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 65
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(deceased), married David Lysinger, John (deceased), married (first wife) Mary Clime (deceased), and (second wife) Rosannalı Hipple (deceased). Jacob H. (deceased), married Sarah Fisher, who resides in Hickory- town. Reuben H. (deceased), married Clara Meleher, who lives in Gwynedd. Sarah, wife of Henry H. Freas. Zieber H., married Amanda Gouck, and resides in Upper Gwynedd. Hannah Bertha, married (first) Benjamin Ambler, and (second) Jeremiah Graham (deceased) ; she lives in Norristown.
MRS. JOANNA HALL, widow of Hibberd Hall, is the daughter of William and Mary (Pugh) Pugh, of no kin. She is a native of Radnor township, Delaware county, Pennsyl- vania, where her parents were able farmers. They were both descended from old families of Friends, or Quakers. For many years she was a resident of Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery county, Penn- sylvania, where her husband and his brother, Jesse Hall, both deceased, were merchants.
Maris Hall, father of Hibberd Hall, was a native of Willistown, Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, where he was born about 1800. He was reared on a farm and educated in neighboring schools. On reaching manhood he engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death. In religious faith he was a member of the Society of Friends. In politics he was a Whig and Republican, taking an active interest in the great national questions of the day. He married Sarah Hibberd, by whom he had the following children : Jesse, Hibberd, Barclay, Clarkson, Susan and Hannah, the last named dying young. The family were of English descent.
Hibberd Hall, husband of Joanna Hall, was born and reared on the Willistown farm, and was educated in the schools of the vicinity. On reach- ing manhood he engaged in mercantile business in Conshohocken, where he continued a few years, and then removed to Radnor township, where he married, he having met his future wife while he was engaged in teaching school in that neighbor- hood, remaining there five years, and being em- ployed in keeping a country store. He then re-
moved to Plymouth Meeting, near Norristown, engaging in storekeeping, and dying 10 mo. 22, 1865, from an attack of typhoid fever, at the age of thirty-eight years. The couple had three children, as follows: J. Barclay, a druggist, for many years located in Norristown, but more re- cently living in Philadelphia; he married Eliza- beth Young, of Plymouth Meeting; Sarah, married Lafayette Ross, a well known merchant doing business on Main street, Norristown; Dr. William M., a leading physician of Consho- hocken. Hibberd Hall was a staunch Republi- can, and an active worker in behalf of party in- terests, speaking in advocacy of its principles. He affiliated with the Society of Friends, of which his ancestors had been members for many genera- tions. He was a man of ability and integrity, whose life corresponded with his religious pro- fession, and he was highly respected by all who knew him.
DR. WILLIAM M. HALL, second child of Hibberd and Joanna (Pugh) Hall was born at Radnor, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1860. His early mental training was obtained in the schools of Philadelphia ; he next entered the State Normal School at West Chester, Pennsyl- vania, and upon graduating from that institution, having decided to take up the study of medicine, he entered the Jefferson Medical College at Phil- adelphia, and graduated from this well known in- stitution on April 2, 1883.
He at once took up the practice of his pro- fession with Dr. J. K. Reid, a successful and well known practicing physician of Conshohocken, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. In 1888 Dr. Hall purchased the property at the corner of Third avenue and Fayette street, from his precep- tor, Dr. Reid, and has since had a successful career at the practice of his profession, many of his patients being of the best families of the bor- ough. In addition to the many and varied duties of liis practice, Dr. Hall takes an active interest in all enterprises that tend toward the good of his chosen profession and the wellbeing of his fellow citizens. He is a member of the Montgomery County Medical Society and other organizations
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of his profession. Politically Dr. Hall is a sup- porter of the principles of the Republican party, and has always taken an interest in local affairs, but has not sought political preferment. He is a director of the First National Bank of Consho- hocken, and was school director for one term.
Dr. Hall was married June 15, 1892, to Ida E. Gilbert, born July 17, 1875, a daughter of Daniel and Annie (Biddle) Gilbert of Conshohocken, and to this marriage was born one daughter, Edna M. Hall, born July 5, 1894.
BENJAMIN D. WOLFORD. John Wol- ford, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was one of the early residents of Marlborough township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and was educated in such schools as were available at that time. On completing his meagre attend- ance at school he engaged in the then almost uni- versal pursuit of farming, to which he adhered throughout life. He married, and reared a fam- ily, among his children being Samuel.
