USA > Pennsylvania > Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania biography : illustrated, Vol. X > Part 36
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(II) William (2) Swift, son of Wil- liam (1) and Joan Swift, was born in England, and accompanied his father to Watertown and Sandwich. He per- formed military duty in August, 1643, was enrolled as lieutenant in John Black- mer's company of Sandwich militia. At
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Sandwich he held many local offices. His wife's name was Ruth.
(III) Jireh Swift, son of William (2) and Ruth Swift, was born at Sandwich, in 1665, and died at Wareham, in Ply- mouth county, Masachusetts, in April, 1749, aged eighty-four years. He resided at Sandwich at least until March, 1730. He married' there, November 26, 1697, Abigail, daughter of Benjamin Gibbs, of Sandwich.
(IV) Deacon Jireh (2) Swift, fifth son of Jireh (1) and Abigail (Gibbs) Swift, was born at Sandwich, November 23, 1709. His wife's name was Deborah Hathaway, born in 1711, died January 7, 1794, daughter of Jonathan Hathaway by his wife, Susanna (Pope) Hathaway. Jonathan Hathaway was the son of Ar- thur and Sarah (Cooke) Hathaway. Sarah Cooke Hathaway was a daughter of John Cooke, Esq., and his wife, Sarah (Warren) Cooke. John Cooke was a son of Francis Cooke, who came over on the "Mayflower." John Cooke's wife, Sarah Warren Cooke, was a daughter of Rich- ard Warren and his wife Elizabeth. Rich- ard Warren was a Pilgrim. The mar- riage of Deacon Jireh Swift and Deborah Hathaway took place at Dartmouth, Oc- tober 9, 1730, and it was there that the remainder of his life was passed.
(V) Jonathan Swift, son of Deacon Jireh (2) and Deborah (Hathaway) Swift, was born at Dartmouth, in 1733, and died there January 31, 1763, aged thirty years. He married, at Falmouth, October 16, 1753, Elizabeth, daughter of John Bourne, of Falmouth, by his wife, Mercy (Hinckley) Bourne. Mercy (Hinckley) Bourne was a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Gorham) Hinckley. Joseph Hinckley was a sor of Samuel and Mary (Fitz Randolph) Hinckley. Joseph Hinckley married Mary Gorham, daugh- ter of Lieutenant-Colonel John and Mary
(Otis) Gorham. Lieutenant-Colonel John Gorham was a son of Captain John Gor- ham and Desire (Howland) Gorham. Desire (Howland) Gorham was a daugh- ter of John and Elizabeth (Tilley) How- land. Elizabeth Tilley Howland was a daughter of John Tilley, a "Mayflower" passenger, as was John Howland.
(VI) David Swift, son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Bourne) Swift, was born at Dartmouth, January 31, 1756. He served as a member of Captain David Nye's com- pany, Fourth Plymouth County Regi- ment, in the Revolution. The closing years of his life were spent at Lunenburg, Worcester county, Massachusetts, and he died there June 17, 1830, aged seventy- four years. He married, at Falmouth, Bere Cynthia, daughter of Captain Theo- dore Morse, of Falmouth; she was born there February 9, 1764, and died at Lun- enburg, March 21, 1850. David Swift and his wife, Bere Cynthia (Morse) Swift were the parents of five children, the sec- ond of which was Susanna Swift, born June 26, 1791, died June 20, 1876; mar- ried, May 31, 1812, Lieutenant Thomas Balch Chickering, born April 24, 1788, died June, 1877. The daughter of Lieu- tenant Thomas Balch and Susanna (Swift) Chickering married Captain Craig Ritchie, as stated above.
RITCHIE, Craig D., Business Man.
There are men whose memories are al- ways green in the minds of those who knew them; whose personalities are so vivid that the recollection of them is fade- less ; men of whom we cannot say, "They are dead," because their life still throbs in the hearts that loved them. To this class of men belonged the late Craig D. Ritchie, for many years prominent in
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Graig P. Ritchie
Lawns Historical Pub L.
Charlotte W. Pitchce
Lewis Historical Pod C+
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business and financial circles of Philadel- phia.
