with another line of business.
His grandfather was Benjamin Cassel, whose first wife was Sarah Heebner. After her death he married Mrs. Kate (Clemmens) Beyer, a widow. The children of the latter marriage were Jacob, Benjamin, Joseph, Enos, Abraham, Eliza- beth, Hannah, Sarah, Catherine and Susan. Abraham, the fifth child and fifth son of this family, grew up as a country boy, was educated in the district schools, and became a farmer. He "was prosperous and respected, and reared a worthy family. His wife was Susanna Cassel, and the names of his seven children were as follows : Isiah, Elizabeth, Cornelius, Abraham, Susanna, Benjamin C. and Mary, deceased.
Benjamin C., sixth child and fourth son of the foregoing family, was born December 15, 1851, in Worcester township. He attended school in the neighborhood until he was sixteen years of age, and for several years thereafter worked on a farm. In 1875, the year following his marriage, he removed to the place he now oc- cupies, comprising fifty-one acres of land. This land he cultivates for the greatest possible return, giving much attention to gardening. He also buys live stock which he feeds for the Philadelphia market. He is a well-known dealer in the market at Eighteenth and Bridge streets, where his meats have gained a reputation for their high quality. He is a Democrat and bears his part in duties of
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citizenship, keeping an intelligent interest in the course of national affairs. He and his family attend the Reformed Mennonite church.
On the 17th of March, 1874, Benjamin C. Cas- sel married Mary J., daughter of Jesse and Mary (Bechtel) Detro. His wife is one of a family of nine children, as follows: Eliza, born December 3, 1842, who is unmarried ; Hannah, who married William Delp, of Lansdale, and has one child ; Harry, deceased ; Mahlon, a commission merchant of Philadelphia, who married Tillie Lambert and has two children ; Abraham, now a farmer of Le- high county, who married Annie Shields, and has six children ; Mary J., wife of Benjamin C. Cas- sel ; Josiah, a marketman of Philadelphia, whose wife was Kate Hochman, and who is the father of nine children; Amanda, wife of Benjamin Wycle, a minister of Saints church, who is the mother of two children; and Ida, who lives in Lansdale with her mother. Mr. and Mrs. Benja- min C. Cassel have no children of their own but have reared six adopted children.
JOHN F. FISHER was born December 22, 1831, near the town of Shoffenhausen, Switzer- land. He was a farmer in his native country until he was twenty-four years old, and then, in 1855, came to America. He settled in Norriton town- ship, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade of blacksmithing for one year. Obliged to leave this work on account of failing health he went to Worcester township, and worked on farms in that and adjoining town- ships for several years. In 1870 he bought his farm in Worcester township, which includes over sixty-eight acres, and where he has carried on general farming ever since. He has a good dairy. The house on the farm was built in 1754, an addi- tion being built in 1813, and both parts are won- derfully well preserved. Mr. Fisher is a staunch Democrat and served as supervisor for two years. He belongs to the German Reformed church.
John F. Fisher is a member of Zook Post, No. II, G. A. R., of Norristown. He enlisted in de- fense of the Union, April 21, 1861, at Harris- burg, as a private in Company E, Fourth Penn-
sylvania Infantry. By reason of faithful service he was promoted to the rank of corporal. Captain George Anny commanded the company, which was attached to the Fourth Regiment, Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, under the command of Colonel John F. Hartranft, and assigned to the First Bri- gade, Third Division, McDowell's Army. The regiment left Camp Curtain, on April 21, and proceeded to Philadelphia, going thence to An- napolis by boat, and marching thence to Wash- ington. The regiment went into camp at Blad- ensburg and Shutler's Hill, where the picket lines were attacked on June 30, along the old Fairfax road. On July 19th the regiment marched to Blackburn's Ford and Centre Hill, and thence to Washington. From Washington the regiment went to Harrisburg, where Corporal Fisher was honorably discharged, July 21. 1861, having served the period of his enlistment. Two brothers of Mr. Fisher, Jacob and George, served in the Civil war. They are now deceased. The regi- ment was enlisted for three months and took part in the first battle of Bull Run.
In 1861 John F. Fisher married Anna Weig- ner, daughter of Joel Weigner. Their children are : Sarah W. Fisher, who was born October 10, 1862, and resides with her parents ; Susannah W., who is bookkeeper and cashier for G. F. Pfund & Son, pork packers, in the Reading terminal mar- ket ; and one deceased.
