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 79
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MR. AND MRS. RICHARD F. WOOD
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
courage, as the farm was worth a great deal of money.
Mr. Wood has managed his farm with great care and success, hard work never having been distasteful to him. The buildings on the farm have all been built by him except the barn and the sheds adjoining it. The house, one of the farm residences for which Norriton township is noted, was built in 1883. For thirty-one years Mr. Wood attended the market in Norristown, being found every market day at stall No. 82, which was known by all the patrons of the market as the Mr. Wood stall. In 1900 he purchased i. Upper Merion township the Mansell farm, including one hundred and ten acres of improved land with good farm buildings. In politics he is a Republican and cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. He has never sought or held office.
Aaron Wood (father) was born in Delaware county December 16, 1801, and, as above stated, was a farmer. For over half a century he at- tended the Philadelphia market. In politics he was a Whig until 1856, when he became a Re- publican, remaining so until his death. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and was a regular attendant at the meetings of the So- ciety.
Aaron Wood married Louisa Morton, who was born March 31, 1804, a daughter of Enoch and Catherine Morton. Aaron Wood died in 1872, and his wife died in July, 1868. Both are buried at Gulf Mills. They had the following children : (1). Henry Painter, born August 25, 1826, married Margaret Barlow, and is deceased. (2). Mary Ann, born July 14, 1828, married Robert Pedrick, and is deceased. (3). Elizabeth, born March 12, 1830, married Tobias Martin. (4). Amos L., born January 23, 1832, died in childhood. (5). Henrietta F., born January 26, 1834, is unmarried and lives in Germantown. (6). Catherine M., born June 27, 1836, married John Martin, and lives in Conshohocken. (7). Phebe Ann, born September 12, 1838, married William McDermott, and after his death, mar- ried George Ramsey. They have lived in Ro- anoke, Virginia, eighteen years. (8). Richard
F. was the next of the family. (9). Jemima F., born October 17, 1842, married George Colehour, and is deceased. (10). Margaret Jane, born April 27, 1845, died in infancy. (11). Martha Cogal, born May 8, 1846, married Joseph Skid- man, and is deceased. (12). Susan Flower, born April 24, 1848, married Ellwood Prizer, and lives in Germantown.
Richard F. Wood married Martha J., daugh- ter of Samuel and Sarah (Terrill) Ramsey. Samuel Ramsey was born in Bridgeport and lived in the vicinity of that place until his marriage, after which he lived on the John Hampton farm for one year. He then purchased a farm which was in two states, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Part of it was in Cecil county, Maryland, and part in Chester county, Pennsylvania, and it was in sight of the state of Delaware. In fact the property was located on the corner formed by the three states. He remained there ten years and then, selling his farm, went to Philadelphia and engaged in butchering for about four years. Samuel Ramsey died while in the prime of life and was buried in Philadelphia.
Isaac Hughes Ramsey, grandfather of Mrs. Richard F. Wood, married Martha Biddle, and his father, Benjamin Ramsey, married Lydia Potts. The Ramsey family are of Scotch origin.
Samuel and Sarah Ramsey had the following children: (1). Martha Jane, born October 12, 1844, is the wife of Richard F. Wood. (2). Wil- liam W., was born January 29, 1847. (3). Mat- thew J., born April 1, 1849, married Mary Rob- erts, and lives in Philadelphia, where he is em- ployed by the Pennsylvania Railroad. He has held a position with that corporation for thirty years. (4). Samuel G., born August 22, 1851, died in Marida, Yucatan, of yellow fever, May 19, 1903. He was general manager of the Peninsula Consolidated Railroad in Mexico. He was in the railroad employ for thirty-five years, beginning as a telegraph operator in Merion, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. (5). George W., born August 13, 1853, married and lives in North Carolina. He is a clerk in the railroad office of the Southern Railroad, between New York and North Carolina.
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Wood were mar- ried November 23, 1865, and they have the fol- lowing children : (1). William R., born August 25, 1866, married Miss Alice .G. Hardy, and has one child, Allan, born March 12, 1902. William R. Wood is farming on the place adjoining his father's farm. (2). Saralı L., born November 7. 1868, died December 15, 1890. (3). Horace G., born November 17, 1871, is unmarried, and resides in Portsmouth, Virginia, where he has charge of the stationary department of the Sea- board Air Line Railroad. (4). Anna C., born January 19, 1874, married Irvin C. Hoover, and has one child, H. Conrad, born February 4, 1899. Mr. Hoover is in the railway mail service. (5). Martha R., born April 21, 1876, is a stenogra- pher in the real-estate office of Myers & Barth, in Philadelphia. (6). Helen R., born July 18, 1879, is unmarried and resides with her parents. (7). Gertrude R., born July 29, 1881, also lives with her parents. The family attend the First Baptist church of Bridgeport, the mother and four daughters being members.