William Ritchie, father of Craig D. Ritchie, was born in Canonsburg, Wash- ington county, Pennsylvania, December 18, 1792, son of Hon. Craig and Mary (Price) Ritchie. He received his educa- tion in private schools, and later removed to Philadelphia, where he was engaged in the hardware business with a Mr. Wister. They were unsuccessful in the venture, and later William Ritchie became asso- ciated with Mr. Trotter in the hardware business, continuing in this business for years. He was drowned while swimming in the Ohio river, June 12, 1840. He mar- ried Susan Summerl Dorsey, daughter of Edward and Mary (Summerl) Dorsey, of Eastern Shore, Maryland, and they were the parents of a son, Craig D., men- tioned below.
Craig D. Ritchie, son of William and Susan Summerl (Dorsey) Ritchie, was born April 26, 1830, on Ninth street, Phil- adelphia. He was named for his grand- father, the Hon. Craig Ritchie. He at- tended a private school which was con- ducted at Eighth and Arch streets, after acquiring a good education entering busi- ness life as a student of Jacob Hoeckley, conveyancer, with whom he gained a thorough, comprehensive and accurate knowledge of the business. When but twenty-one years of age he opened an office on Arch street, below Ninth, and there continued in the conveyancing business for a number of years, having offices with Edward Hopper, an attor- ney, for a time. Later he removed to No. 510 Walnut street, and remained there until elected president of the Real Estate Title & Insurance Company, where the business ability of Craig D. Ritchie soon won for him a command- ing place in his city. He was one of the organizers of the first real estate title in-
surance company in the world (The Real Estate Title Insurance Company), of which Joshua L. Morris was chosen pres- ident and Mr. Ritchie vice-president. Mr. Morris had made his acceptance of the presidency of this institution with the proviso that Mr. Ritchie be made vice- president and be his successor, and on account of his (Mr. Morris') ill health, Mr. Ritchie was acting president for a time ere he succeeded to the presidency, on the death of Mr. Morris. It was his wise ideas and suggestions that built up this most successful institution. After a few years Mr. Ritchie resigned the presi- dency of this company, due to the press of his large private interests. As a convey- ancer he won an international reputation and was quoted as an authority.
As a citizen with exalted ideas of good government and civic virtues, Craig D. Ritchie stood in the front rank, and wherever substantial aid would further public progress, it was freely given. He was a Republican in politics. Progress and patriotism actuated him throughout his life, and at the time of the Civil War he helped organize a colored regiment to take part in the Federal service. He was one of the first members of the Union League of Philadelphia. For a long time he was an active and helpful member of St. Andrew's Society, of which he was secretary from 1864 to 1884; vice-presi- dent, 1886-87, and president, 1888-89. He belonged to the Presbyterian church, be- ing originally connected with the society at Tenth and Arch streets, Philadelphia, which later united with the church at Eighteenth and Arch streets. He acted as secretary of the board of trustees for years, or until the death of John Wie- gand, his wife's father, when he suc- ceeded him as president of the board. He was also a member of the Historical So- ciety of Pennsylvania, the Penn Club and
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Sons of the Revolution, and a subscribing member of the Dispensary and the In- dustrial School; also a member of the Art Club and Franklin Institute, a direc- tor of the Mercantile Library and Fair- mount Park Association, and president of the first Fremont Club, which started the Republican party. Mr. Ritchie was a noted collector of engravings and rare volumes, and possessed notable collec- tions of both. For a time he was a mem- ber of the Photographic Society of Phil- adelphia, and was its second secretary. Ever ready to respond to any deserving call made upon him, the full number of his benefactions will, in all probability, never be known, for his charity was of the kind that shuns publicity. He was deeply interested and gave liberally of both his means and time to the advancement of The Berean Presbyterian Church for the colored people, situated on South College avenue.
On December 1, 1864, Mr. Ritchie mar- ried Charlotte, daughter of the late John and Hannah (Bazin). Wiegand. A biog- raphy and portrait. of Mr. Wiegand, to- gether with the Wiegand lineage, follows in this work. By his marriage Mr. Ritchie gained the life companionship of a charm- ing and congenial woman, and one well fitted in all ways to be a confidante and adviser. Mr. Ritchie was always a man of strong domestic tastes and affections, never so content as at his own fireside. Mrs. Ritchie, in her widowhood, continues the religious and philanthropic work in which she and her husband for so many years went hand in hand. She has served as treasurer of the Women's Pennsylva- nia Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for fifty years, excepting a few years when too ill ; and is also a life mem- ber of the Historical Society of Pennsyl- vania.
