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 41
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For the next two years he was employed in the Wharton Switch Works, at Edge Hill, near Jenkintown, as machinist. He had never served an apprenticeship as a machinist but became a good workman by applying himself closely to his business for a short time. After these two years spent in working for other people he removed to the farm of his father-in-law near Jenkintown, living there three years. About this time his father was stricken with blindness, and feeling that it was his duty to be near him he returned to his home and was near his father until 1891. In the latter year his father died.
For a few years he was engaged as a dealer in real estate, buying property near Chestnut Hill. He also managed a plantation of one thousand acres in Accomac county, Virginia. It was lo- cated between Broadwater bay and Machipenga river. During this time the family. remained at their Pennsylvania home but Mr. Titlow passed many pleasant days with the Virginians, and holds their memory as a delightful experience. In 1898 he sold his Virginia estate and soon aft- erward purchased the farm of forty-seven acres on which he now lives. This was known as the Pennock farm.
A year after removing to Norriton township, his barn and all it contained, including Alderney cows, fine Virginia horses and other stock, was entirely destroyed by fire. He at once rebuilt it on a much larger and better scale.
In politics Mr. Titlow is a Democrat and is active in local contests. While a resident of Phil- adelphia he was a delegate to city conventions on various occasions and also served at different times as judge and inspector of elections. Al- though a Democrat all his life he could not con- scientiously support William J. Bryan and the Chicago platform of 1896 and he accordingly cast his ballot at the presidential election for Palmer, the straight Democratic nominee. In Montgomery county politics Mr. Titlow has rep- resented his party in county conventions at differ- ent times and in February, 1903, he was elected supervisor of the eastern district of Norriton.
Hiram Titlow (father) was born in the old township of Bristol, in the twenty-second ward
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of Philadelphia, October 14, 1824, and lived there until, as mentioned above, he removed to Spring- field township. He was a farmer, as was his father before him, the latter being also a drover. Hiram Titlow was a stanch Democrat of the Jacksonian type. He was an attendant, though not a member of the Presbyterian church. He married Sarah, daughter of Henry and Sarah Earnest, old residents of Springfield township. Their children are: Jacob R., supervisor of Nor- riton ; Sarah E., who married J. Milton Brooke, represented elsewhere in this work; and Emma B. and Blanche, both unmarried, and residing in Germantown.
Jacob Titlow (grandfather) was born August 7, 1787, in Lower Milford township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. He married, January 16, 1810, Catharine Rush. She was born August 29, 1784. After his marriage they removed to Bristol township and went on the farm inherited by his wife from her father, John Rush, a wealthy Philadelphian. Their children were: Susan, who married Henry Benner; Mary Ann, who died unmarried ; Jacob J., who married Abigail Bul- lock; Daniel, who married Susan Revel; and Hiram, father of Jacob R. Titlow.
George Titlow (great-grandfather) was a na- tive of France and was born close to the German frontier. He was a soldier and came with the French army to America to assist the colonists under General Washington in the Revolutionary war. He had married a German woman prior to his enlistment. The war over he sent to France for his wife and settled in Lower Mil- ford, Bucks county, where he cleared a farm on which he spent the remainder of his days. Their children were: Jacob, Abraham, John, David, Joseph, Hannah, and another daughter who mar- ried a Mr. Knox.
Jacob R. Titlow married, March 15, 1881, Esther, daughter of John R. and Elizabeth ( Pier- son) Unruh. Mrs. Titlow was born at Miles- town, in Philadelphia, September 14, 1856.
John R. Unruh (her father) was born in Ger- mantown, February 1, 1819. His father was a farmer and owned the farm on which John R. was born. The Unruh family, as their name
indicates, are of German origin but have been residents of Germantown and vicinity for a great many years. John R. grew to manhood on the home farm and became a farmer by actual ex- perience. He was a director of the public schools. After his marriage to Miss Pierson he resided on farms as a tenant until 1884, when he purchased land at Jarrettown, located on the Limekiln pike, about thirteen miles from Philadelphia, where he resided until his death, in October, 1894. He was a Republican in politics though he never sought or held office. In religious faith he was a Methodist from the time he was nineteen years of age. In 1867 he was licensed as a local preacher, his wife being also a member of that denomination. He was buried in Ivy Hill ceme- tery at Mount Airy. Their children were four, as follows: Emma L., unmarried, who resides with her sister at Hooverton; Esther and Ade- liza (twins), who were born September 14, 1856, and Adeliza died in infancy ; and John Wesley, who also died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob R. Titlow have two chil- dren : J. Wilbur, born April 28, 1882; and Edith W., born February W., born February 1, 1884.