FRANK WICKERSHAM, accountant for the Ellis & Lessig Steel and Iron Company of Pottstown, and a director in the company, was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, near Coatesville, on June 18, 1851. He is the son of Benjamin F. and Rebecca F. (Lloyd) Wicker- sham.
Benjamin F. Wickersham ( father) was a miller in Chester county, engaging in business for the greater part of the time near Coatesville. In 1880 he removed to Pottstown and died there. His wife died in 1902. They belonged to fam- ilies who were members of the Society of Friends. He was a justice of the peace, and held various local offices.
The paternal grandfather of Frank Wicker- sham was a farmer in Chester county, and a descendant of Thomas Wickersham, who came from Bolney, in Sussex, England. 1700, bringing a certificate from the Monthly Meeting held at Horsham, that county. 7. 11. 1700. This ancient document is now in the possession of Caleb P. Wickersham, of Kennett Square. Pennsylvania.
The grandfather of Frank Wickersham died at an advanced age in Chester county. He had a small family. Charles Lloyd (maternal grand- father) was also a farmer in Chester county, and died at an advanced age.
Frank Wickersham grew to manhood in Ches- ter county, living on the farm until he was fifteen years old and attending the district schools and the academy. He then took a position in the iron mills of Huston & Penrose at Coatesville, as bookkeeper and clerk, where he remained until 1875, when he removed to Pottsown. He was em- ployed with the Pottstown Iron Company until 1884, and then assisted in organizing the Ellis & Lessig Steel and Iron Company.
April 17, 1873, Frank Wickersham married Miss Mary J. Jefferis, daughter of Milton and Susan J. (Hamill) Jefferis. They had three chil- dren as follows: Edwin, married Miss Florence Nagle. and they have one daughter, Etta. Ed- win Wickersham is a florist in Pottstown. H. Rawlins, married Miss Mary M. Neiman. H. Rawlins Wickersham is an electrical engineer in Pittsburg. Donald died in infancy. Mrs. Wick- ersham is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Wickersham is an independent Republican in politics.
Milton and Susan J. (Hamill) Jefferis were natives of Chester county, where he was a farmer. They had two sons and two daughters, Mary J. (Mrs. Wickersham). being the only one now living. Milton Jefferis died about 1864, aged thirty-one years. His wife survived until 1871. when she died at the age of forty years. He was a Friend, and she a Presbyterian.
Mrs. Wickersham on the paternal side is a lineal descendant of Joel Baily, a prominent Friend and land owner, who came from Wilt- shire, England, and in 1687 .married Ann Short, who is believed to have accompanied her uncle, Isaac Ingram, a passenger on the "Welcome" with William Penn in 1682. Ingram made his will on board the "Welcome" and left his prop- erty to the children of his deceased sister, Miriam Short, of whom Ann was one. Robert Jefferis, another ancestor. came from Wiltshire, England, in 1685, and married Jane Chandler a few years
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later ; he settled on the Brandywine at what has been known as Jefferis's Ford, where the British crossed toward Birmingham. Sir William Howe compelled Emmor Jefferis, a grandson of Robert, to go as guide to Birmingham meeting house. On the maternal side Mrs. Wickersham is a lineal descendant of Israel Hamill, who married Mary Scott, daughter of James and Hannah (Allison) Scott, of Scotch descent.
HENRY WILSON STAHLNECKER, one of the most active and successful of the younger members of the Norristown bar, is a native of Flourtown, Springfield township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He was born June 27, 1878. He is the son of Edwin S. and Anna R. ( Yeakle) Stahlnecker.