Samuel Wolford (father) was a native of Marlborough township, born on the family home- stead, and educated in the usual manner. He learned the trade of shoemaking and followed that occupation for a number of years, but in his later years he turned his attention to the occupa- tion of farming. In politics he was an old school Democrat, and held the positions of school di- rector and supervisor. He never aspired, how- ever, to anything more lucrative in the way of official position. In religious faith he was a member of the German Reformed church. He is now deceased. He married Miss Catharine Daub, who is also deceased. She was a daugh- ter of Jacob Daub, a well known farmer of Marl- borough township. The couple had the follow- ing. children : George, deceased; Amanda, Caro- line, Henry, William, Frank, Amelia, and Ben- jamin D.
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Benjamin D. Wolford was born on the home farm in Marlborough, July 9, 1849. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Upper Salford town- ship to which the family had removed in 1853. After completing his school studies he learned the trade of a tinsmith at Horaceville, with his
brother, and remained there until 1872, when he removed to Souderton, which borough is still his home. He engaged in the tinsmith and plumb- ing business, and has been very successful in business, carrying it on to the present time.
Mr. Wolford married, in 1875, Miss Hannah Leidy, daughter of Jacob C. Leidy, a farmer of Hilltown township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Wolford: Alice, who married Gurney Blank, they having two children, Elura and Lynford ; Warren, who is un- married, as are his brother and sister Charles and Mary. Mr. Wolford is a Democrat in politics, and is one of the party workers in the borough of Souderton. He has served a term of three years in town council, and has been school director for three terms. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his family at- tend the German Reformed church. Mr. Wol- ford is an enterprising and useful citizen of Souderton, and is thoroughly respected by the community in which he lives.
HARRY COMLY, one of the most pro- gressive and prosperous farmers in that section of Montgomery county, being esteemed for his many admirable qualities, was born at Blue Bell, in Whitpain township, October 25, 1868. He is the son of Alfred and Elizabeth (Shaw) Comly. The Comlys are an old family of English ances- try, and the family were members of the Society of Friends. Some of its members were promi- nent in the history of the Society.
Alfred Comly (father ) was a native of Gwyn- edd township, Montgomery county, Pennsyl- vania, where he was born June 8, 1839. He was reared on a farm, being engaged all his life in agri- cultural pursuits. He was educated in neigh- borhood schools, and on reaching manhood mar- ried Elizabeth Shaw. He subsequently removed to Moreland township, in Montgomery county, and after a residence of several years in that town- ship removed to Bucks county. A few years later he returned to Gwynedd, residing there for seven- teen years. He then purchased the farm in Mont- gomery township on which Harry Comly now resides, and remained there the remainder of liis
ALICE
MARY
CHARLES
WARREN
BENJ. D. WOLFORD AND FAMILY.
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life. The farm contains thirty-five acres of land. The children of Alfred and Elizabeth Comly : Sallie, deceased; Harry, subject of this sketch; Jonas and Mary, both deceased.
Harry Comly was educated at the Friends' School at Gwynedd, where he was a pupil of Ellwood Roberts and other well known teachers. He also attended Gwynedd public school. From early boyhood he has been engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. In 1886 he purchased from his father the farm which he now occupies, and has brought it to a high state of cultivation. He is a practical farmer, all his surroundings being of a kind calculated to indicate thrift and industry. Mr. Comly married. at Lansdale, December 21, 1898, Emma Moyer, a daughter of William and Amanda (Cassel) Moyer. She was born De- cember I, 1881. Her father is deceased, and her mother survives and resides at Hatfield, Penn- sylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Comly have no children. Mr. Comly attends Friends' Meeting. The fam- ily of Mrs. Comly attend the Reformed church.
ISRAEL M. ERB, one of the best known farmers in Lower Pottsgrove township, was born in the same township in which he now resides, in 1831. He is the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Miller) Erb, both now deceased.