WILLIAM TAGGART, a resident of Nor- ristown, is the son of Assemblyman Austin L. Taggart. He was born in Whitemarsh township, on the Taggart farm, located near Fort Washing- ton. The family removed to Upper Merion soon after his birth and Wm. Taggart was reared in that township. He received a public school education, and learned farming in the most prac- tical way possible, by actual experience in the daily routine of farm life under the supervision of his father.
He married, April 4, 1894, Elizabeth Mc- Lean, daughter of the late John McLean. After his marriage he took up his residence in Nor- riton township and rented farms until 1896, when he purchased the James McIntyre farm, a short distance north of the Norristown Hospital for the Insane, and adjoining the farm belonging to that institution. He still owns the property. He operated this farm for about seven years, when he decided to remove to Norristown, for the bene-
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fit of his children in connection with their edu- cation. He removed from the farm, April 1, 1903, taking up his residence on Stanbridge street, Norristown. He is engaged in hauling and does a very extensive business, being the owner of a large number of horses, wagons, carts, doing contract and other work of this kind.
In politics Mr. Taggart is an active Repub- lican, although he has never sought public po- sition. His children: Margaret Sinclair, born June 11, 1895; Martha Lee, born October 18, 1897 ; Austin Lee, born October 13, 1898; Eliza- beth McLean, born February 6, 1903.
Austin L. Taggart, the father, was twice mar- ried, his first wife being Sarah Rudy and his second wife Hannah Supplee. He was born No- vember 21, 1836, in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. He died in 1893 while serving his fourth term in the lower branch of the state legislature.
EDGAR MATHEWS, burgess of Royers- ford, is prominently identified with the interests of the borough. He was born in Leeds, England, January 30, 1862. His parents coming to this country when he was a child, he was reared and educated in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, receiv- ing a common school training. Mr. Mathews is the son of Abram and Hannah (Chew ) Mathews, both of England, who came to America in 1868, landing at New York and remaining there nearly a year, and then coming to Philadelphia.
Abram Mathews (father) was by trade a heater in a rolling mill. He found employment at Nicetown, remaining there about a year, and then buying a farm in Bucks county, near Sel- lersville, remained there until 1899, when he sold the farm and removed to Royersford, and has lived there since retired. Mr. Abram Mathews was formerly a Democrat, but is now a Republi- can. In Bucks county he filled the offices of justice of the peace and auditor, but never aspired to higher political honors. He is a member of the Lutheran church, as is also his wife. He is a man above the average in height, and, being of a strong constitution, is a hard worker. He is social in his tastes and is excellent company ; charitable to the needy and affectionate in dispo-
sition, but stern in discipline, although a kind father. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mathews are well preserved and hearty. They enjoy the fruits of a well spent life.
In his native country Mr. Abram Mathews followed his trade of heater and on coming to America had little difficulty in finding employ- ment at remunerative wages. The work being hot and laborious, he decided to abandon that and buy a farm, which he did, and became a practical and successful farmer. Wherever he has lived he has commanded the respect and con- fidence of all with whom he came in contact. Mr. and Mrs. Abram Mathews' children : John, died at the age of forty-four years, leaving a widow but no children; Abraham (deceased), unmar- ried ; George, a resident of Philadelphia ; Harry, who lives at Easton, Maryland; Edgar, subject of this sketch ; Annie, unmarried; Fred, who re- sides at Alexandria, Virginia ; Walter, a resident of Boston, Massachusetts ; Herbert, who lives in San Francisco, and is foreman of a stove foun- dry.
Edgar Mathews, when he was six years old, removed with his parents to the Bucks county farm, where he remained until he was about eighteen years of age, and was then apprenticed to learn stove-moulding at Quakertown. He learned the trade, and when his apprenticeship was completed worked at different places. In 1885 he went to Royersford and secured employ- ment with the Oliver Keely & Company, stove manufacturers, holding this position for nearly three years. After a trip through the country he was engaged with the Grander Stove Works, at Royersford, where he has held a position ever since. He is a practical and competent moulder, having given that business all his attention. He is an intelligent, energetic and reliable business man, and is well and favorably known. Every position he has held, whether public or private, he has filled creditably to himself and with satis- faction to all. In 1888, at Trenton, New Jersey, Mr. Mathews married Miss Dora Hartman. She was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, July 13, 1868. Mrs. Mathews is a lady of intelligence and culture. She is the daughter of Albert and
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Mary (Eppeheimer) Hartman. Her father was of German descent ; her mother a native of Ches- ter county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Hartman was a printer by trade and died early in life. Some time after the death of Mr. Hartman, his wife mar- ried Andrew Anderson, of Chester county; he also dying leaving no children. Mrs. Anderson makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Mathews, her only child.
