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 81
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Dr. Mann was resident physician at the Chil- drens' Hospital, at Twenty-second and Walnut streets, from his graduation until February, 1875. He then went to Bridgeport, Montgomery county, April 1, 1875, and there he has continued until the present time, having an extensive prac- tice and enjoying a high reputation for medical knowledge and skill. A considerable part of his practice consists of accident cases due to the rail- road lines which are operated in that borough. He is always ready in any emergency to give prompt attention and to relieve the sufferings of any who have been injured in any way. He was a prominent witness in the Kaiser murder case which occurred a few years ago, he having been called upon to render aid to the murdered woman, but finding that life had been extinct for some time when the party reached his office.
Dr. Mann is a Democrat in politics but not an office seeker in any sense of the word. He has been very closely identified with the public school interests of the borough of Bridgeport, having been a member of the school board for thirteen consecutive years. He has also been a member of the Bridgeport town council two terms. He was on the United States pension board for six years, having been appointed during the admin- istration of President Cleveland. He has been a member of Montgomery Lodge of Odd Fellows, No. 57, for more than a quarter of a century. He is also a charter member of the Bridgeport Camp of Patriotic Order Sons of America, and belongs to the Foresters of America, Court Pride of Norristown, of which order he has been surgeon for a dozen years.
Dr. Mann has belonged to the Bridgeport Presbyterian church for more than a quarter of a century, and is a member of its board of trus- tees and an elder. He is a member of the County and State Medical Societies and was for some time president of the Montgomery County Medical Society. He has been a member of the surgical staff of Charity Hospital, Norristown, since the organization of that institution. He has been coroner's physician for Montgomery county since January, 1902.
James S. Mann (father) was born on the
homestead farm in Bucks county and on reaching manhood became a farmer and ultimately the owner of the tract. In 1875 he engaged in mer- cantile pursuits in Doylestown.
On January 9, 1879, Dr. Mann married Frances Kimbel, daughter of John and Charlotte ยท (Miller) Bickings. She was born in Norriton township, being a descendant of an old Montgom- ery county family. Her grandfather on the mother's side was Samuel Miller, of another old family long resident in the vicinity of Norris- town. They were all farmers. Mrs. Mann's father, John Bickings, was born in Norriton and always lived there. The Bickings and Millers were Democrats. Charles Miller, an attorney in Norristown, was a member of the Miller family.
Charles H. and Frances Kimbel Mann have three children : Charles Warren, born January 25, 1880, graduated from the Norristown high school and then entered Lafayette College, where he remained two years. He next entered the medical department of the University of Penn- sylvania but was obliged to abandon his studies there owing to the condition of his health, and is now secretary and treasurer of the Eureka Paper Mill, in Bridgeport ; Charlotte Bickings, born June 5, 1882, was graduated from the Bridgeport high school and Wilson College, Chambersburg, and now resides with her par- ents ; Martha Greir, born July 17, 1884, was grad- uated from the Norristown high school, in the class of 1903, and then entered Wilson College, at Chambersburg.
The Manns of Doylestown and adjoining townships and counties are descended from Scotch-Irish ancestry. John Mann, son of James and Mary, emigrated from County Donegal, Ire- land, to America, at the age of twenty-years, landing at Bristol in 1732 or 3. He came with the McNairs and other Scotch-Irish families since prominent. He settled in Warminster or Warwick township, not far from Hartsville, owning land in both at his death. In 1736 he married Margaret Mitchel, of Warwick, born in 1707. Their children are : William, born in 1738; Mary, 1740; John, 1742; Ann, 1745; James
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(first) 1747; James (second) 1749; and Samuel Mitchel, 1755. in 1748 he purchased one hun- dred and sixty-two acres of land in Horsham township, which became the family homestead. In 1754 he erected a dwelling which is still standing. His wife died in 1769 and he in 1779, at the age of sixty-seven years. His sons and daughters married into the families of McLaugh- lin, McNair, Keith and others, and were all Pres- byterians in religious faith. Joel K. Mann, of Montgomery county, was a congressman. He died in 1857, at the age of seventy-six years. James S. Mann, of Doylestown, (father) is a grandson of the immigrant.
JESSE S. LAROS, formerly LaRose, a descendant of an early settled family of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, was born at the old homestead in Upper Macungie town- ship, August 21, 1844. He was reared as a farmer, receiving an ordinary com- mon school education. He was the son of Jesse and Lydia (Seigfried) Laros, she of Berks county, and he was born at the Lehigh county homestead. Jesse Laros (father) was the son of Henry and Catharine (Jacoby) Laros, both of Lehigh county.