The death of Craig D. Ritchie, which
occurred December 10, 1910, deprived Philadelphia of one of her most valued citizens. Using his talents and his op- portunities to the utmost in every work which he undertook, he fulfilled to the letter every trust committed to him, and was generous in his feelings and conduct toward all. He made for himself a record of noteworthy achievement and public- spirited service, and his name is inscribed with honor in the annals of his city and his State.
(Lineage of Mrs. William Ritchie).
Sarah Vanneman married (first)
Vansant; she married (second) Stidham, by whom she had issue, as fol- lows: Sarah Stidham, born 1756-57, died 1823; Mary Stidham, born 1756-57 ; Peter Stidham; Lucas Stidham; Isaac Stidham.
Sarah Stidham, born 1756-57, daughter of and Sarah (Vanneman-Van- sant) Stidham, married Joseph Summerl, born 1753, died July 28, 1813, by whom she had issue: Mary, born December 23, 1781, died April 19, 1868, married Edward Dorsey, by whom she had issue: Mary, born May 28, 1801, died December 26, 1889, unmarried; and Susan S., married William Ritchie, as stated above; she was born 1803, and died May 5, 1830.
WIEGAND, John,
Business Man.
Among the foremost of the old Phila- delphia business men was the late John Wiegand, manufacturer, and for many years president of the Western Savings Fund Society, of which he was one of the founders.
The Wiegand family, one of the most ancient of the families of Europe, was planted in what is now Germany by one of that name who came in the train of Caesar when that conqueror and his leg-
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I mots Historical P.S
Farah Lekfeldt Wiegand 1111 -/114
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Wiegand
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ions overran that country. They have been found in various of the lines and professions, and have always held honor- able place. The arms of the Wiegand family are described as follows, and would tend to the belief that both church and state benefited by the abilities of members of the family :
Arms-Gules, issuant from the dexter out of a cloud azure, an arm habited sable, in the hand proper, a sword in pale argent, hilt or, piercing a book sable, the cut vert.
Crest-Between two horns, dexter or and sinis- ter gules, the sword and the book. (Horns are said to denote in German arms that they were granted to a member of the family who took part in the Crusades).
John Wiegand was born in Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania, in October, 1800. He was a son of Conrad and Elizabeth (Kil- latte) Wiegand. Conrad Wiegand came as a youth to Philadelphia from Germany. John Wiegand received his education in the private schools of Philadelphia, and early entered business life. When barely past twenty-one years he, in association with a Mr. Snowden, founded the firm of Wiegand & Snowden, manufacturers of surgical instruments, building up a large business. Mr. Wiegand was active in this concern for many years, retiring to accept the position of cashier of the City Gas Works, which he held for some years, then being elected president of the West- ern Savings Fund Society, of which he was one of the founders.
While closely attending to his business affairs, John Wiegand ever manifested a keen and active interest in everything pertaining to the city's welfare, and his name was associated with many projects. Anything that would advance the city's interest found in him a warm supporter. In politics he was a Whig and later a Republican. At one time he was a mem- ber of the city council. He was one of
the founders of what became the Fifth Presbyterian Church, which later merged with the West Arch Street Church, and he was president of the board of trustees of this for many years. He was an active member of Franklin Institute, and fre- quently lectured before it on various sub- jects, and also took an active interest in Girard College, making Sunday addresses to the pupils.
John Wiegand married (first) Hannah Bazin, and they were the parents of the following children: Mary, deceased, un- married; Thomas, deceased; John, de- ceased ; Conrad, assayer of the California mint, now deceased; S. Lloyd, deceased, noted mechanical expert of national rep- utation ; Charlotte, widow of Craig D. Ritchie, Philadelphia; and George Duf- field, deceased. Mr. Wiegand married (second) Sarah Eckfeldt, whose portrait appears herein, daughter of Adam and Margaretta (Bausch) Eckfeldt, and they were the parents of a son, Adam, whose death occurred January 5, 1915.
The death of John Wiegand, which oc- curred January 27, 1878, was deeply and sincerely mourned. He was a man of strong mental endowments, business ca- pacity of a high order, generous impulses and a chivalrous sense of honor. He was a lover of literature and a man of thor- ough and varied information. As a busi- ness man he was, in many respects, a model, and over his career, both as a business man and banker, there falls no suspicion of wrong. The Philadelphia of today holds in grateful memory the name of John Wiegand, one of her pioneer business men and financiers.