Edwin Schantz Stahlnecker (father) was for many years engaged in the live stock business at Flourtown, from which he retired many years ago and removed to Norristown, where he was en- gaged as a real estate and general business agent until several years ago, when he retired, owing to ill health. He had a common school educa- tion, and early in life joined the Reformed church. He is a veteran of the war for the Union. Since the breaking out of the rebellion he has been a Republican in politics, although prior to that time a Democrat. Mr. Stahlnecker served three terms as county auditor. In 1883 he was the Republican candidate for sheriff of Montgomery county, and was elected to the office in Novem- ber of that year. He entered upon the duties of the position on the first Monday of January, 1884, and served the full term of three years. In 1899 he was again a candidate on the Republi- can county ticket, having been nominated for county treasurer. He was defeated at the polls in November of that year by Jacob Fegely, Demo- crat. but on the death of Mr. Fegely, in Febru- ary, 1800, MIr. Stahlnecker was appointed by the county commissioners, on whom it devolved to fill the vacancy, to serve the unexpired term, and served to the first Monday in January, 1892. In the spring of 1890 he was elected to town council in the second ward of the borough of Norristown, but declined the honor. Mr. Stahl-
necker married Anna Regina Yeakle, daughter of Jacob Yeakle, who was a brother of the late County Commissioner Daniel Yeakle, being a son of Isaac Yeakle, whose grandfather, Christopher Yeakle, built the old log cabin still standing in Chestnut Hill. Mr. Stahlnecker's brother, Jacob, married Mrs. Stahlnecker's sister, Elamina.
Edwin S. Stahlnecker was born October 1, 1836. He is a son of George Stahlnecker, a farmer and blacksmith, and a member of a well known Lehigh county family of that name. He married Anna R. Yeakle, August 30, 1860. The mother of E. S. Stahlnecker was a member of the Schantz family, also numerous in Lehigh county. The children of Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Stahlnecker : Lydia, born March 26, 1866, died in infancy ; Laura, born March 1, 1868, died in infancy ; Alice, born July 29, 1871, married March 24, 1897, to Charles H. Wolford; Yeakle, born October 16, 1872, died in infancy ; Henry Wilson, subject of this sketch. Anna R. Stahlnecker, the mother, died August 27, 1896.
H. Wilson Stahlnecker entered the public schools of Norristown on September 1, 1884, went through the various grades, and graduated from the high school, June 28, 1895. He was Class President and Salutatorian. He entered the college department of the University of Penn- sylvania in the autumn of 1895, and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts with honors, in June, 1899. He received the first prize for sight reading of Greek in the sophomore year ; second prizes in Greek and Latin in the junior year; and first prize for best Latin essay written by a member of the graduating class in the senior year. He was also appointed to the Harrison scholarship in classics for 1899-1900, and spent one year in the Department of Philosophy, University of Penn- sylvania, receiving the degree of Master of Arts in June, 1900. In the fall of 1900 he entered the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania, and received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in June. 1903. While studying law he also acted as special deputy prothonotary during terms of the civil court, and was also a registered law student in Norristown, in the office of J. P. Hale Jenkins. He was admitted to the Philadel-
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
phia bar in June, 1903, and to the Montgomery county bar July 7, same year. He was the first law student from Montgomery to take and pass the examination by the state board, and was ad- mitted to practice before the supreme court of Pennsylvania, February 1, 1904. He is associated with John Faber Miller in the practice of law.
Mr. Stahlnecker is a Republican in politics, and exerts himself to secure the endorsement of the principles and candidates of the party at the polls. He was elected a member of the Norris- town school board at the election in February, 1903, taking his seat on June I, following. He has been for several years one of the reporters of court news for the "Norristown Herald" and the "Norristown Register", performing those duties in the most satisfactory manner. He is a member of the Reformed Church of the Ascen- sion, at Norristown. He is connected with the following college societies : Phi Beta Kappa fra- ternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, Hare Law Club (vice-president in 1902), and was a member of the board of editors of "Red and Blue", of the University of Pennsylvania, in 1896 to 1900; and of the board of editors of the "American Law Register" from 1901 to 1903. He is a member of Charity Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Norris Lodge, No. 430, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, both of Norristown. He served for two years as president of the Norristown High School Alumni Association, and one year of the Montgomery County Alumni Association. At the dedication of the Montgomery county court house, he de- livered the address transferring the building from the contractors to the county commissioners.
Mr. Stahlnecker's maternal grandfather, Jacob S. Yeakel, was the son of Isaac and Regina (Schultz) Yeakel. He was born October 16, 1802, and married Lydia, born January 18, 1807, daughter of Philip Brey. Their children: Caro- line, born February 28, 1831; Amanda, born, November 17, 1833 : Elamina, born November 10, 1835; Anna Regina (mother), born May 27, 1842; Franklin, born July 1, 1849. Lydia (grand- mother) died April 28, 1862. Jacob S. Yeakel lived and died on his farm in Springfield town-
ship, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He died May 30, 1863.