Henry Laros (grandfather) was the son of Nicholas Laros, who, with two brothers, came from Europe and settled in Pennsylvania. He was of French Huguenot origin, but during the persecutions in France on account of religious opinions, the family drifted away from their na- tive country, settling elsewhere in Europe. The three brothers who emigrated to America set- tled in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, Le- high being afterwards formed from it. The original deed, of parchment, for the land which he bought from William Penn's agent, is now in the possession of his descendant, Jesse S. Laros. The land is still owned by Mr. Laros, and it has never been out of the family. The family have always been more or less prominent in the com- munity, being considerably above the average of their neighbors in intelligence and general ability, as well as in education.
Nicholas Laros (great-grandfather) was a
member of the Reformed church. He had three children: Henry (grandfather)', Magdalena (Mrs. Hines), and Christina (Mrs. V. Unger). Henry, the son, remained in Lehigh county, the homestead having been left him by his father's will. He was prominently identified with the interests of the county, serving for a long time as justice of the peace, and also as county com- missioner, a very responsible office. He was well educated, and wrote the constitution and by-laws of the Reformed church to which he belonged, as well as transacting other public business. He died in 1859. His children: Jesse (father), Thomas, Enos, Catharine (Mrs. Jonathan Smoyer ), Dena (Mrs. Amos Smoyer), Lucy (Mrs. S. Dornblaser), Elizabeth, died young. Jesse (father) died on the old farm in 1879, at the age of seventy-nine years. He improved the farm which had been the home of his parents. In addition to farming, he engaged in mining, the land being well supplied with iron ore. The family became connected with those of German ancestry through intermarriage with their neigh- bors, and those of the present generation speak that language, as well as English. The family traditions are all Democratic, and the representa- tives of the family now living are all of that political faith. Jesse (father) held the position of school director and other minor offices, but never aspired to higher honors. It has often been said of him, as of his father and his son, that "his word was as good as his bond."
The wife of Jesse Laros, Sr., died in 1877. Her father, Solomon Seigfried, was a farmer by occupation. When he settled in that locality (Berks county) there were yet Indians in the neighborhood, who frequently came to his spring in order to obtain a supply of good water. His children : Lydia (mother), Daniel, Henry, David, Elizabeth (Mrs. Dankel), Harriet (Mrs. J. Christman), Polly (Mrs. Ocker), Solomon.
The children of Jesse and Lydia Laros : Mary (Mrs. J. Warm Kessel), Lavina (Mrs. W. Kerchner), Judith (Mrs. E. Griffith), Elimena (Mrs. R. Stetler), who died, and her sister Catharine became his second wife; Jesse S., sub- ject of this sketch ; Lydia (Mrs. Benjamin Rupp),
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Edwin, died at the age of twenty-two years, Sarah (Mrs. George Lichtenwaler). The chil- dren were all reared in the Reformed faith.
Jesse S. Laros inherited the homestead in Lehigh county, but some of the heirs not being satisfied with his taking at the appraisement, as the will stipulated, he bought the farm and paid off the other heirs. He had already farmed the place for eleven years. He had also mined iron ore. He remained at the homestead until 1891, when he removed with his family to Collegeville, on account of the educational advantages of the place. He had himself added much to his edu- cation by attending school after he had reached the age of twenty-one years, thus qualifying him- self for whatever business he might undertake. Resolved to educate his children thoroughly, he selected the vicinity in which Ursinus College is located as a suitable place for his home. All his children are graduates of Ursinus, two of them being ministers in the Reformed church, and one a physician. Mr. Laros, having determined on his future place of residence, purchased a com- modious house and fifteen acres of land to which he removed, still living thereon. He is a Demo- crat in politics, although not an office-seeker in any sense of the term. He has frequently been importuned to become a candidate for public position, but has steadily refused, partly on the ground that if he were a candidate he would be obliged to furnish liquor to voters, against which he is principled, being a strong temperance ad- vocate. He is a man of good business ability, who would dignify any position to which he might be chosen. On coming to Collegeville, he rented his farm in Lehigh county on a ten-year lease, and still owns it, receiving also a royalty on each ton of ore that is mined.
Mr. Laros married, in 1868, Miss Maria Moore, who was born in Lehigh county, De- cember 3. 1844. Mrs. Laros is the daughter of Solomon and Elizabeth Moore. Solomon Moore was the son of Herman Moore, and Herman was the son of Herman Moore, Sr., who came from Germany and settled in Lehigh county. Mrs. Laros was born on the farm on which her great-grandfather settled, and on which the dif-
ferent generations of the family have since re- sided. Her ancestors were farmers and members of the Reformed church. The children of Herman Moore : Solomon (father of Mrs. Laros), Jonas, Herman, Polly (Mrs. Jonathan Moore), Sallie (Mrs. Meigsler), Elizabeth (Mrs. G. Bechtel), Lydia (Mrs. D. Garnet ).
