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 48
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Hugh Roberts, second child of Charles H. and Sarah E. Roberts, studied law with his father in Sioux City and engaged in active practice in that and neighboring states. His sketch is given else- where in this volume.
Samuel Roberts, third child, studied pharmacy in Sioux City, and obtained employment at Le- mars, Iowa, where he finally purchased a drug store and carried on the business successfully for a number of years, later engaging in the occupa- tion of traveling salesman for a prominent New York drug firm. He married, March 21, 1902. Edith Lillian Storey, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, the couple taking up their residence in Chicago.
Louisa Elizabeth, youngest child of Charles H. and Sarah Elizabeth Roberts, attended the public schools of Sioux City and Kansas City. Missouri, graduating from the high school in the- latter city, in May. 1902.
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During his legal practice in Iowa, Missouri and neighboring states, Charles H. Roberts be- came identified with many cases of importance. The firm consisted of himself and his son Hugh the greater part of the time. Their practice was made up of civil as well as criminal cases, they being fortunate in winning success even where the most apparently insurmountable obstacles were encountered. One notable case was that of Pollard and Harris, two colored men who were charged with murder, convicted and sentenced to be hanged. The firm of Roberts & Roberts, was engaged by the defendants too late to secure their acquittal but their counsel immediately entered upon efforts almost superhuman, devoted to sav- ing their clients from the gallows in the shadow of which they seemingly stood. Every resource known to the legal profession was exhausted in this efforts, reprieve after reprieve being ob- tained, motions for re-hearings made and argued, adverse decisions serving only to rekindle the zeal of attorneys who were resolved to leave nothing undone that promised to bring safety to the ac- cused men, whose lives were at least temporarily in their keeping. The Friends' principles of op- position to capital punishment served as an ad- ditional stimulus to the zeal naturally character- izing the lawyer who labors in behalf of those unjustly condemned to death, as in this case. Father and son, working together in behalf of humanity, finally had the satisfaction of securing a commutation of the death penalty by William Joel Stone to the punishment of imprisonment for fifty years. This case is only a sample of many others in which the firm labored with the greatest energy to secure relief for unfortunate clients, and nearly always with a surprising measure of success.
The practice of the firm involved frequent and tedious journeys into other states, among entire strangers, notably in the Brandau case, at Rosedale, Bolivar county, Mississippi, where they secured by legal resorts, possession of a large plantation which was unjustly withheld from the rightful heirs, but which, after long and tedious litigation, involving much labor, was restored to the proper persons.
After the death of his mother in 1902, various considerations induced the senior member of the firm to leave Kansas City with the view of re- turning to the east and spending his remaining days in the vicinity of his boyhood home. He ac- cordingly removed to Norristown and began prep- arations for admission to the Philadelphia bar, to which he was admitted on the 27th day of June, 1903.
ABNER H. GEHMAN, merchant and clerk of the courts of Montgomery county for several years, is a native of Franconia township, although he has been long resident in Norristown. He is the son of Samuel W. and Elizabeth (Haring) Gehman. He was born July 15, 1854.
Samuel W. Gehman ( father) was born in Franconia township, Montgomery county, Febru- ary 6, 1815. He was the son of Jacob and Catha- rine ( Woodward) Gehman. He was a shoe- maker by trade and followed it for thirty years, but also gave some attention to farming. Al- though a man of retiring disposition, he took an active interest in politics, supporting the Repub- lican party, and filled several township offices, including that of assessor, and was once a candi- date for county commissioner on his party ticket at a time when the county was hopelessly Demo- cratic and there was no hope of election. He mar- ried Elizabeth, daughter of Conrad and Ida (Clemer) Haring, who came from the vicinity of Bethlehem to Montgomery county. Samuel W. Gehman died January 24, 1889, and his widow died July 21, 1901. She was born January 12, 1813. Both were buried at Franconia Mennonite meeting-house. Their children were as follows : William H., now residing on the Franconia home- stead, who married Catharine Swartley, daughter of John G. Swartley, long a resident of Royers- ford, but died about 1900 at Line Lexington : Catharine, married Enos Kooker, they residing at Sellersville: Abner H. is the subject of this sketch ; Daniel H., born August 21, 1846, an active business man, and for many years engaged in the hardware line at Harleysville, the firm be- ing Moyer & Gchman, was an active Republican and was elected to the house of representatives of
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the state legislature in 1880, serving at the ses- sion of 1881. He died January 19, 1901, at the age of fifty-five years, unmarried.