Isaac Yeakel (great-grandfather) was the son of Abraham and Sarah ( Wagner) Yeakel. He married Regina, daughter of Andrew Schultz, No- vember 4, 1800. Jacob S. (grandfather ) ; Sarah, born 1805; Samuel, 1807; John, 1809; Charlotte, 18II ; Emeline, 1814; Daniel, 1816; Mary, 1818; David W., 1821. Isaac Yeakel died October 23, 1847. He lived on the farm afterwards occupied by his son Daniel ( recently deceased), in Spring- field township. Regina, his widow, died January 16, 1860. The greater part of the farm is now occupied by Chestnut Hill Park, but the old farm house still stands just above it.
Abraham Yeakel (great-great-grandfather), son of Christopher and Maria (Schultz) Yeakel, born March 14, 1752, married October 10, 1776, Sarah Wagner. Their children: Isaac (great- grandfather ) ; Samuel, born 1779; Jacob, 1780; Susanna, 1782; Maria, 1784; Christopher, 1787. Sarah, wife of Abraham Yeakel, died May 28, 1833. Abraham died June 17, 1841. He resided in Springfield township, Montgomery county,. Pennsylvania, on the farm recently occupied by his grandson, Daniel Yeakel, now deceased.
Christopher Yeakel (great-great-great-grand- father), son of Regina and Christopher Yeakel. married, August 9, 1743, Maria, daughter of Susanna and Balthazar Schultz. Their children were: Susanna, born 1744; Maria, 1747; Regina, 1749; Abraham (great-great-grandfather ), 1752; Anna, 1755; Christopher, 1757. Maria Yeakel died March 4. 1807, aged eighty-nine years. Christopher Yeakel died January 3, 1810, aged ninety-one years and nine months.
Christopher Yeakel was about eighteen years of age when he came to Pennsylvania with the Schwenkfelders, accompanying his mother, then a widow, in 1734. He apprenticed himself to a cooper, and continued through life to follow the. trade. He built the log house in 1743, still stand- ing at Cresheim, Germantown, Philadelphia, which was his dwelling nearly to the time of the- Revolutionary war, when he purchased the prop- erty at Chestnut Hill, and died there at a very advanced age. He owned considerable property-
L. l. Clayton
469
MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
at his death. His descendants are very numerous in Philadelphia and in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and many of them are prominent citizens. His mother, Regina Yeakel, was a Heebner.
WILLIAM L. CLAYTON, editor of the Times-Chronicle, which is printed at Jenkintown, and ranks among the very best of the country weeklies of Eastern Pennsylvania, and a member of the Pen and Pencil Club, Philadelphia, is one of the best known journalists in Montgomery county. He is a native of Lower Gwynedd town- ship, born at Springhouse, April 4, 1866, a son of Levi R. and Cecelia (Scarlett) Clayton, grand- son of William and Ann (Roads) Clayton, and great-grandson of Abraham and Margaret (Lu- kens) Clayton. The latter named couple resided on a farm located on Byberry Road, in Moreland township, and the greater part of the business career of Abraham Clayton was devoted to agri- cultural pursuits.
William Clayton (grandfather) was born on the homestead farm, in June, 1801. He acquired an education in the ordinary schools of the neigh- borhood, and on attaining manhood he devoted his attention to teaching in the winter months, that being the only time the schools were kept open in the rural districts, and farming during the summer months. He was a highly educated man, and greatly esteemed in the community in which he resided. He held the office of justice of the peace for a number of years, discharging the duties with credit to himself and satisfaction to all who were concerned. He succeeded his uncle Ezekial on his father's farm, whereon he resided up to the time of his decease, in 1848. His wife, Ann (Roads) Clayton, daughter of Samuel and Abigail (Jenkins) Roads, and a descendant of an old Moreland family, bore him the following named children: Edwin, a resident of Philadel- phia ; Samuel R., a hotel keeper at Edgehill ; Dr. A. H., a resident of Richboro : Levi R., deceased, mentioned at length hereinafter; Margaret, de- ceased, who was the wife of Harman Lauer.