Solomon Moore was reared as a farmer, and lived retired for several years prior to his death, which occurred in 1897, at the age of eighty-five years. He was a Whig, and later a Republican in politics, but never sought or held office, pre- ferring private life. His wife died in 1879. Their children : Tervilia (Mrs. J. Fruse), Solo- mon, Jr., Jonathan, Tillman, Andrew, Llewellyn, Phaon, Maria (Mrs. Laros), Amanda (Mrs. F. Hanninger), Catharine, died unmarried.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse S. Laros : Pruella, wife of the Rev. William Yenser, lo- cated at Marietta, Pennsylvania ; Edwin, Reformed minister at Lansford, Carbon county, Pennsyl- vania; Frank, pastor of the Reformed church, at Pottstown; Albert, a practicing physician at Northampton ; Katie, unmarried; Malcolm, a graduate of Ursinus College, who is preparing for the Reformed ministry ; Minnie, died at the age of six years.
Mr. and Mrs. Laros enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them, having a well- spent life to recall, as well as the fact that they have done their best to educate their chil- dren properly.
ANDREW JACKSON MURPHY, son of John and Tacy (Gillin) Murphy, was born Au- gust 18, 1859, on the farm his father rented from the Scarlett estate, situated on the Bethle- hem turnpike, near Springhouse, in Lower Gwyn- edd township.
He attended the public school, at Cedar Hill, and for a time the Friends' School, at Gwynedd Meeting, then taught by Ellwood Roberts, in the meantime assisting his father on the farm, and working for neighboring farmers. On leaving school he continued in this way until his mar- riage, which took place October 14. 1882, to Mary Ellen, daughter of David C. and Elizabeth
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(Cope) Davis, of Springhouse. She was born June 15, 1863. After his marriage Mr. Murphy located on the farm of Andrew J. Hoover, on the turnpike, near Penllyn, in Lower Gwynedd town- ship, from which he removed to the Levi R. Clayton property, at Springhouse, at the same time securing employment from different farmers in the neighborhood. He then purchased the property, containing three acres, of Catharine Beck, at Springhouse, which he soon afterwards sold and purchased the property of Dr. Graham, consisting of 47 acres, on the Gwynedd road, which he operated as a dairy. In 1897 he sold the Graham farm to B. W. Green, of Germantown, who is one of the colony of new residents in that section of the township. Mr. Murphy then leased the farm of Frederick Phander, on the Bethlehem turnpike, in Horsham township, for a year. In the spring of 1898 he leased the farm on which he now lives, belonging to the John Hoffman estate, located on the Welsh road, in Gwynedd. It contains 114 acres of improved land and woodland, which he operated for some years as a dairy. Later he purchased the farm. He has eighteen to twenty head of cows, and is in every respect a successful farmer, attending strictly to business, and neglecting nothing that will contribute to prosperity on the farm. In politics he is a Democrat, and is much interested in party success at the polls.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Murphy are: Benjamin F., Mary Elizabeth, George Deane, Mabel, Elmira, Edward, and Helen. The family are members of the Episco- pal Church of the Messiah, at Gwynedd.
John Murphy (father) was a native of Ire- land, but came to this country when he was quite young. He lived for a time in Philadelphia, and then located in Montgomery county, where he was employed in farming. He married Mrs. Gillin, widow of Thomas Gillin, whose maiden name was Deane. She was a member of an old and promi- nent family in Montgomery county. The chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Murphy were: John Fitz- water, born October 17, 1853, unmarried, and lives at Springhouse with his brother, George D.
Murphy; Benjamin Franklin, born September 16, 1854, married Julia Frances Hoffman, daughter of John and Louisa (Holwich) Hoffman, of Lower Gwynedd, they living in Whitpain township; Andrew J., subject of this sketch; George D., born September 28, 1860, married, September 8, 1892, Emma A. Halberstadt. Mr. and Mrs. John Murphy were married February 19, 1852. Both are now deceased.
ANDREW J. BRADLEY, editor of the "Daily News," of Pottstown, was born in Phila- delphia, September 9, 1868. He is the son of Andrew and Ellen ( Walls) Bradley, both na- tives of Philadelphia. They had two children : Sallie, wife of Frank J. Kerr, of Philadelphia ; and Andrew J. Bradley.