Jacob Erb (father) was born on the farm where he always lived and where his son Israel M. was born and now lives. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church in New Haven township, and they are buried in the churchyard of that church. They passed a very quiet life, being absorbed in their farm and in their church. Jacob Erb was a Democrat in poli- tics. He had one of the first and finest apple dis- tilleries in the country on the farm. Jacob Erb . died in 1864, at the age of seventy-three years, and his wife in 1877, at the age of eighty-five years. Their children were: Maria, deceased, who was the wife of James Missimer ; Leah, de- ceased, who married Isaac Shalpop, also de- ceased; Rebecca, who married Louis Bickel, of Pottstown; Hannah, whose first husband was Peter Hendricks, and her second husband was Isaac Hatfield; Elizabeth, who married Conrad
Schnell, of Sanatoga, Pennsylvania; Sarah, who married Isaac Geist, of Pottstown; Solomon, de- ceased ; Jacob F., deceased; and Israel M., who resides at Sanatoga, Pennsylvania.
The grandfather of Jacob Erb was Casper Erb. The family received word from Europe that a large estate in Wittenburg, Germany, was left to Casper Erb or his wife. On account of the perilous voyage across the ocean at that time, George Erb did not return to Europe and the es- tate has never been settled. At the present time, however, it is being attended to. George Erb, Sr., the father of this George Erb, came to America in 1756, but died shortly after his arrival in this . country.
Israel M. and Rachel Erb, his wife, lived and reared their children on the farm which has been in the family for so many generations. It is one of the finest in Pottsgrove township, and within its limits there is a spring of which the output is several thousand gallons daily, and the water from which is remarkably good. Mr. Erb has recently rebuilt the home, making it much larger and more beautiful. The land is rich and pro- ductive. Mr. Erb is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry. He was school director for six years, and auditor for six years. He has also been treasurer of the Patrons of Husbandry since 1873, and treasurer of the Sunday-school for thirty years. Mrs. Rachel Erb died February 12, 1899, at the age of sixty-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Erb had eight children, six now living, as follows : Albert B., who resides in Texas where he is teaching school. Mary, who married A. Krause, of Pottstown. Horace, who resides in Lehigh county, where he is a practicing physician. George, who resides at home. Emma, who mar- ried William H. Wagner, and resides in New Hanover township, where her husband is a farmer. Annie, who married George C. Schmidt, of Philadelphia. Annie died April 7, 1904, aged thirty-three years.
Mr. Israel Erb owns a fine home in Potts- town, at 254 Walnut street, where he resides, and he has what he calls a centennial home, it having been built in the year 1876. He has deeds in his possession covering 22.377 acres of land in Mont-
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gomery county ; 200 acres was sold to George Erb in 1800, for the sum of 1000 pounds. This 22.377 acres of land is in one tract in Hanover township, Philadelphia county, and was owned in 1725 by John Henry Sprogel at a cost of 50 pounds.
ISAAC R. HECKLER, one of the best known and most prosperous farmers of Mont- gomery township, Montgomery county, Penn- sylvania, was born in Lower Salford township, February 14, 1837, son of Michael and Hannah ( Rittenhouse) Heckler.
The Heckler family are of German origin, having emigrated from the province of Alsace Lorraine. George Heckler, the progenitor of the family in America, and the only member of it who came to the western continent, was a son of Michael Heckler. He was born in Alsace, then a French province, in 1736. He came to America when he was seventeen years of age, being given a passage for the new world by the captain of a sailing vessel, who after reaching Philadelphia sold him to a farmer in Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, for a sum of money equivalent to his pass- age money, for which he was to give the farmer his services for three years. At the completion of this period he left Chester county and located in Skippack township, Montgomery county, where he engaged with a farmer named Freed. Several years later he married the daughter of Freed, and after his father-in-law's death purchased the farm, where he resided until his death. Peter, his son, and grandfather of Isaac R. Heckler, the subject of this sketch, was born at Skippack, but the greater part of his life was spent in Lower Salford township. He was engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. He married Miss Detwiler, and their children were: Jacob, Henry, Abraham, Joseph, Christiana, Michael, Sarah and David, all now deceased.
Michael Heckler (father) was born in Lower Salford township in 1813. He spent his boyhood days on the homestead farm. In early manhood he purchased a small farm in Montgomery township, where he resided until 1864, when he sold it and
resided with his son, Isaac R., for about three years. He then purchased a small farm in Hat- field township, which he soon afterwards sold and purchased another in Worcester township. A few years later he sold the Worcester property and purchased six acres of land in Hatfield town- ship. About three years later, his wife having died in the meantime, he sold the small farm and resided again with his son Isaac for three years. He afterwards resided with his daughter, Mrs. Herman, until his death in January, 1896. The children of Michael Heckler : Isaac R., subject of this sketch: Aaron, who died in childhood; Mat- thias, died in childhood; Sarah, wife of Charles Rimbold, residing in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Franklin and Mary, both deceased.
