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 56
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Henry Christman (great-grandfather) was born December 25, 1744, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and settled in Vincent township, Chester county, where he became the owner of a large tract of land on French creek. He lived on this farm during the Revolutionary war, and it is handed down as a tradition that he used his horses and wagons continuously in the cause of the patriots. By trade he was a saddler. He died September 16, 1823, and was buried in the family burial plot at Zion's church, in East Pike- land, Chester county. He married Susanna Keeley, who was born February 25, 1750, and died September 19, 1823, three days after her husband's death, and lies buried by his side.
Daniel Christman (great-great-grandfather) arrived in Pennsylvania, September 5, 1730, with forty-five colonists from the Palatine and their families, one hundred and thirty persons in all, in the ship "Alexander and Ann," William Cly- mer, master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes. March 27, 1735, he bought of Martin Funk and Magdalena, his wife, one hundred acres, and the following day sixty acres, situated in Frederick township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Daniel Christman finally settled in Worcester township and in 1734 paid quit rents in that town- ship. He was a member of the Lutheran church, as all the Christmans have been, and in 1748 con- tributed five shillings toward paying for a bell for the New Hanover Lutheran church. This information is principally obtained from the Colonial Records of Pennsylvania. It also shows that between 1730 and 1771 eleven Christians with their families, arrived at Philadelphia, and swore allegiance to King George, the Second. The children of Daniel Christman were as fol- lows : Anna Ella, who was married, in December, 1749, to Johannes Grob, who lived in Coventry township, Chester county; Felix, who was born in 1733 and removed to Vincent township,
Chester county ; Elizabeth, born in 1734; Jacob, born in 1737, and died in Frederick township, February 27, 1804: George, born 1739, a joiner, living in Frederick township ; and Henry (great- grandfather), born in 1744. ,
Thomas J. March spent his boyhood days at his birthplace, Parker's Ford, and attended the common schools. At the age of eighteen he en- tered the Millersville State Normal School, studying there two terms, and leaving the school to enter the service of the state during the in- vasion by the Rebels in 1863. He taught school the following winter. Receiving, as a representa- tive of the seventh congressional district of the state, the appointment to the United States Mil- itary Academy at West Point, he entered as a cadet there June 15, 1864, and graduated in 1868, and was at once assigned to the Seventh Regi- ment United States Cavalry, as second lieuten- ant, under General G. A. Custer, and was on frontier service for four years. From October II, 1868, to November 20, 1870, he was in Kan- sas and the Indian Territory, and was wounded in the battle of Washita with the Kiowa and Cheyenne Indians, November 27, 1868, besides participating in numerous other engagements with hostile Indians. In 1871 he was attached to the Schofield Tactics Board in St. Louis, Mis- souri, and February 11, 1871, he was again as- signed to frontier duty, at Fort Lyon, Colorado. He resigned March 10, 1872, and returned to civil life, entering the firm of March, Sisler & Co., stove founders, at Limerick Station, Mont- gomery county. He has been engaged in the stove manufacturing business ever since.
The March-Brownback Stove Company had its origin in works established at Lawrenceville, now Parker's Ford, in 1848, by March & Buck- walter, the members of the firm being Michael March, Isaac Buckwalter and Ezekiel Thomas. Thomas and Buckwalter soon sold out their half-interest to Mr. March. In 1849 John Church and Thomas Church purchased a half interest, and the firm became March & Church. In 1850 James L. Ellis bought out the Churches and the firm became March & Ellis. The firm went through various changes until 1866, when
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the works were transferred to Limerick Station, Montgomery county, now Linfield. After 1877 the firm was known as March-Brownback & Company until it was incorporated , under its present title. In 1889 the concern was incorpo- rated under the name of The March-Brownback Stove Company and the business was removed to Pottstown in 1892, to much larger and more extensive works, located on the block bounded by Charlotte, South, Penn and Queen streets, occupying the entire block. The officers and di- rectors of the company are: Franklin March, president ; James Rogers, vice president ; T. J. March, treasurer; H. M. Ebert, secretary; and James Brownback, A. K. Shaner, M. W. Bailey, and Dr. J. Elmer Porter.
January 29, 1880, Thomas J. March married Miss Emma C. Kulp, daughter of Jacob and Maria (Geist) Kulp. They have one son, Michael Henry, now a student at Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. March are members of Trinity Reformed church, of which he is an elder.