Andrew Bradley (father) was a blacksmith by trade, and later raised and trained race horses. He now lives retired at Elkton, Maryland. His wife died in 1895, being sixty-five years old at the time of her death. They were both Catholics. The paternal grandfather of Andrew J. Bradley was born in County Derry, Ireland. The ma- ternal grandfather was also a native of Ireland.
Andrew J. Bradley spent the first part of his life in Philadelphia. At the age of sixteen, after completing his education in the public schools, he applied himself to the trade of a printer, a busi- ness in which he has been engaged ever since. He worked in the job office of Allen, Lane & Scott, where he learned the trade. He also worked on the Philadelphia "Press" and "Inquirer." He in 1899 entered the office of the "Daily News" as foreman of the composing room, and showed his ability to be of such a high order that in 1901 he became the editor of the paper.
He is a member of the Republican Ward Workers' Association; Missimer Assembly, A. C. U., and the Press League of Bucks and Mont- gomery counties. He was one of the organizers and the first president of the Pottstown Typo- graphical Union. In religious faith he is a mem- ber of the St. Aloysius Roman Catholic church. Politically he is a Republican. He resides at the Commercial Hotel.
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
WILLIAM J. HALLOWELL, a prominent farmer and descendant of one of the oldest fam- ilies in Pennsylvania, was born at the homestead in Horsham township, near Davis Grove, where he yet resides, October 9, 1851. He was reared to farm pursuits, and educated in the Friends' schools of the vicinity and Philadelphia. He is the son of William J. and Tacy A. (Paul) Hallo- well, she of Bucks county, and he of Abington township. William J. Hallowell, Sr., was born August 12, 1813. His wife was born March 28, 1817.
William J. Hallowell (father) was the son of John R. and Ann (Jarrett) Hallowell. Ann, his mother, was the daughter of William Jarrett, who owned the homestead which later became the Hallowell homestead. William Jarrett was a prominent farmer. He was a son of John Jarrett, and he a son of John, Sr., who was the third in the order of generations of the Jarrett family who have resided in the township. All were practical and successful farmers, and all were highly re- spected in the community. All were members of the Friends' Meeting at Horsham, and as a rule attended regularly. William Jarrett was thrown from his horse, which caused his death. By his will John R. Hallowell and his wife became pos- sessed of the homestead, provision also being made for his other children. Ann, wife of John R. Hallowell, died July 26, 1867. At her death William J. Hallowell, Sr., succeeded to the home- stead, he paying an equivalent to the other heirs.
William J. Hallowell ( father ) was a native if Abington township, in the vicinity where his im- migrant ancestor, John Hallowell, settled in early colonial times. He died January 24, 1886. His brothers and sisters, children of John R. Hallo- well, were : Joseph, died in April, 1904, at the age of eighty-one years : Lydia, married Morris Paul; Martha, married Edwin Satterthwait, both being deceased ; Penrose, deceased. William J. Hallo- well was the oldest of the family. He married Tacy Ann Paul, of an old Bucks county family, being the daughter of Joseph Paul. The children of Joseph Paul: Susan, married Joseph Lukens ; Sidney married John Lloyd, a farmer; Rachel, married Elias Kirk: Hannah. married Edward
Mather ; Tacy, mother of William J. Hallowell; Lydia, married Lukens Shoemaker, she being the only child by his second wife.
The children of William J. Hallowell, Sr. : Anna J., born August 10, 1846, married Ellwood Lukens, died October 7, 1873; Hannah P., born November 9, 1848, married William Satterthwait ; William J., Jr., subject of this sketch ; Elizabeth W., born May 10, 1854, married Israel H. Ely; Mary C., born June 17, 1858, graduated as a physician, married Dr. Charles B. Hough, of Ambler, and is herself a successful physician practicing in Ambler and vicinity.