Isaac R. Heckler, obtained such a limited edit- cation as was to be had in the schools of the neigh- borhood in his youth. After leaving school he spent four years at the carpenter trade. At the age of twenty-two he began working for farmers, and three years later entered into an agreement with his father-in-law, Jacob M. Swartley, to manage his farm on shares. This agreement con- tinned in force until 1869. He then purchased a farm of 113 acres on the state road, on which he now resides with his son Mahlon. This farm, together with one of seventy acres on the opposite side of the state road which he purchased in 1880, is one of the finest and most productive in that section of Montgomery county. It has been brought to a high state of cultivation through his industry and energy. The smaller farm is occu- pied by his son-in-law, Elmer Hespel, a very energetic and successful farmer. In politics Mr. Heckler is a Republican, but he is not a seeker for office. The family were originally Mennonites, but Mr. Heckler's family attend the Lutheran or Methodist churches.
Isaac Heckler married, October 16, 1861, Susan Swartley, daughter of Jacob M. and Annie (Ruth) Swartley, who was born in New Britain township, Bucks county, May 26, 1843. Their children : Annie, born September 6, 1862, married Jesse Cassel: Mahlon, born October 20, 1865; Hannah, born September 12, 1868, wife of Charles
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Buck; Laura, born July 10, 1872, wife of Charles Shepherd ; Susan, born in September, 1877, wife of Elmer Hespel.
Mahlon Heckler, son of Isaac R. Heckler, was born on the homestead farm in Montgomery township. He was educated at Montgomery Square public school, at D. Levin Coleman's school at Centre Square, and at that of Professor Samuel U. Brunner, the North Wales Academy and School of Business. Since early boyhood he has been engaged in farm pursuits. He married at Camden, New Jersey, October 29, 1889, Emma Boehner, daughter of Henry and Lena Boehner. They have six children, as follows : Bertha May, William B., Lawrence, Isaac, Mahlon and Laura. In his political views, Mr. Heckler is, like his father, a Republican.
BENJAMIN F. PENROSE, of Ogontz, Pennsylvania, belongs to an old family of Friends long domiciled at or near Richland (Quaker- town), Bucks county, Pennsylvania. The family are of English origin, although the immigrant ancestor came to this country from Ireland. Robert Penrose, son of Robert and Jane Penrose, born in Yorkshire, England, removed to Ireland, and in 1669 married Anna Russell, who bore him three children. Their son Robert, born in Blackane in 1670, in 1695 married Mary Clayton, and they were the parents of thirteen children. With part of their family Robert and Mary Pen- rose came to Pennsylvania in 1717. A son Robert, born in 1697, followed the others of the family to America. He married, in 1731, Mary Heacock, and their third child, John, married Ann, daughter of John and Martha Roberts. John Roberts was the son of Thomas Roberts, a pioneer in the settlement of Richland (now Quakertown), and Martha, his wife, was the daughter of Edward Roberts, one of the earliest settlers in the same vicinity. The two families intermarried so frequently that they have become practically one.
John and Ann (Roberts) Penrose married II m10. 8, 1764, and ten children were born to them, of whom the youngest son, Evan, born 4 mo. 2, 1782, married, 4 mo. 23, 1807, Rebecca
Ball. They were the grandparents of Benjamin F. Penrose. Aaron Penrose (father) married, 3 mo. 22, 1838, Maryetta Foulke. Their children are: Benjamin F., mentioned hereinafter ; Caro- line, who became the wife of David J. Ambler ; and Rebecca, who became the wife of Lewis Ambler.