Mr. March is a member of Stichter Lodge, No. 254, Free and Accepted Masons. He is com- mander of M. E. Richards Post, No. 595, Grand Army of the Republic. He is a member of the Order of Foresters, one of the board of trustees of the Pottstown Hospital, secretary of the Bran- cote Land Company and treasurer of the March- Brownback Stove Company. In politics Mr. March is a Republican and a strong protection- ist. He resides at 433 High street, Pottstown.
WILLIAM W. POTTS was born at Swede- land, where he now resides, December 1, 1838, being the youngest son of Robert T. and Eliza M. (Hitner) Potts.
Robert T. Potts (father) was born on his father's farm in Plymouth township, January II, 1790. After leaving school he worked in the store of Harman Yerkes at Harmanville for a time. He soon went to Philadelphia and entered the employ of Isaac Lawrence, whose partner in business he afterwards became. The firm car- ried on a large dry-goods business and after the death of Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Potts associated
himself with Mr. Reynolds and later Mr. McFar- land, the firm name becoming Potts, Reynolds & Co. In 1840 Mr. Potts retired from the business and removed to a farm of one hundred acres in Swedeland, where he lived until his death. In politics he was an active Whig and was a candi- date for congress at one time.
In 1828 Robert T. Potts married Mrs. Eliza- beth McCalla Weaver, daughter of Daniel Hit- ner of Marble Hall, and widow of William Weaver. She had two sons by her first marriage : Abraham and William Weaver. Her grandfather, Daniel Hitner, was a soldier of the Revolution and was killed at the battle of Germantown. Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Potts had five children, as follows : Henry Clay, who died in 1851 ; Ellen E., widow of Robert Lewis Rutter, of Philadelphia; Ellery Channing, who married Caroline E., daugh- ter of Abraham R. and Caroline E. Cox, of Nor- ristown; Martha T., who married Dr. Charles Shafer, of Philadelphia, and died March 13, 1878 ; and William W.
Robert T. Potts died December 13, 1873, at Swedeland, at the age of eighty-four. His wife died in 1851, at the age of fifty-nine.
Zebulon Potts (grandfather) was born on the old homestead near Plymouth Meeting House in Plymouth township and afterwards engaged in farming in the same township. He was the first sheriff of Montgomery county after its organi- zation and was state senator. He died while he was serving his second term in this office. He was a firm member of the Society of Friends but was disowned by the Society on account of his hav- ing entered the Revolutionary Army. He took part in the battle of Brandywine and other his- toric struggles and was a member of the commit- tee of safety with Robert Morris and others. A price was set on his head by the British goovern- ment. He served as justice of a court in Phila- delphia.
In 1771 Zebulon Potts married Martha Trot- ter of Philadelphia, and they had ten children, as follows: Ann, Joseph, Esther, Hannah, Alice, Ester, Martha, William, Robert T. and Daniel.
Nathan Potts (great-grandfather) was born and reared at Bristol. He later settled near
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Plymouth Meeting House in Plymouth township, and followed his trade of blacksmithing in con- nection with farming. He was a member of the Society of Friends. In 1736 Nathan Potts mar- ried Esther Rhodes and they had six children : Daniel, Stephen, Nathan, Alice, Zebulon and Isaiah.
David Potts (great-great-grandfather) came to America from Bristol, England, with Mark- ham, and settled at Bristol, Bucks county, Penn- sylvania. He was a young man at the time of his immigration. In religion he was a member of the Society of Friends and by occupation a farmer. He married Alice Crosdale in 1693. She came to America in the ship "Welcome" with William Penn.
William W. Potts attended the public schools at Swedeland and in 1851 entered Haverford College and in 1854 entered the Pennsylvania State College at Bellefonte. On completing his education he enlisted in Company K, Fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, in April, 1861. After his return from the war he resumed his agricultural pursuits at Swedeland where he has lived ever since. In politics Mr. Potts is a Republican and served as a school director for some time, being treasurer of the board part of the time. He has been a member of Charity Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons, since 1865 ; a member of Zook Post, No. II, Grand Army of the Repub- lic, Norristown; and a member of the Montgom- ery County Historical Society.
November 9, 1870, William W. Potts mar- ried Ella H., daughter of Dr. George W. and Abby Holstein, of Bridgeport. They have five children : Brita H., Helen R., Carrie, Abbie (de- ceased), and Ella.