Mary Eppeheimer was the daughter of George and Eliza (Ortlip) Eppeheimer, both of Chester county. The father was a son of Ephraim Eppe- heimer, also of Chester county. Mrs. Anderson is the fourth generation from Germany. Eph- raim was a mechanic and a consistent member of the Lutheran church. His children were : George, father of Mrs. Hartman; Jonas; John; Mary, who died unmarried in old age.
George Eppeheimer was born in Pottstown in 1809. He was a tailor by trade, which occu- pation he followed for half a century. During his business life he resided many years at Parker- ford, where he died in 1879 in his seventy-first year. He was widely known and highly re- spected. Politically he was a Whig and Repub- lican. His wife preceded him in death, passing away in 1875 aged fifty-eight years. She was the daughter of Henry Ortlip, of an old family of Chester county. Her father was a farmer and hotel-keeper and operated the old Ortlip Mill many years. He never aspired to political honors. Mr. Ortlip's children were: Rachel (Mrs. Buck- walter) ; Andrew; Henry; Eliza (Mrs. Eppe- heimer) ; Mary; Julia (Mrs. J. D. Teany) ; Os- man, served in the rebellion ; Abram, also a vet- eran.
George Eppeheimer's children: Henry, of Spring City ; William, killed by an explosion of a steamboat on the Delaware river ; Mary (Mrs. A. Hartman) ; Frank and Howard, residents of Royersford; Addison, postmaster of Royersford. George Eppeheimer was a Lutheran and his wife a German Baptist.
Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Mathews' children are: Charles H., born July 10, 1891 ; Edgar, born Oc- tober 21, 1893. Mrs. Mathews is a member of the Baptist church, and also of the Masonic Ladies
Society. He belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men, and is treasurer of the Iron Moulders' Union. He is president of the Royersford Fire Company. Mr. Mathews is an earnest, active and influential Republican. He is recognized as a power in local and county politics. He served for five years in the town council of Royersford, being president of that body. In the spring of 1903, he was elected burgess. His name has fre- quently been mentioned in connection with the Republican nomination for sheriff of Montgom- ery county, and he was nominated for that office June 28, 1904. He is a member of the Elks at Pottstown, Pennsylvania.
JACOB S. JOHNSON, proprietor of the Weekly Advertiser, of Royersford, was born in Upper Providence township, December 12, 1863. He was reared on a farm until eleven years of age, and educated in the common schools. He is the son of Abram and Catherine (Warner) John- son.
Abram Johnson ( father) was the son of Jacob Johnson, also a farmer, and of German descent. Jacob Johnson's children were: Harry; Abram (father) ; Joseph; Thomas; Abner; and Eliza- beth (Mrs. Cresinger). The parents, both dc- ceased, were Mennonites in religious faith.
Abram Johnson was reared and yet resides. near Trappe. He spent most of his life as a farmer, being also engaged in the stock business, being a drover and shipper of cattle, which he sold to the farmers of that vicinity. He is now retired from active business. Politically he is a Republican, and filled several minor offices, but never aspired to higher political honors. There have been no deaths as yet in his immediate fam- ily. Mrs. Johnson is a daughter of Mr. Warner, a highly respected citizen, whose children are: Jacob, retired; Catherine (mother of Jacob S. Johnson). Abram Johnson's children are three, as follows: Annie (Mrs. J. Fronefield) ; Jennie (Mrs. C. L. Bean) ; and Jacob S. Johnson, the subject of this sketch.
The last named was born and reared at Trappe. When eighteen he learned the printing trade with Ellwood S. Moser, of the Collegeville
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Independent, and later was employed in Norris- town, in the same line, where he continued until 1890, when he established himself in Royersford at his present place of business.