The founder of the Weigner family in this country was Susanna (Seipt) Weigner, who came to Pennsylvania with the Schwenkfelders in 1734. She brought with her three children : Abraham, George and Rosina, who died Septem- ber 14, 1800. Susanna Weigner, the widow, died September 18. 1755.
Abraham Weigner (great-grandfather), the son of Susanna Weigner, married May 31, 1750, Susanna, daughter of Abraham Yeakle. Their children were: Maria, born May 27, 1751 ; Sarah, born June 5, 1753, and died August 8, 1758; Rosina, born February 7, 1755; Susanna, born July 25, 1757, and died August 19, 1788; Abra- ham, born September 25, 1760 ; and John (grand- father), born July 9, 1765. Abraham Weigner
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died March 13, 1781, aged sixty-two years. Sus- anna, his widow, died January 28, 1812, aged eighty-three years and one month.
John Weigner (grandfather) married Rosi- na, daughter of David. Kriebel, September 10, 1795. Their children were: Daniel, born Sep- tember 26, 1797; George, born August 25, 1799; Joel (father), born May 14, 1801 ; Abraham, born November 8, 1802 ; Leah, born July 4, 1804 ; John born November 5, 1806; Lydia, born September 9, 1808; and Ezra, born January 12, 1814. John Weigner (grandfather) died September 6, 1847, aged eighty-two years. Rosina, his widow, died February II, 1855, aged eighty-two years and seven months.
Joel Weigner (father) married Sarah, daugh- ter of Henry Heebner, in 1833. Their children were : Anna, born September 3, 1834, wife of John F. Fisher ; Lydia, born July 26, 1837, and died May 25, 1865; and Abigail, born November I, 1842, and died March 16, 1868. Joel Weigner died March 13, 1857.
Henry Heebner (maternal grandfather of Mrs. Fisher), born December 1, 1778, was the son of George and Anna (Shubert) Heebner. He married, April 21, 1807, Anna, daughter of Chris- topher Schultz. Their children were: Sarah (mother) born January 30, 1808; Susanna, born June 25, 1810; George, born November 24, 1811 ; Abraham, born May 14, 1814, and died February 24, 1815; Hannah, born February 24, 1816; Maria, born October 31, 1817; Abigail, born De- cember 29, 1819: John S., born March 2, 1822, and died in 1903; and Anna, born February 28, 1827. John S. was long a director in the Mont- gomery National Bank, of Norristown, and was one of the most substantial citizens of Upper Gwynedd township, residing on the farm prev- iously owned by his father. Henry Heebner died March 30, 1847. His wife preceded him in death, dying April 2, 1839.
George Heebner (great-grandfather) was the son of David Heebner, who came with his wife, Maria, to Pennsylvania in 1734. George Heeb- ner married, April 26, 1769. Susanna, daughter of Balthasar Heydrick, and had one son, Baltha- sar, born June 12, 1770. Susanna, wife of George
Heebner, died June 19, 1770, and George Heeb- ner married (second wife) Anna, daughter of David Shubert. Their children: Maria, born April 28, 1773; Salome, born October 18, 1774, and died March 31, 1776; Regina, born January 13, 1777; Henry (grandfather), born December 1, 1778; Barbara, born March 13, 1780, and died May 16, 1786; and Catharine, who was born July 17, 1782, and died May 14, 1786. George Heebner died August 18, 1783, aged thirty-nine years. Anna, his widow, died August 23, 1784, aged thirty-five years.
David Heebner (great-great-grandfather) had the following children : Christopher; Susanna ; Rosanna, born May 9, 1738; and George (great- grandfather), born June 21, 1744. David Heeb- ner died December 27, 1784. His widow Maria, died June 11, 1793.
JOHN WILLIAM LODGE, M. D., of Lower Merion township, Montgomery county, Pennsyl- vania, where he was born on February 12, 1838, is descended on the paternal and maternal sides of the family from early settlers of the state of Pennsylvania, and is a son of Thomas Garrett and Susan (Evans) Lodge.
Abel Lodge, ancestor of Dr. John W. Lodge, was a native of England, and came to this coun- try with William Penn on his second visit to the province. He settled at Kingsessing, where he purchased a large tract of land, a portion of which is still in the possession of his descendants.
John Lodge, grandfather of Dr. John W, Lodge, was a native of Kingsessing, received a common school education, and during the active years of his life followed the occupation of farm- ing. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Reid, at the old Swedes' church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the Rev. Nicholas Collin, May 29, 1793, and among the children born of this marriage was a son, Thomas Gerrett Lodge.