William W. Potts enlisted April 20, 1861, as a private in Company K, commanded by Captain Walter H. Cooke, Fourth Regiment, Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel, afterwards Major General John Hartranft. They were mustered into service at Camp Curtin, Har- risburg, and were supplied with arms and knap- sacks but no uniforms. They started at once for Perryville, Maryland, where they encamped, and while learning the drill did duty in keeping the
line open between Philadelphia and Washing- ton. From Perryville they were sent to Annap- olis, Maryland, where they remained for some time. They next went to Washington and from there to Alexandria, where they remained until their time expired. While at Alexandria their line was attacked and the skirmish which re- sulted was one of the first of the war.
As their time expired just before the battle of Bull Run they were requested to stay until after the battle. A vote was taken and Mr. Potts was one of those who voted that they should stay. He was discharged at Harrisburg, July 26, 1861, by reason of the expiration of his term.
After remaining at home for a few months he enlisted again as second lieutenant in a com- pany raised in Delaware county. They went to Harrisburg but as the company was not ac- cepted he and his men enlisted in Company F., commanded by Captain Frank Crosbey of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Pennsylvania Vol- unteers. The company was raised in Chester and Delaware counties and nearly half of its men were members of the Society of Friends. As the of- ficers of the company had all been chosen when he entered it, he was again a private. Later he was made corporal and afterwards sergeant. Being the only one in the company who had seen service he acted as drillmaster until he was wounded. From Harrisburg his company was sent to Washington and camped at Arlington Heights, Fort Albany, where they remained until the Antietam campaign, when as a part of Craw- ford's First Brigade, First Division, Twelfth Army Corps, then commanded by General Mans- field, September 7, 1862, he marched to Rich- ville, Maryland, and on the 9th of the same month started in the Maryland campaign. On the evening of the 15th they had crossed South Mountain and had pursued the enemy to Antie- tam creek, when on the 17th, Mr. Potts was en- gaged in one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil war. With William Dollar, one of his company, he was in advance of the line and received a gun- shot wound in the right foot which ended his ac- tive service. He was sent to Harrisburg where he placed himself in the hands of a private physi-
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cian. He was mustered out of service February 10, 1863, at Harrisburg, by reason of wounds re- ceived in battle.
Mr. Potts has taken a very active part in the Patrons of Husbandry, 'laboring earnestly in be- half of farming interests throughout the county and state. His grange connection was probably responsible for his entrance into politics. He be- came a candidate for the legislature in 1898 and made many speeches throughout the county in behalf of the legislative ticket but failed of elec- tion, only Messrs. Sexton and Fetterolf being elected on the Republican ticket that year. Mr. Potts has also taken an active interest in the work of the Montgomery County Historical Society, having been chairman of the committee which erected the Lafayette monument at Barren Hill. He is a public-spirited man, and an earnest worker in everything calculated to benefit the community in which he lives. He is devoted to farming inter- ests and stands high among the agriculturists of his own township and of the county.
DAVID K. HIGH. David High (grand- father ) was born in Hilltown township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the ordinary schools of the township, and on relinquishing school studies engaged in farming, which he followed all his life. He was a careful and industrious farmer who succeeded well and enjoyed the respect of the whole community. In politics he was a Whig, and although he never cared to become an applicant for office he always assisted in the selection of the persons who were to act in an official capacity. Among his children was John High.
John High (father) was born on the family homestead in Hilltown township. He was edu- cated in the best schools that there were in his day, and became a farmer, which pursuit he fol- lowed until his death, He was a Whig and later a Republican in politics, and was always active in working for his party interests. He married Mary Kipper, daughter of a prominent farmer near Quakertown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. High had the following children :
Anna, Catherine, Barbara, Lavina, Caroline, de- ceased, Hannah, Jacob and David K., the subject of this sketch.
David K. High was born on the old home- stead in Bucks county, June 3, 1833. He was educated in the public schools, and afterwards learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed successfully for more than forty years. The last few years he has lived retired at his home at Colmar, in Hatfield township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He at one time orgnized a construction company and conducted it suc- cessfully for some years. He removed to his present home in 1873. He owns a coal and lum- ber yard which he operated for some time in connection with his business as carpenter, but of late years he has rented the property to other parties. He is an earnest Republican in politics, but has always declined to be regarded as an ap- plicant for office, preferring the independence of a private citizen. He attends the Mennonite church.