Mr. Johnson's paper, the Weekly Advertiser, has been a success, he having given all his atten- tion to it, and made it a popular advertising medium in that part of the country. He also does an extensive line of job printing for distant customers and those at home. On July 11, 1890, he married Miss Carrie Beideman, born in 1867. She is the daughter of Henry and Louisa (Kline) Beideman, Henry being born in Chester county, and Louisa in Berks county, Pennsylvania. Her father is now and has been for many years chief of police in Royersford. Mr. Beideman is a Re- publican and is well known and highly respected by the community in which he lives. The chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Beideman are: Carrie, wife of Jacob S. Johnson ; Mazie (Mrs. J. Crothers) ; Clayton, a glass-blower; Florence, Lottie and John. Mrs. Beideman and her children are mem- bers of the Reformed church.
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob S. Johnson have one son, Lloyd, born on November 14, 1891. Mrs. John- son is a member of the Reformed church. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle, of the Junior Mechanics, and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is also a member of the Volunteer Fire Company of Royersford.
U. S. G. FINKBINER, the principal insur-" ance, real estate and general business agent of Royersford, is descended from two of the old settled families of Chester county-the Finkbin- ers and the Brownbacks. He was born in that county on September 22, 1865. He was reared in Spring City until he was about seventeen years of age, attending school, educated in a common school and business course.
Mr. Finkbiner is the son of David and Mar- garet S. ( Brownback) Finkbiner. David Fink- biner was the son of Jesse Finkbiner, whose wife was a Miss Rambo. Jesse Finkbiner was the son of Jacob Finkbiner, who was the founder of the family in this country. The Finkbiners are of
German descent. Jesse Finkbiner was a mer- chant at Spring City, being one of the best known citizens of the place. He lived retired the latter part of his life. His children: David (father) ; Margaret (Mrs. L. Shingle) ; Mary (Mrs. D. S. Taylor). He and his family were members of the Lutheran church. Jesse was a Whig and, later, a Republican in politics. He was a justice of the peace for many years, and a prominent man in his community.
David Finkbiner was reared in Chester county, where in early life he followed the occupation of a miller. Later he became a merchant, and still later a brick manufacturer. The latter part of his life he was interested in a stove factory, being a member of the stove firm of Floyd Wells & Company at Royersford. He was a justice of the peace and transacted much business in the neigh- borhood in which he lived, being recognized as an influential member of the community. He was active in politics, being a leading Republican. He held several positions of importance, includ- ing membership in town council. In religious faith he was a Lutheran. David Finkbiner died June 20, 1893. His wife survives him, being a resident of Philadelphia. She is the daughter of Edward Brownback, who was a brother of Gar- ret Brownback's father, and a descendant of the first Garret Brownback, who came to America in 1683 and married Mary Papin, a granddangh- ter of William Rittenhouse, the ancestor of so many residents of Pennsylvania and adjacent states. He it was who established the first paper mill in America at Germantown, in 1690. Gar- ret Brownback acquired a large tract of land in Chester county, and founded the Reformed church which still bears the name, Brownback's. The children of Edward Brownback were: Lu- cetta, married twice, her first husband being Setz- ler, and her second Garber; Uriah : Edward, Jr .; Stephen, died young : Mary R. (Mrs. Walton) and, by second marriage, the wife of Rev. Mr. Sampson ; Edith (Mrs. Vanleer by first marriage, Mrs. Wright by second) ; Louis ; Minnie, the wife of Rev. Mr. Swindells : Margaret S. (mother).
The children of David and Margaret Fink- biner : Ida ( Mrs. Waitneight and by second mar-
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riage, Mrs. M. A. Kiser) ; U. S. G., subject of this sketch; Lillie C. (Mrs. W. Schlichter) ; Oliver B., of Spring City ; Sadie E., unmarried; Edwin B., engaged in the coal business, in Clear- field county.
U. S. G. Finkbiner, after receiving a liberal education, accepted at seventeen years of age a position in the Union National Bank of Phila- delphia, remaining there three years and being employed in various capacities. At the organi- zation of the Royersford National Bank in 1886, Mr. Finkbiner was elected cashier of that insti- tution, which position he held until June 10, IGOI. He then purchased the business of David Springer, who died very suddenly, and has since been engaged in the real estate, insurance and kindred business. He is also a notary public. Mr. Finkbiner is doing a large business.
Mr. Finkbiner has been twice married; on September 26, 1889, to Miss Mary A. Schlichter. who was born July 24, 1868. She was the daugh- ter of Ephraim and Susan (Lord) Schlichter, she of Maryland, and he of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Both her parents are yet living. in Lower Providence township. The father is a blacksmith and farmer. Prior to her marriage, Mrs. Finkbiner was a school teacher for a number of years. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim Schlichter : Mary ( Mrs. Finkbiner) and others.