Thomas Garrett Lodge, father of Dr. John W. Lodge, was born at Kingsessing, March 28, 1811, and was the youngest of a family of several chil- dren. After receiving a good education in the schools of the neighborhood he followed his fa- ther's pursuit, that of farming, in which he was
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THOMAS G. LODGE
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highly successful. He was a man of exemplary habits, and was well known for his rectitude and probity of character. He was one of the organ- izers of St. John's Protestant Episcopal church of Merion, in 1861, and served as vestryman up to the time of his death. On December 20, 1832, he was married to Susan Evans, daughter of Jo- seph and Mary Thomas Evans (a descendant of John ap Thomas, who with Dr. Edward Jones was the agent through whom many of the early settlers purchaser their land from William Penn), and ten children were the issue of this union, five of whom still survive.
One of their sons, Joseph Evans Lodge, was first lieutenant in the Third Regiment United States Cavalry, and another son, Louis K. Lodge, was for many years superintendent of the central division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and also held an important position in the service of the company at Altoona, Pennsylvania .. The first ancestor in this country of the Evans family, of whom Mrs. Susan ( Evans) Lodge was a mem- ber, was Robert David, who came from Wales with a colony from Merionethshire during the early settlement of Pennsylvania. Before em- igrating to this country he purchased two hun- dred and eighty acres of land in Merion township, then a part of Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, and a portion of these lands deeded by William Penn to Robert David, by deed dated March 18, 1681, is still in possession of the family. His granddaughter Elizabeth Roberts married John Evans, who came from Wales in 1711, and their son Nehamiah Evans was ensign in the 4th Com- pany, 3rd Battalion, Revolutionary army. Thomas Garrett Lodge died January 23, 1894, and his wife Susan (Evans) Lodge died in the year 1880.
Dr. John W. Lodge, only surviving son of Thomas G. and Susan ( Evans) Lodge, was born at the family homestead in Lower Merion. He was educated at Lower Merion Academy, the West Chester Academy, and at Charleston (South Carolina) College. He graduated in his medical studies in 1859, and at once entered upon the practice of his profession. In 1861, at the breaking out of the rebellion, he was commis-
sioned captain and assistant surgeon of the Sec- ond Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Reserve Corps, and was sent to Easton, Pennsylvania, to organize a camp and military hospital, which was to be established at that place for the Pennsyl- vania Reserves. In August, 1861, he was ordered ! to the command of General Nathaniel P. Banks, on the Upper Potomac, and later he served with: his regiment in the Army of the Potomac. For- a time he was medical officer on the staff of Gen- eral John F. Reynolds, and in August, 1862, he was appointed executive officer of the military hospital at Hestonville. In 1864 Dr. Lodge filled a similar position at the south hospital, and was acting surgeon of the United States Volunteers.
After the war Dr. Lodge was elected one of. the consulting surgeons of the Philadelphia Hos- pital. At the present time (1904) he is one of the physicians of the Bryn Mawr Hospital, and one of the surgeons of the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company. During the many years of his professional career he has taken an active inter- est in all organizations that have for their ob- ject the advancement and ethics of the profession. He has had a wide experience in hospital and gen- eral practice, and stands high among the medical practitioners in his section of the county. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Commandery of the Miltiary Order of the Loyal Legion.
Dr. Lodge was married April 4, 1866, to Miss Sarah J. Simmons, born September 5. 1839, a daughter of Anthony Hathaway and Sarah (Davis) Simmons, and granddaughter of Colonel Anthony Simmons, one of the judges of the dis- trict court of Phiadephia. To this marriage was born one daughter, Carolina Alexander. Mrs. Lodge died November 23, 1901.
JOHN BLATTNER, of Worcester township, Montgomery county, an energetic and successful farmer, has won for himself a creditable place and a competence in the business world. though he came to America as a boy with no resource. save his inheritance of a sound body and a vigor- ous mind.