The children of William H. and Catharine Gehman are: Ida, Ulysses S., Samuel S., Vin- cent and Nelson. Of these the first three are mar- ried. Ida married Andrew Godshall, they residing in Upper Salford, and having four chilren, How- ard, Verda, Hattie and William. Ulysses mar- ried Amelia Bergey, they residing at Earlington, in Franconia township, and having five children, Abraham Lincoln, Florence, Ralph, Aida and Grant.
Enos and Catharine (Gehman) Kooker had but one daughter, Lizzie, who married John B. Clemens, of Morwood, and is now deceased, leav- ing three children, Herbert, Enos and Raymond.
Samuel W. Gehman and all his family were Mennonites in religious faith. He was very highly respected in the community in which he lived. Conrad and Ida Haring, his wife's parents, were buried in Lower Salford Mennonite graveyard. He died at ninety-four years of age and she was above eighty years of age at the time of her death.
Jacob Gehman (grandfather) spent most of his life in Franconia township and died there al- though he was probably born in Bucks county. He was born in 1789 and died in 1826, at the age of thirty-six years and nine months. His remains were interred in the Franconia Men- nonite burial-ground, as were those of his widow, who survived him forty-four years. She was born September 28, 1787, and died March 30, 1870. They had six children : Isaac died in 1861, leaving a large family ; William, born May 30, 1819, died March 4, 1852; Mary, died unmar- ried in 1881, aged sixty-eight years ; Magdalene, born March 5, 1817, died May 5, 1888, aged seventy-one years (unmarried) ; Susanna, born in 1821, died unmarried in 1852, being an invalid for many years; Catharine, married Samuel Favinger, her husband dying in Philadelphia in 1900, she having died several years previously, leaving two children, Henry Harrison and An- drew J. William Gehman had three daughters,
Julia and Maria, who died young, and Sarah, wife of Thomas Nicom, they residing near Penn Square. She was married twice previously. Isaac Gehman married Catharine Landes. Will- iam's wife was Catharine Richard.
Rev. Samuel Gehman (great-grandfather) was ordained a Mennonite minister in 1798. He was born May 9, 1767, and died September 24, 1845. He was buried at Gehman's or Rockhill Mennonite graveyard, near Telford.
The Gehmans are descended, it is believed, from one of two brothers, Christian and Bene- dict Gehman, who came, it's supposed, from the Palatinate in 1732, reaching Philadelphia in the ship "Samuel", Hugh Percy commander, August II, of that year. It is known that the mother of Rev. Samuel Gehman was a Bechtel, the daugh- ter of Rev. Samuel Bechtel, also very prominent in the Mennonite congregation in early times. There is a family tradition that the brothers, Christian and Benedict Gehman, who were twen- ty-four, and twenty years of age respectively when they came to this country, bought land in Lehigh and Northampton counties and settled there, their descendants coming later to Bucks and Montgomery counties, in which they are now quite numerous. A family association has been formed which may be expected to collect all the details of the earlier generations of Gehmans.
Abner H. Gelman was educated in the public schools of Franconia, working on the farm in the intervals of study. He also learned the shoe- making trade but never followed it because he preferred merchandising, in which he has been engaged nearly all his adult life. He kept a general store at Morwood, in Franconia, for fourteen years. In 1890 he was elected clerk of the courts on the Republican ticket, he having been a life long member of that party, and lobar- ing earnestly to promote the sucess of its princi- ples and candidates. He was thus engaged five years, completing in the last two the indexing of the records in the office which had been com- menced during his term as clerk. Afterwards he was for a time clerk in Scheidt's brewery. Later he opened a men's furnishing store at No.
Christian Conde
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26 West Main street where he has continued ever since, being successful in his business under- takings.
Mr. Gehman married, April 21, 1877, Bar- bara, daughter of John O. and Catharine (Bergey) Clemens, of Franconia township. Mrs. Gehman was born August 7, 1855. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Gehman are: Minnie C., born September 20, 1879; Mary E., born April 25, 1889; and Harry Merrill, born January 15, 1898.