The children of U. S. G. and Mary Finkbiner (first wife) : David E., born July 14, 1890; Rachel M., born November 13, 1895 ; Charles S. C., born March 15, 1898. Mrs. Finkbiner died November 1, 1898.
Mr. Finkbiner married (second wife), Feb- ruary 19, 1901, Sarah. E., widow of George Kehl, she having no children by the first marriage. Mrs. Finkbiner is the daughter of Aaron C. and Mrs. Freed, he the proprietor of the hotel at Royersford. Mr. and Mrs. Finkbiner have two children, Aaron C. F., born March 3. 1902, and Edwin Burdette, born December II, 1903. In religion, Mr. and Mrs. Finkbiner are both mem- bers of the Lutheran church. He is a member of the Masonic order, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Knights of the Golden Eagle. Mr. Finkbiner is the superintendent of
the Lutheran Sunday school and member of the church council and has been president of the Luther League of Montgomery county. He is secretary of the Home Water Company of Roy- ersford, and of the Keystone Building and Loan Association of that place and one of the trustees of the free public library. In politics he is an active Republican, taking a deep interest in all public questions, local, state and national. He was one of the originators of the water company, as well as of other public improvements, and has always shown himself an enterprising, en- ergetic and public-spirited citizen and business man, doing all that is possible to promote the progress and prosperity of Royersford.
DANIEL J. SPRINGER was born at the family homestead near Royersford, October 17, 1859. He was reared on the farm, spending his youth partly in agricultural pursuits and partly in obtaining an education in the public schools of the vicinity. He also attended school a short time in Norristown. He was the son of Daniel E. and Mary A. (Schwenck) Springer, who lived in Montgomery county. He died in September, 1895, and she February 14, 1903. She was a member of the Lutheran church; he was not attached to any religious denomination, but was a strictly moral and worthy man. He was the son of Daniel Springer, an early resident of Ches- ter county. He was of German descent. Daniel E. Springer was reared in Chester county, and when young drove mules on the Schuylkill canal. Later he learned the saddlery trade, and followed it some years, during which time he married. Later in life he engaged in farming in Montgom- ery county. He then went to Morgantown and established a mercantile business, pursuing it two years. He then returned to Montgomery county and engaged in farming for a few years, and then went into the timber business in Royersford, continuing for a number of years, after which he retired from active business. He was a builder and erected several fine blocks of houses in Roy- ersford and owned considerable property ; he also owned property in Spring City.
Politically he was a Republican and took an
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interest in all public questions. He served as burgess of Royersford two terms. He married Miss Mary A. Schwenck, a daughter of Daniel and Mary (Stettler) Schwenck, descendants of a well known Montgomery county family. Daniel Schwenck was born and reared in Frederick town- ship, where he married, and removed to the farm near Royersford in 1831. He purchased the farm from John Winter, and remained there sev- enteen years, and in 1848 purchased a hotel prop- erty at Royersford; the building thereon erected has since been converted into the Philadelphia and Reading Railway station. He conducted the hotel and also engaged in the mercantile business. The hotel included the railway ticket office and postoffice, and the store, also. The mail was dis- tributed in the hotel and handed over the bar. Included in his purchase was seventeen acres of land on which he later erected a commodious stone residence, which was since constructed into a hotel, where he spent his remaining days and died in November, 1859. Politically he was a Whig and Republican, but never aspired to po- litical honors. He was a member of the Lutheran church. His widow died in 1863. She was the daughter of Henry Stettler. Mr. and Mrs. Schwenck's children are: Elizabeth (Mrs. R. Springer) : Henry ; William; Mary (Mrs. Dan- iel E. Springer) ; and Daniel, who died when very young.
The children of Daniel E. and Mary Springer : Reuben, died and left six children; Daniel J. (subject of this sketch); David L., deceased, leaving a widow; Mary and Anna, died unmar- ried; Kate (Mrs. W. C. Williams) ; William, unmarried : Horace, died unmarried : Estella (Mrs. H. L. Neiman).
Daniel J. Springer remained with his parents, assisting his father in his business and on the farm until he reached manhood. After his fa- ther's death he went to Royersford and followed the trade of polisher for two years and more re- cently engaged in the livery business. Mr. Springer is a Republican in politics. He is a member of Royersford town council.
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