He was born in Wittenburg, Germany. Sep- temer 16, 1842, a son of Anthony and Lona ( Her-
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man) Blattner, his father being a farmer. Mr. Blattner was one of three children, his brother remaining in Germany, and his sister coming to America, where she married Andrew Gaysor, in Philadelphia. He attended school until he was fourteen and then worked on his father's farm, until seventeen years of age, when he came to America. He went to Norriton township, Mont- gomery county, where he worked on the farm of Henry L. Heebner for about four years. He was next in the employ of Dr. Martin for a time, after which he was employed for two years by Dr. Krause. Following this, he worked for five years for Charles Kreble, and then bought the prop- erty where he now lives. This farm consists of fifty-two acres, and in addition he owns two other pieces of land in Worcester township, one consisting of twenty-eight and the other of forty- two acres. Dairying is the principal line of his farm work, and he keeps on an average on the home place about sixteen head of cows. He is a careful manager, thorough in all his methods, and confines his operations to the business lines with which he is thoroughly familiar, and in which his practical experience and sound judgment win him success.
Mr. Blattner is highly regarded in the com- munity and is thoroughly in touch with the spirit of his adopted country. While not a member of any church he is tolerant in his views and is ready to co-operate in any good work, either in the church or outside of religious organizations. In politics he is a Republican and follows the course of public affairs with much interest.
On December 18, 1869, John Blattner and Elizabeth Cassel were married by the Rev. S. M. K. Huber. Mrs. Blattner was a daughter of Abraham and Susanna Cassel, and was one of a family of seven children, as follows: Isiah, born March 8, 1842; Elizabeth, born October 18, 1843, the wife of John Blattner ; Cornelius, born June 23, 1845, deceased; Abraham, born March 23, 1847, now living at Skippack; Susanna, who was born January 30, 1849, and married Herman Wise, a shoe dealer of Norristown, and who has had nine children, three of whom are dead; Ben- jamin, who was born December 15, 1853, and is a
farmer of Worcester township, represented else- where in this work ; and Mary, born January 12, 1855, the wife of Michael Kreeble, a farmer of Worcester township, and the mother of three children.
John and Elizabeth (Cassel) Blattner have become the parents of nine children, as follows : Charles, who is a farmer in Belfry, born June 25, 1871, married Rachel Green, and has had two children, of whom Bertha, three years old, is living ; George, born August 5, 1872, and living on one of his father's farms, married Annie Fisher and has four children, Elizabeth, Frances, Flor- ence, and George ; Joseph, a farmer and huckster of Worcester township, born September 15, 1873, married Emma, daughter of Anthony Shultz of Belfry, and has two children, John and Elmer ; Abraham, born April 16, 1875, died September II, 1875; Mary Ann, born October 10, 1876, died August 14, 1877 ; Frank, a milk dealer of Nor- ristown, born November 28, 1877, married Lina Shultz, daughter of Wilson Shultz of Lonsdale; Aaron, born July 1, 1879, and living on one of his father's farms, married Alice, daughter of Anthony Schultz of Belfry; Ella, born March 6, 1882, is at home ; Margaretta, born July 11, 1885, died in March, 1904.
JOHN K. KRIEBLE. The branch of the Krieble family represented by John K. Krieble, a valued and influential citizen of Worcester township, Montgomery county, was founded in the United States by Melchoir Krieble who came to Pennsylvania in 1734, accompanied by his wife, whose maiden name was Anna Diescher, daughter of Christopher Diescher. They resided on the old Rittenhouse property in Towamencm township, and there they reared a family consist- ing of four children-David, Susanna, Melchoir and Rosina Krieble. Melchoir Krieble, the father of these children, died February 14, 1790, at the advanced age of eighty years, and his wife, Anna (Diescher) Krieble, died December 26, 1789.
John K. Krieble, a descendant of the above named couple, was born in Gwynedd township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, May 31, 1847. He pursued his studies in the common schools of
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the neighborhood until he attained the age of fif- teen years. Two years later he entered the Tree- mount Seminary which was under the preceptor- ship of John W. Loch, a capable educator, and after a one-term course of instruction in that insti- tution he attended Freeland Seminary for two terms, thus completing his education at the age of nineteen years. Being thoroughly qualified for the position of school teacher, both by the excellent educational advantages he had received and the faculty he possessed of imparting knowledge to others, he chose that vocation as a means of liveli- hood and served as a teacher in the townships of Towamencin, Gwynedd, Worcester and Lower Providence, and he also taught the high school in North Wales for one term, his entire time of service in this capacity covered a period of nine years. He then engaged in the grocery business in the city of Philadelphia, later removed to Nor- ritonville, where he continued in the same line of trade for five years, and finally located on his present farm in Worcester township where he conducted a general line of farming and dairying until 1901, when his son A. R. Krieble rented it. His farm consists of forty acres of rich and arable land, and his dairy is equipped with fifteen head of well selected cows.