The Clemens family are old residents in Mont- gomery county, being Mennonites, and of German descent. John O. Clemens (father of Mrs. Geh- man) is one of the best known residents of Fran- conia township. He is a Republican in politics and has frequently filled township offices. He served as poor director for ten years, being elected to three full terms and serving one year by ap- pointment when another member of the board died. The children of John O. and Catharine Clemens are : Barbara (Mrs. Gehman) ; Henry B., married Lizzie Scholl, they having several children ; John B., married Lizzie Kooker, a niece of Mr. Gehman, his first wife dying, leaving three children, Herbert, Enos and Raymond; Emma, married Henry L. Moyer, their children being Jonas, Martha, Clayton, Calvin, Eva and Mary, and they living in Franconia; Catharine (de- ceased) married Isaiah K. Moyer, and left four children, Warren, Katie, Lillie and Florence ; her husband, who resides at Souderton, has a second wife; Mary, married William D. Detwiler, they residing at Telford and having six children : John, William, Vincent, Emma, Cora and Annie, the last named of whom married Hiram Scholl, they having one child, Lloyd; Annie, married Samuel G. Landes, they living in Philadelphia, and having had but one child who died in in- fancy. After the death of his wife, Lizzie, John B. Clemens (brother of Mrs. Gehman) married (second wife) Hannah Bean, and has two chil- dren, David and Paul. Lizzie, daughter of J. O. Clemens, married Jacob W. Markley, of Zieglers- ville, and has several children.
Among the brothers and sisters of John O. Clemens (Mrs. Gehman's father) were Henry ; Abraham, who was drowned in Canada; Mrs.
Jacob Kratz ; and the wife of Rev. Jacob Landes, all now deceased.
Among the brothers of Samuel H. Gehman (father) the eldest was Isaac. His children are : Reuben, who married Mary Bergey, their chil- dren being Catharine, Morris, Annie, Cornelius, and they reside in Franconia ; Jacob L., who mar- ried Miss Shaner, and has several children, and they reside in Bucks county ; Isaac L., who mar- ried Sarah Frederick, and they reside in Fran- conia and have several children; Gideon, who married Mary Landes, their children being Lizzie, Amada, Maggie and Henry, and they reside in Franconia ; Catharine, who died unmarried; Maggie, who married Henry B. Moyer, of Souderton ; Lizzie, who married Henry Yoder, of Hilltown, Bucks county.
CATHARINE LINDE. Christian Linde, deceased, husband of Catharine Linde, subject of this sketch, was the son of Philip and Gertrude (Dickel) Linde. He was born July 13, 1834, and died January 27, 1898.
Mr. Linde was a native of Berghausen, in Westphalia, Germany, and he attended in his youth the schools of his district, working in the intervals of school study at domestic and farm duties of various kinds. In 1848, during the troubled times in Germany, Philip Linde de- cided to emigrate with his family to America, which he did at the first favorable opportunity, landing in Philadelphia with his family of wife and four children. Two older children had been in the United States for four years, performing as violinists at concerts. One of these was Louis Linde, who was a pupil of the Prince Carl-Von- Wittgentein. He also subsequently gave his at- tention to the manufacturing of shoes.
Christian Linde came to America with his parents when fifteen years old. After reaching Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he and his brothers Louis and Frederick formed a copartnership and engaged in the manufacture of boots, shoes, slip- pers, etc., for twelve years. In 1860 he retired from the shoe manufacturing business and en- gaged in the retail coal business, at Ninth and Poplar streets, Philadelphia, where he remained
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until 1877, when he removed to American street and Susquehanna avenue, where he continued in business up to the time of his death. In 1875 he bought the property of Eliza Hall in Lower Gwynedd township, formerly the Ellis estate, containing ten acres, and he found great pleasure in looking after the cultivation of the same.
Mr. Linde married, in 1867, Catharine, daugh- ter of Gottlieb and Louise ( Kater) Schmucker, of Philadelphia. Their children are Louisa Catlı- arine, born May 15, 1868, died in 1872. William Bismarck, born December 17, 1870. Frederic Carl, born March 17, 1875, attended the Eight Square school in Lower Gwynedd township until he had reached his fourteenth year, when he en- tered the J. B. Hertzog German-American School at Marshall and Spring Garden streets, Philadel- phia, remaining for two years, and graduating from that institution in June, 1888. In the mean- time he was also attending the Philadelphia Musi- cal Academy at 1617 Spruce street, Philadelphia, continuing there until he graduated in the class of 1899, since which time he has been professor of piano forte at the Leefson-Hille Conservatory of Music in the Weightman Building, Philadelphia, and is also engaged as private instructor of the piano at Ambler, and as organist at St. Paul's Reformed church, Fort Washington, since Oc- tober, 1897. He resides with his mother, being unmarried. Cornelia Maria Sophia, born Novem- ber 16, 1875, attended the Eight Square public school and also the German-American Academy, in Philadelphia, until her sixteenth year, resides with her mother, being unmarried. George Whit- man born January 25, 1883, attended public school until he was sixteen years of age, when he entered a grocery store at Ambler, where he is still en- gaged, residing with his mother. Harriet Mag- dalena, born May 15, 1888, attended the Eight Square school and later the public schools of Am- bler, and expects to graduate in the class of 1905 at the Ambler high school : she resides with her mother.