(The Eckfeldt Line).
(I) John Jacob Eckfeldt was born in Germany, and emigrated with his wife about the year 1765 from Nuremberg. He settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
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and during the War of the Revolution served as a soldier in the field, and also manufactured bayonets for the army. He married (first) in Germany, Maria Mag- dalena Schneider, and their son was Adam, see below ; married (second) Eliz- abeth Kunkel; married (third) Elizabeth Demant.
(II) Adam Eckfeldt, son of John Jacob and Maria Magdalena (Schneider) Eck- feldt, was born in Philadelphia, in 1769. He learned the trade of machinist and established a factory for the manufacture of wrought iron nails. Later he received large contracts from the Government for construction of machinery for the United States mint, Philadelphia, with which he was closely identified from its establish- ment in 1793, first as assistant coiner and afterwards as chief coiner in 1814, which position he filled until his resignation in 1839. He married (first) Maria Hahn, and they were the parents of two chil- dren: Elizabeth, who became the wife of Henry Witmer, and Maria, who mar- ried Henry Driesbach. Mr. Eckfeldt mar- ried (second) Margaretta Bausch, of Philadelphia, and their children were: Sarah, see below; Jacob R., Elias B., Magdalena, Susanna, who became the wife of William Ewing DuBois, of Phila- delphia; Adam C., Margaretta. Adam Eckfeldt was a prominent member of St. John's Lutheran Church. He died Feb- ruary 2, 1852.
(III) Sarah Eckfeldt, daughter of Adam and Margaretta (Bausch) Eck- feldt, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, in 1800. She received her educa- tion in that city, and later in June, 1839, became the second wife of John Wie- gand, as noted above. A woman of fine fibre and splendid judgment, she made an excellent mother to her step-children, and to her husband she was ever a confidante and adviser of much value. In the affairs
of the Arch Street Presbyterian Church she was very active, and was also active in the affairs of the Northern Home for Friendless Children, of which her hus- band was a trustee; a director of the Dorcas Society, and an efficient worker in missionary societies. Her death oc- curred November, 1884, in Philadelphia. Her portrait has been placed in this work by her daughter, Charlotte (Wiegand) Ritchie, in recognition of the loving qual- ities and tender care she showed to her children.
WIEGAND, Samuel Lloyd, Mechanical Engineer.
The name of the late Samuel Lloyd Wiegand, as that of a mechanical engi- neer of national reputation, requires no introduction in a work of this character. Mr. Wiegand was a life-long resident of his native city of Philadelphia and his devotion to her interests, more especially those of a scientific nature, was ever dis- tinctly influential and steadfastly loyal.
Samuel Lloyd Wiegand was born July 26, 1833, in Philadelphia, and was a son of John and Hannah (Bazin) Wiegand. Mr. Wiegand, now deceased, is repre- sented in this work by his biography and portrait. The early education of Samuel Lloyd Wiegand was received in the public schools of his native city and he after- wards entered the Central High School of Philadelphia, graduating in the six- teenth class.
The active life of Mr. Wiegand began in the workshop of his father, then head of the firm of Wiegand & Snowden, man- ufacturers and importers of surgical in- struments, other fine steel tools and scientific appliances. It soon became ap- parent that this son inherited all the in- ventive talent of his father and that he possessed also a large endowment of orig-
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inal genius. His progress in the business was rapid and the initiative, always one of his salient characteristics, led him, at an early age, to open a small machine shop of his own. Later, on leaving the service of Wiegand & Snowden, he turned his attention to the making of iron cast- ings, but soon relinquished the foundry part of the business, concentrating his energies on the conduct of the machine shop. This he removed to Library street and there devoted himself to developing machinery for inventors, for which as well as for his own inventions he secured patents. So notable was the success of one of these-a press for paper lace mak- ing-that it obliged him to seek more commodious quarters in Sansom street. Later another removal was necessitated by the welcome accorded his invention of a safety sectional boiler and this time he established himself in Bread street in a building erected by the late Thomas Pot- ter for an oil cloth manufactory.
In the course of time Mr. Wiegand re- tired from the machine business and built up a large practice and a high reputation as a skillful patent attorney and expert mechanical engineer, having offices and a confidential workshop in South Sixth street, subsequently removing to Walnut street and thence to the Real Estate Trust Building.