Mr. Krieble is a member of the Schwenkfelder church, a member of the Farmers Union, and a Republican in politics.
Mr. Krieble was united in marriage, Novem- ber 18, 1871, to Katie L. Reiff, born March 31, 1849, a daughter of Abraham and Sallie (Landes) Reiff. Mr. and Mrs. Krieble have seven chil- dren : 1. Abram R., the eldest born December 21, 1872, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he attended the common school of Worcester township until the age of fourteen years, when he was graduated in the second class. He subsequently attended the normal school at West Chester where he pre- pared himself for the position of teacher, after which he served in that capacity, having charge of the primary class of Metz's school, in Worcester township, for one term, and of the "Meeting House school," in Franconia township, for one term. The work proving uncongenial he returned home and has since devoted his attention to farm-
ing pursuits. 2. Susan Helen, the second child, born July 28, 1874, became the wife of Wilson K. Heebner, son of Jacob D. Heebner, and a ma- chinist by trade, residing at Norristown, and their family consisted of two children, one of whom is now deceased. 3. Charles C., born March 5, 1877, is a graduate of the Schissler Business College.in Norristown, married Elizabeth Costigan, daugh- ter of George Costigan, and is now employed in Norristown, where he resides. 4. Mary R., a twin ยท of Charles C., is engaged as a dressmaker by private families in Philadelphia, Norristown and adjacent towns. 5. Isaac R., born September 27, 1881, is also a graduate of the common schools of the township, has taught three terms of school in Montgomery county, and was graduated June 25, 1904, from Perkiomen Seminary, near the head of his class. 6. Addison R., born October 21, 1884, is a graduate of the common school and when he attended the age of seventeen years attended one term at the Schissler Business College at Norris- town ; he secured employment in Philadelphia but after a short period he was forced to resign on account of ill health. He is at present at home on the farm with his brother. 7. Jacob Wallace, born June 30, 1889, is attending the common school from which he expects to graduate soon.
The father of Mrs. Krieble, Abraham S. Reiff, was born January 16, 1817, and her mother, Sallie (Landes) Reiff, was born October 4, 1820. They were united in marriage January 23, 1842, and nine children were born to them: Mary L., born March 31, 1843: Susan L., born January 22, 1845 ; George L., born December 8, 1846; Kate L., born March 30, 1849 ; Abram L., born March 23, 1851, and died July 31, 1887 ; Sarah L., born May 17, 1853 ; Annie L., born August 23, 1855 : Jacob L., born October 30, 1857 ; and Isaac L., who was born February 8, 1860, and is deceased.
HENRY S. SASSAMAN, a justice of the peace residing at No. 371 North Evans street, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is a member of an old family of German origin long domiciled in the upper section of the state. He was born in Doug- lass township, Berks county, May 24, 1843. He is the son of Christian and Maria (Sassaman)
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Sassaman, both natives of the vicinity in which their son was born. They had six children, four sons and two daughters, as follows : Willoughby ; Augustus, deceased ; Mary, wife of Henry Hoff- man ; Lucy, wife of Joel W. D. Whitman ; Henry S. Sassaman ; and John S. Sassaman.
His brother, Augustus S. Sassaman, was a practicing lawyer in Berks county for many years, and was once elected assistant law judge for a term of ten years in the Berks county courts. He died at the age of sixty-one years.
Christian Sassaman (father) was a tanner by trade and later a farmer in Berks county, where he died, March 17, 1890, aged eighty years. His wife died in 1893, lacking two months of being eighty years of age. They were member of the German Reformed church, as are all the family.
John Sassaman (grandfather) was born in Germany and came to America at the age of four- teen years, settling in Berks county, where he fol- lowed blacksmithing and afterwards farming. He died in Berks county, aged sixty-eight years. His wife was Barbara Geyer, who was born in Swamp, New Hanover township. They had three sons and one daughter.
Henry Sassaman (maternal grandfather) lived in Berks county and died there as an ad- vanced age, leaving a large family of children.
Henry S. Sassaman was reared in Berks county on his father's farm, and lived there until he was forty years of age. He attended the public schools of the vicinity and followed the occupation of a teacher for nearly twenty years in the winter months, commencing work of this kind when he was but sixteen years of age. He also followed milling through the same period, gave some at- tention to farming and engaged in other pursuits prior to his removal to Pottstown.
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