In politics Mr. Linde was a Democrat, and while he always took an active interest in party affairs, never aspired to office. In religion the family have always adhered to the German Re-
formed faith. Mr. Linde was a prominent mem- ber of the Salem Reformed church at Fourth street and Fairmount avenue, Philadelphia, and was also connected in a musical capacity with that place of worship for nearly forty years.
WILLIAM H. SLINGLUFF, cashier of the Montgomery National Bank, and treasurer of the Norristown Insurance & Water Company, is the son of John and Wilhelmina (Gilbert) Slingluff, of Norristown.
John Slingluff ( father), born Angust 3, 1839, in Norristown, was the son of William Hallman and Mary (Knorr) Slingluff. He was educated in the public schools and at Elmwood Institute. Norristown, then under the charge of Rev. George Deering Wolff. At the age of sixteen years he engaged in learning surveying and con- veyancing in the office of J. Morgan Albertson. Later, however, in 1856, he entered the Bank of Montgomery County as a clerk, and was, during the remainder of his life, closely identified with the interests of that institution. On November 7, 1868, he was appointed cashier of the bank, and November 20, 1875, was elected its president, holding the position until his death. He organ- ized the Montgomery Trust Company in 1884, being its president until 1890 and a member of the board of directors until his death. He married, September 3, 1862, Wilhelmina, daughter of Frederick and Mary Gilbert, of Norristown, their children being: Mary, widow of Howard Boyd; William H., and Helen G. John Slingluff was identified with many business enterprises in Nor- ristown, holding many positions of trust and re- sponsibility. During the Rebellion he enlisted in Company E, Thirty-fourth Regiment, an emer- gency organization, serving until August, 1863. He was a member of the Masonic order in its various branches, holding nearly all the offices in these, and took much interest in everything relat- ing to the welfare of the community in which he lived. He was killed in the Exeter wreck, a few miles below Reading, May 12, 1899, with many other citizens of Norristown, when returning from the dedication of the Hartranft statue, on the Capitol grounds, at Harrisburg. He was a
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man of practical business qualities and one of the foremost public men of esatern Pennsylvania. In addition to his connection with the Montgom- ery National Bank, he was president of the Nor- ristown Water Company, treasurer of the Norris- town Gas Company and the Montgomery Ceme- tery Company ; president of the Junction Rail- road Company and of the Citizens Passenger Railway Company, and a director in the Ply- mouth, Perkiomen, Stony Creek, Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown, and Philadelphia, Newtown & New York Railroad Companies. He was a trustee of the Norristown Hospital for the Insane, succeeding General Hartrnaft at his death, in 1889; president of the board of prison inspectors for nearly twenty years. He was a Democrat in politics until 1884, but from that time supported the Republican party and its can- didates. He was a Democratic candidate for con- gress in 1880. He was president of the Mont- gomery Fire Company and its chief engineer, and took a prominent part in the introduction of the fire alarm system into Norristown, and other im- provements in connection with the Norristown fire department, having a large share in bringing it to that condition of efficiency which it has at- tained. He was treasurer of the State Fireman's Association, and at one time president of the Nor- ristown school board. In every position which Mr. Slingluff held he was courteous, painstaking and efficient, being recognized as one of the most useful and influential members of the community.
William H. Slingluff (grandfather) was born in Whitpain township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, March 19, 1805. He was reared on a farm purchased by his father when he was but two years old, near the village of Broad Axe. He worked on the farm and taught school. He was at one time clerk in his brother Samuel's store, at Rising Sun. He became prominently identified with the banking interests of the county, in 1825 entering the old Montgomery Bank, char- tered in 1814, and for more than forty years the only banking institution in the county, as junior clerk and watchman. He became cashier four years later and was elected president in 1868, re- signing that office November 20, 1875, when his
son succeeded to the position. He was thus ac- tively identified with the bank for a half century, and then accepted the office of vice-president, serving in that capacity until his death, which oc- curred April 14, 1880. The bank building, erected in 1854, was largely designed by him. He was one of the originators and first treasurer of the Norristown Water Company, and was actively identified with many other local corporations. He was a Whig until 1860, then joining the Demo- cratic party. He had been the Whig candidate for congress in 1844 but was defeated, the Dem- ocrats being largely in the majority in the county at that time. He served for many years in the town council and on the school board. He was a public-spirited and progressive citizen, being ac- tively interested in every enterprise that prom- ised to promote the public welfare. He was a man of strong individuality, was generous and kind-hearted and always ready to extend a help- ing hand to the deserving. On December 15, 1833, he married Mary Knorr, daughter of Mat- thias Knorr, in Gloria Dei Church (Old Swedes), Philadelphia, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Jehu C. Clay. Matthias Knorr was a farmer and lumber dealer, grandson of John and Hannah Knorr, who came from Germany prior to 1698. Matthias Knorr married Mary Keyser, a great- granddaughter of Dirck Keyser, who came from Amsterdam, Holland, in 1688, landing in New York and locating at Germantown, Pennsylvania. The children of William H. and Mary Slingluff were: Sarah S., wife of Jacob L. Rex, of Nor- ristown ; Mary M., wife of Hon. A. B. Longaker, who was a judge in Lehigh county but now re- sides in Norristown; John (father) ; Clara S., who married Dr. Henry Pawling, of Norristown. and after his death, Hiram H. Fisher, now also deceased ; and William F., a well-known business man of Norristown. Mrs. William H. Slingluff died November 17, 1891.