William J. Hallowell is a successful farmer, maintaining a large dairy, and keeping a fine herd of cattle. He has been twice married, first to Anna E. Thomas, of Upper Dublin township. daughter of Abner and Sarah A. (Moore) Thomas, the family being of Welsh descent. The children of Abner and Sarah Thomas: Ellen, married Charles Jarrett : Howard, died at the age of eighteen years; Anna E., wife of William J. Hallowell. The children of William J. and Anna E. Hollawell: Howard C., born June 30, 1877, graduated as a mechanical engineer, and is now president of the Standard Pressed Steel Company, of Philadelphia ; Elizabeth, born March 7, 1879, is a student at the Industrial Art School, Phila- delphia ; Charles J., born February 1, 1881 ; died May 9, 1888; Eleanor M., born July 11, 1891, and is attending Abington Friends' School. Mrs. Anna E. Hallowell died February 6, 1894. On March 10, 1900, Mr. Hallowell married Mrs. Anna M. Paxson, born February 23, 1864, daugh- ter of Chalkley and Elizabeth Cutler, and widow of Joshua W. Faxson. Joshua W. Paxson died March 12, 1897. He left one son, Walter R., born January 1, 1891, who resides with his mother and is attending school at Abington. Mrs. Hallowell is the daughter of C. B. and Eliza- beth (Wilkinson) Cutler, she a native of Penn- sylvania and he of Maryland. He was the son of Benjamin and Miriam Cutler. Chalkley B. Cut- ler's children : Charles, married Lizzie Smith ; Edith, married F. Heller ; Anna M., Mrs. Hallo- well. By a former marriage Chalkley Cutler had three children, namely : Rebecca A., a physician,
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
who married Dr. Peeples, of Philadelphia ; Ben- jamin, died at the age of nineteen years, and Joseph P., married Mary Regan.
William J. and Anna M. Hallowell have one son, William J. (3d), born May 26, 1903. For a number of years Mrs. Hallowell taught the Friends' school at Horsham.
J. MILTON LEWIN, one of the most suc- cessful business men of Royersford, is a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, although not far from the place at which he now resides. He was born at Springville, now Spring City, June 21, 1853. He is the eldest son of William and Re- becca (Custer) Lewin.
The Lewin family are of English descent. William Lewin was born in England, May 4, 1823. He came to this country with his parents in 1831, locating at Trappe, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the schools of the vicinity, and after leaving school learned the trade of wheelwright. He conducted the wheelwright business at Springville for sev- eral years. In 1861 he purchased a tract of thirty- one acres of land. upon which a part of Royers- ford now stands. He cleared the timber from his tract, erected farm buildings, and continued to cultivate the tract until his death, which occurred November 4, 1878. The executors of William Lewin's estate, Rebecca Lewin and J. M. Lewin, subject of this sketch, divided the tract into build- ing lots, and it thus became the site of a consider- able portion of the flourishing manufacturing and residence town of Royersford. William Lewin married, February 8. 1851, Rebecca, daughter of Samuel Custer. Their children: Elizabeth, died in infancy; J. Milton, Sarah, Samuel, Willis, George, Mary, Emma, Abraham1.
J. Milton Lewin would have preferred a col- lege education, but his father objected, and he was obliged to content himself with such advan- tages as could be obtained at the Hobson school in the neighborhood. The greater part of his boy- hood was spent on his father's farm, attending to such matters as constitute the routine of farm life. He entered the shoemaker shop of John U. Bean, in Upper Providence township, on April
I, 1873, to learn the trade. He served two years as an apprentice, and then opened a shop of his own in Royersford, April 1, 1875. Having no competitor in the business in Royersford, Mr. Lewin began business as a shoe dealer in a small way, in addition to his regular custom work. The business prospered, and, his capital having ac- cumulated, he purchased a half interest in the general store of Rogers & Son. He continued in that business from May 27, 1879, until August I, 1881. He then sold his interest in the business to Jones Rogers, and entered the shipping depart- ment of the Buckwalter Stove Company, where he continued until September 13, 1883, when he again engaged in the occupation of a shoe dealer. Having built a new store on the principal thor- oughfare of the borough of Royersford, Main street, he conducted a large and successful busi- ness until September 1, 1892, when he disposed of his entire business to F. S. Brown. He then entered the firm of the Grander Stove Company, purchasing the interest of Benjamin Carver, de- ceased. Mr. Lewin was elected the treasurer of the company. His enterprise and business abil- ity have been of great value to the company. He is a liberal and public spirited citizen and has contributed much to the prosperity of Royersford, by the exercise of these qualities. He has been identified with a number of the industries of that busy town, among them the Royersford Iron Foundry, of which he was president at the time. of its sale to Floyd, Wells & Company. He as- sisted to organize the Penn Glass Company, and was one of its board of directors. He was one of the founders of the Keystone Meter Company, and continued as a director until the reorganiza- tion some years ago. Mr. Lewin was treasurer of the original Enterprise Hosiery Company, of which he was one of the organizers. He with five other persons organized the Fernwood Cemetery Company, and is still one of its board of man- agers. He is also a director of the Industrial Savings Bank, chartered March 21, 1892. Not only did he assist in the organization of that in- stitution, but was also very prominent in the or- ganization of the two national banks, the Home and the National Bank of Royersford. Being one
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