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Mr. High married in 1858 Elizabeth Yeakel, who died in 1867. She was the daughter of Samuel Yeakel, of Hilltown, Pennsylvania. The couple had the following children: John, Addi- son, Jacob and Mary, the first three being de- ceased.
DAVID M. ELLIS was born near Hughes- ville, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, February 10, 1850, and grew to manhood there, obtaining a common-school education, which was supple- mented by a short period at the Pennsylvania State College. On reaching manhood he and his brother Charles rented their father's farm, and also two others in the vicinity, which they han- dled as dairy farms, carrying on that business for several years very successfully, using im- proved methods of making butter and other dairy products and being among the earliest of those engaged in shipping milk by railroad to Williams- port. In 1882 Mr. Ellis sold his stock and ma- chinery, abandoned the dairy business and became engaged in the sale of agricultural implements, first as an agent in Muncy, Pennsylvania, for two years, after which he traveled for the Harrisburg
DAVID K. HIGH
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Car Company and for different organizations until the year 1892, when he went to Philadelphia, where he remained six years and then came to the Upper Merion farm, which had been in his wife's family for nearly two centuries. Here he engaged in general farming, making fruit-growing a specialty.
In politics Mr. Ellis is a Republican. In Lycoming county he took an active part in poli- tics as a party worker. In Upper Merion town- ship, which has been his home the past few years, he has been twice elected as school director with- out any effort on his part. He is generally rec- ognized as being among the most public-spirited citizens of his community, taking an active in- terest in all that concerns its welfare, and being an authority on all matters connected with farm- ing, dairying and fruit-growing. He is an in- telligent, cultured man, a thinker who understands the topic of which he treats. In different farm- ers' institutes that have been held in his section of the county in the course of the past few years, his papers on important subjects have attracted much attention, and have been published in the local newspapers at length.
On November 22, 1882, he married Elizabeth Brookfield Holstein, who was born in Bridge- port, Pennsylvania, November 23, 1855. Their children are: Alice Holstein, who was born in Muncy, February 25, 1884, and died in Philadel- phia, November 29, 1891 ; and William Holstein, who was born in Upper Merion, October 31, 1886, and is now attending Williamson School.
B. Morris Ellis (father) was born at Milton, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1820, and died De- cember 5, 1881. He was educated first in the Muncy schools and afterwards in Westtown Boarding School, the famous orthodox institu- tion, at Chester county, Pennsylvania. He was a law student for a time with his father, W. Cox Ellis, but his father changed his vocation and encouraged his son to direct his life in agricultural channels. In 1848 he purchased a farm near Hughesville, where he passed the remainder of his life, being a recognized authority on fruit- growing and fancy stock-raising. He was for a number of years one of the vice presidents of the
State Agricultural Society and held the posi- tion until his death. He was president of the Lycoming County Agricultural Society from its organization, was a life member of the State Horticultural Society and always manifested great interest in its meetings and its researches generally. He was a Democrat in politics until the breaking out of the Rebellion, and from that time a staunch Republican. He was a member and vestryman for years of the St. James' Epis- copal church, of Muncy. He married Elizabeth, daughter of David and Mary (Eves) Masters, of Milleville, Pennsylvania, on December 16, 1847. Mrs. Ellis was born October 22, 1824. They had the following children: William Cox, born August 23, 1848, died November 18, 1849. David M. is the second. Charles, born September 14, 1851, is unmarried. J. Alder, born August 6, 1853, was a graduate of the State College and studied law at Williamsport with Judge Bentley, being admitted to the bar, but died September 22, 1877, a few weeks after he had gone to Pitts- burg to open a law office. William Holstein, born December 10, 1854, married October 5, 1887, Jessie H. Moore, of Blair county, Pennsylvania, and they have two children, Edgar, born July 26, 1888, and Margaret, born November 12, 1890. Rebecca Morris, born April 25, 1858, married Robert K. Reeder, an attorney-at-law, of Muncy, who has been in the state legislature, and they have the following children: Emily, born Au- gust 29, 1893, Elizabeth, born November 2, 1894; Rebecca Morris, born September 18, 1896; and Robert K., Jr., born May 16, 1900. Annie Hol- stein, born February 1, 1860, married Harry Linn, of Williamsport, who died October 5, 1896. Their children were: Virginia Morris, born October 5, 1886; and Elizabeth, born February 25, 1892.