John Slingluff (great-grandfather) married Mary Hallman, daughter of Anthony and Mary (Streeper) Hallman, she being a great-grand- daughter of William Streeper, who once owned five thousand acres of land in Philadelphia county. John and Mary Slingluff had eight children. the
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youngest of whom was William H. (grandfather).
John Slingluff (great-great-grandfather) was one of five children of Heinrich Schlengeluff and his wife Anna Christina. He was born in Amer- ica. His personal appearance was notably fine, his features being clear-cut and his eyes a bright blue.
Heinrich Schlengeluff (great-great-great- grandfather) was a native of Waldich, Germany, and emigrated to England and afterwards to America. He landed at Philadelphia, August 19, 1729, and purchased land in Salford township. His wife was Anna Christina, of Swedish descent. They made the voyage on the ship, "Morton- house," James Coultas master, from Rotterdam, but last from Deal. The immigrant also spelled his name "Hendrick Sligloff." One son accom- panied them from Europe,-Paulus, the Swedish for Paul.
William H. Slingluff, the subject of this sketch, though a young man, has achieved for himself a prominent position in the community. His ability as a financier has been well proved in the various trusts which have been committed to his keeping. He has been for a number of years the treasurer of the Norristown Insurance & Water Company, and very important improve- ments, including the introduction of the new fil- tering plant in 1901, are largely due to his pro- gressive ideas.
Mr. Slingluff was born August 31, 1865, in Norristown. He attended the public schools and later the Treemount Seminary of Dr. John W. Loch. From this institution he went to Bethle- hem, where he attended Ulrich's school which at that time was a popular place of learning. He next became a student at Lehigh University, where he remained until December 26, 1884, when called to the more active duties of life in connec- tion with the banking institution in which three generations of the family have been employed. He became a clerk for the Montgomery Trust Com- pany, but was, after a time, transferred to the Montgomery National Bank, in the same build- ing, as cashier's assistant. He was appointed to the position of acting cashier in 1890, and to that of cashier which he now holds, in 1891.
Mr. Slingluff married, in October, 1892, Miss Main Derr, daughter of Henry A. and Ellen S. Derr, both now deceased. They took up their abode in the west end and now reside at the cor- ner of Main street and Franklin avenue, in the house lately owned by the Pattersons. Mr. and Mrs. Slingluff have two children, Eleanor D. and Marjorie D.
The Derr family to which Mrs. Slingluff be- longs is of German origin. Franklin Derr, (grandfather) accumulated a large fortune in the marble business. His grandfather settled at Shamokin, Pennsylvania, and his son John went to Montgomery county and learned the trade of a tanner with Jacob Schneider, marrying his daughter Elizabeth, and removing to Hamburg, Berks county, where he established a tannery and followed that business, in connection with farm- ing, until his death, which occurred May 24, 1827. The couple had twelve children, of whom Frank- lin was born at Hamburg, July 1, 1815. He be- came a resident of Norristown about 1833, and after learning the trade of a marble mason soon established himself in business. He furnished the marble for the courthouse in 1855, and that for the Montgomery Bank and other edifices, pur- chasing extensive marble quarries in Upper Mer- ion township in 1857. He also furnished stone for the Philadelphia postoffice and for extensions to Girard College. Mr. Derr married Sarah Ann, daughter of Henry Kerr, of Norristown, who died in 1853. Their children are: Henry A., who mar- ried Ellen, daughter of Florence and Ann Sulli- van, of Norristown ; Annie E., now the widow of Charles W. Holmes ; and John J., (deceased) who married Elizabeth, daughter of George West. Franklin Derr died March 16, 1877, in his sixty- second year.
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