Benjamin F. Penrose was born in Milford township, May 25, 1839. He was educated in the Friends' School at Quakertown, and after com- pleting his studies continued on his father's farm until 1877, when he removed to Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, locating on a farm of fifty acres which he cultivated until 1893, when he relinquished active farming pursuits. He has taken an active part in county and township af- fairs for many years, and serves as director of the Ambler National Bank. He was elected jury commissioner, and served a term in that position very acceptably. In the fall of 1902 he was elected to the important and responsible office of county commissioner on the Republican ticket, his associates in the board being Daniel M. An- ders and John S. Shelmire. On this board of commissioners devolved the task of com- pleting the new Montgomery county court house, which structure was finished in the spring of 1904, the building being dedicated with appropriate ceremonies on May 24 of that year. This herculean task was completed to the satis- faction of all concerned, Mr. Penrose assuming his full share of the responsibility and labor con- nected therewith. On all sides were heard ex- pressions of approval at the elegance and conven- ience of the building, which may be considered worthy of the great county of Montgomery, and a credit to the board of commissioners which planned it, as well as to that under whose auspices it was completed. Mr. Penrose is an active member of the Society of Friends, as have been his ancestors for many generations, and attends Abington Meeting. Being a man of good business ability, he holds many appointments in the Philadelphia Yearly Meetings of the Society of Friends. He enjoys the esteem and confidence of the community in which he lives, few men being so widely known or so highly respected.
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On March 4, 1874, Mr. Penrose married Alice J. Thomson, daughter of John and Caroline Jones Thomson. Mrs. Penrose died October 9, 1903. He still resides at the homestead, which is situated on Cedar Road, near Ogontz, Penn- sylvania.
WILLIAM WILLAUER, a contractor of Pottstown, was born in Union township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, December 31, 1839. He is the son of Peter and Margaret (Weal) Willauer.
Peter Willauer ( father) was a native of Penn- sylvania and during the latter part of his life re- moved from Berks to Chester county, and later to Montgomery county, where he died in 1887, aged seventy-six years, his remains being interred at Shingels church, Chester county. He was em- ployed in manual labor. Margaret (Weal) Will- auer died in 1846 and Peter Willauer afterward married Mary Moser. They had one child who died at the age of one year. He was a member of the German Reformed church. He was super- visor of North Carpenter township, Chester county, for twenty-eight years. Peter and Mar- garet (Weal) Willauer had thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters, two of whom are now living : John Willauer, of Philadelphia ; and William Willauer.
Peter Willauer (grandfather) was born in Pennsylvania and followed various pursuits. He died at an advanced age, leaving a large family.
William Willauer removed with his parents to Chester county when he was about four years of age, and grew to manhood in that county. After coming of age he returned to the county where he was born. He enlisted in the Fourth Penn- sylvania Regiment, Captain Brooke commanding the company. He re-enlisted in the Sixth Penn- sylvania Cavalry, serving three years and one month, holding the rank of a non-commissioned officer. He participated in the battles of Hanna Court House, Antietam, Gettysburg, the Wilder- ness and other important battles and skirmishes. After the war was over he returned to his home and worked in the rolling mill at Birdsboro.
On July 3, 1866, William Willauer. married Miss Emma Rotz, daughter of George and Re-
becca (Stubblebine) Rotz. They had three chil- dren : George W. married Ellen Altenderfer, and is bookkeeper and clerk for his father; Mary Elizabeth married Ion Lachman ; Irene died when she was fourteen months and a few days old. Mr. and Mrs. Willauer are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Willauer belongs to Neversink Lodge, In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, of Birdsboro, and M. E. Richards Post, Grand Army of the Republic. Politically he is independent in his views.
Mr. Willauer removed to Pottstown April 4, 1870, and has lived there ever since. He owns his residence at No. 529 King street, and also other business and residence property of the borough. He takes contracts for railroads and has been instrumental in building successfully several lines of railroad, and has constructed large reservoirs, among others the Pottstown reservoir. He also was employed with the New York Aque- duct Company for four years.
William Willauer received only a common school education and is a self-made man. He helped on the farm when a boy, being bound out until he was sixteen years of age. He afterwards worked in the rolling mills for a number of years. His experiences have been varied, and he has traveled much while attending to his business. In 1894 he was engaged in constructing a rail- road in the San Domingo islands.
REV. HARVEY SHEAFE FISHER, S. T. B., has been the rector of S. John's Church, Norristown, Pennsylvania, since the 27th of November, 1898. S. John's parish is the oldest church organization in the borough of Norristown and received its charter from the supreme court of the state on January II, 1813. The original vestry mentioned in the charter are the following well-known Montgom- ery county men : Francis Swaine, Bird Wilson. Levi Pawling, Henry Freedley, Matthias Hol- stein, John Zeber, George W. Holstein.
The present church edifice, although modern- ized and enriched by improvements and altera- tions, is still essentially the same building which
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