Levi R. Clayton (father) was born in More- land township, Montgomery county, Pennsyl-
vania, September 5, 1843. The greater part of his life was spent at Springhouse, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. In politics Mr. Clayton was an earnest Republican from the time of the organization of the party in the year 1856. He was deeply interested in the success of its principles and candidates, and made it a point never to fail in his attendance at the primaries and at the elections. He held the office of school director in Gwynedd township for a number of years, and also filled other minor positions, but was in no sense an office seeker. He married Cecilia Scarlett, daughter of Robert Scarlett, an old resident of Gwynedd township, and a well known contractor and road builder. Their chil- dren were: I. William L., born April 4, 1866, mentioned hereinafter. 2. Clifford J., who mar- ried Minnie Wheatland, daughter of William Wheatland, and his death occurred April 28, 1902. 3. Levi J., born February 19, 1870; he ob- tained his educational training in the schools of Montgomery county, and upon laying aside his text books he served an apprenticeship at the printer's trade with the Hatboro Spirit, a local paper of his native county. Later he entered the employment of the Philadelphia Press, and has continued with that enterprising journal to the present time. He married, August 26, 1896, Della Wilgus, born August 16, 1870, died Oc- tober 27, 1901, a daughter of Ellwood and Ellen Wilgus. 4. Carrie G., who died at the age of fourteen years. 5. Robert, who died at the age of two years. Levi R. Clayton, father of these chil- dren, who was a most estimable citizen and highly valued in the community, died in 1895. He sur- vived his wife many years, her death having oc- curred in December, 1876.
William L. Clayton received a public school education which thoroughly qualified him for the activities of life. He began his active career in the office of the Hatboro Spirit, remaining for four years. In 1886 he went west and was em- ployed in printing offices at Denver, Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Francisco. Los An- geles, and San Diego, California. After a resi- dence of five years on the Pacific coast, Mr. Clayton came east on account of the serions ill-
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ness of his father, and subsequently became em- ployed on the Philadelphia Inquirer. On April 7, 1894, he entered into copartnership with his brother, Levi J. Clayton, in the publication of the Jenkintown Times. On January 1, 1895, they purchased the Jenkintown Chronicle, and at once changed the name of their paper to the Jenkin- town Times-Chronicle. Mr. Clayton is pre- eminently a self-made man, and has risen entirely by his own exertions to his present responsible position. He is fearless and independent in his management of the paper, and under his editor- ship the enterprise has prospered to a wonder- ful degree, and the circulation has increased year by year. He is thoroughly respected and es- teemed by all who have the honor of his ac- quaintance. Mr. Clayton is a member of Friend- ship Lodge. No. 400, Free and Accepted Masons ; Abington Chapter, No. 410, Royal Arch Masons, of Jenkintown ; and Peace and Love Lodge, No. 337, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
THEODORE HOLLY, the successful manu- facturer of Dutch cheese at Souderton, he being one of three persons in this country who are mak- ing it, is of German parentage, his father, Adam Holly, being a native of that country as well as his mother. Theodore Holly was born in Hill- town township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1855.
Adam Holly, father, was born and educated in the Fatherland, attending the best schools. On leaving school he turned his attention to agri- culture, of which occupation he had acquired some knowledge. He followed farming very success- fully for a number of years. In the meantime he married Miss Anna Nortonheiser. The couple having decided to establish their future home in America, they emigrated to this country, landing in Philadelphia, and proceeding at once to Hill- town, in Bucks county. Mr. Holly immediately engaged in his old occupation, and became one of the progressive farmers of his section. In politics Mr. Holly was a Democrat, and while he never sought or held office, he was always willing to do whatever was possible to promote party success. In connection with his occupation of
farming, Mr. Holly engaged in the manufacture of what is known as Dutch cheese, the secret of which he had learned in Germany. He was very successful in this branch of business and soon commanded a large trade. He died in 1888, and his wife is also deceased. The children of the couple were John, Gustav, Charles and Theodore. the last named of whom was reared to the occu- pation of farming, obtaining meantime what edu- cation was to be had in the country schools of the township.
On completing his school studies, Theodore Holly turned his attention to farming and also assisted his father in making the cheese. Soon after his father's death he conceived the idea of carrying on the business on a larger scale. He accordingly removed to Souderton, where he built a large factory and is extensively engaged in the manufacture of that product, finding a ready market for all that he produces. It is sent to all the prominent cities of the country. Mr. Holly married, in 1887, Miss Emma Horton. daughter of John Horton, of Doylestown, the countyseat of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Holly died in 1901. The couple had one child. William. Mr. Holly is one of the most enter- prising citizens of the borough of Souderton, and is greatly respected by the whole community. He is a Democrat in politics, and is earnest in support of the principles and candidates of that party. He is not an office seeker, but has been elected a member of the town council. He is an attendant at the Catholic church, having been educated in that faith.
TOBIAS EHST MOYER, a prominent farmer of Lower Pottsgrove township, was born May 10, 1863. in Washington township, Berks county. He is the son of Levi B. and Elizabeth (Ehst) Moyer.
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