William Cox Ellis (grandfather) was born in Fort Muncy, at Muncy. He became a prominent attorney and served as a member of the state legislature and as a member of congress from his district. He was cashier for many years of the State Bank of Milton. He married Rebecca Mor- ris, of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania.
Mrs. David M. Ellis is a daughter of Isaac Wayne and Alice (Hallowell) Holstein. Isaac
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Holstein was born January 25, 1823, on the farm where David M. Ellis now resides, and lived on the farm all his life. He attended the pay schools of his day and afterwards spent several years in Treemount Seminary, then under the direction of Samuel Aaron. After the death of his father he and his brother William H. purchased the in- terest of their sisters in the farm, and in the di- vision of the place by lot, the old homestead fell to Isaac Wayne. In politics Mr. Holstein was an ardent Republican, and was a warm supporter of the cause of the Union during the Civil war. He devoted his time and means to the Union soldiers, who to this time decorate his grave on Decoration Day. He was a member and vestry- man of Old Swedes' Episcopal church. He took a great interest in the public schools and filled the office of school director for several terms. He was a delegate to county conventions and was township auditor, assessor, and held nearly all the township offices. December 27, 1854, Isaac Wayne Holstein married Alice Hollowell, and their children were: Elizabeth Brookfield, who was born November 23, 1855, and married David M. Ellis; William Hollowell, born August 21, 1858; and Mary Alice, born August 21, 1865, who married William A. Armstrong, March II, 1886. He is engaged in the electrical business in Philadelphia, and their children are : Lillie Etta, born August 22, 1888; William A., born July 18, 1890; and Isaac Wayne Holstein, born July 30, 1892.
Isaac Wayne Holstein died April 8, 1884, and his wife died November 15, 1895. They are buried in Old Swedes' churchyard. Mr. Holstein was a member of Curtis Lodge of Odd Fellows, of Norristown, and he and his wife were charter members of the Patrons of Husbandry.
George W. Holstein, grandfather of Mrs. David M. Ellis, lived at Peach Park, adjoining the old Holstein homestead. In 1812 he was sec- retary of the Mount Joy Horse Company, also captain of the Second Troop of Montgomery county and lieutenant of the Second Battalion. August 25, 1824, George W. Holstein was one of the committee of six who invited Lafayette to visit Valley Forge, Whitemarsh and Barren Hill,
and other points of historical interest in Mont- gomery county. In November, 1827, he was elected one of the first directors of the DeKalb street bridge. He died February 10, 1841, aged sixty-three years, leaving three sons, Isaac W. (father), William H. and Dr. George W. Hol- stein.
Samuel Holstein (great-grandfather) owned two hundred and seventy-eight acres of land in Upper Merion township, and it is said that he shot deer on his estate until 1760. He had four sons : Major Mathias, Charles, Colonel George W. and William.
Mathias Holstein (great-great-grandfather) was born December 2, 1717, and died December 10, 1768, being buried at Swedes' church. He married Magdalena, daughter of Marcus Hul- ings, of Morlatton, which was a Swedish set- tlement near what is now Pottstown. Mathias Holstein was one of the leaders in erecting Swedes' church in 1760. His wife was carried on a squaw's back when young, and on her wed- ding day, her friends came down the river in canoes. She survived her husband many years.
Matts Holstein (great-great-great-grand- father), the immigrant, was born in Philadelphia, in 1644, two years after the second emigration of the Swedes to America. He died in 1708. His wife was Brita Gostenberg, and they had three sons: Andrew, Mathias and Frederick, and two daughters : Deborah and Brita. He built a stone house about a mile from the Schuylkill river and within the present limits of Bridgeport, which bore the name of Swedes' Ford. He died in 1738, aged sixty-one years. It is believed that the Hol- stein ancestor arrived in America in 1637, in one of the vessels, "Key of Calmar" or the "Bird Grip," late from Gottenburg. They bought land from the Indians and made the first permanent settlement in Pennsylvania.
FRANK P. FARRALL, the son of Patrick L. and Bridget (Nugent) Farrall, was born on his father's farm in Upper Merion township, Au- gust 22, 1865.
Patrick L. Farrall was born in the barony of Dartmore, County Tyrone, Ireland, about 1834.
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