The services of Mr. Wiegand, in a pro- fessional capacity, were frequently re- quired by the United States government in cases of exceptional difficulty and the complete and brilliant efficiency with which he rendered these services strengthened and increased the celebrity which was everywhere associated with his name. From 1855 to the close of his life he was a member of the Franklin In- stitute and in 1864, also from 1890 to 1893, served on its board of managers. From 1887 to 1893 he was active as a
member of the Committee on Science and the Arts. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church.
The personality of Mr. Wiegand was complex, combining the attributes of the inventor, the scientist and the man of general culture and refined tastes. In the course of his long, strenuous and useful life he won and kept many warm friends and earned the respect and admiration not only of his own community, but of the multitudes to whom he was known only as a man of national eminence. His coun- tenance, so expressive of his genius and personal qualities, cannot be reproduced in words, but will be perpetuated by the pencil of the artist.
Mr. Wiegand married, June 26, 1867, in Philadelphia, the Reverend Alfred Barnes, a minister of the Presbyterian church officiating, Charlotte McClelland, born October, 1844, in Pittsburgh, daugh- ter of William Beatty and Sarah Elwell (Pew) Thompson. Mr. Thompson was born in 1810, at Mclaughlinstown, Penn- sylvania, where he served an apprentice- ship to the tailor's trade. Leaving that for a more public life he became a prom- inent hotel proprietor in Pittsburgh. Mrs. Thompson, born in |Philadelphia, in 1820, went with her parents to Pitts- burgh in 1836. Mr. and Mrs. Wiegand were the parents of the following child- ren: I. Hannah L., educated in public schools of Philadelphia; married, Febru- ary 27, 1889, Joseph N. Fitzgerald, a na- tive of Baltimore, Maryland; their child- ren were: Lloyd Wiegand, born Febru- ary 24, 1890, in Philadelphia; William Thompson, born July 6, 1893, died March 18, 1899; Joseph Newman, born January 19, 1900, in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania ; and Mary Newman, born at the same place, March 14, 1903. 2. William Thomp- son, born January II, 1872; educated in public schools of Philadelphia; married,
Pa-10-17
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December 1, 1897, Elizabeth C. Off ; their children were: William Thompson, born November 15, 1898, and Edward Horter, born October 11, 1900; died June 26, 1901. 3. Sarah Helen, born June 21, 1881 ; edu- cated in public schools of Philadelphia. So devoted was his love for his home and family that Mr. Wiegand enrolled himself as a member of no clubs and the death, on February 14, 1886, of the wife and mother who lived for her husband and children cast the first shadow over an ex- ceptionally happy union.
On March 8, 1903, at his home in Ger- mantown, this man of strenuous accom- plishment was gathered to his fathers. Many tributes were offered to his char- acter and work, but his highest eulogy is the unadorned narrative of his fruitful, honorable life.
The genius of Samuel Lloyd Wiegand has enhanced the scientific prestige of his native city, but he belongs not to her alone nor even to his State. He rendered services of national value and their his- tory is incorporated in the annals of the government of the United States.
BROWNE, John Coats, Representative Citizen.
Some men there are who take posses- sion of the public heart and hold it after they are gone, not by flashes of genius or brilliant `services, but by kindness and the force of personal character and by steady and persistent good conduct in all the situations and under all the trials of life. They are in sympathy with all that is useful, pure and good in their com- munity, and the community on its side cheerfully responds by extending to them respectful admiration and sincere affection. Such a man was the late John Coats Browne, a life-long and honored resident of his native city of Philadelphia.
He lived not for himself but for his fel- lowmen, and stands among those who, when they "cease from earth," leave the world better than they found it.
The Brownes are an ancient family of English origin and are entitled to display the following escutcheon :
Arms-Argent, an eagle displayed sable.
Crest-A lion rampant argent, ducally crowned or, supporting a tilting spear proper, headed of the first.
Motto-Spectemur agendo. (Let us be viewed by our actions).
(I) Peter Browne, great-grandfather of John Coats Browne, was born Septem- ber 18, 1751, in the Northern Liberties, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Nathaniel and Mary Browne. Peter Browne accumulated a large for- tune by furnishing the iron work for ships; he was not, strictly speaking, as we understand the term, a blacksmith or horseshoer, the word blacksmith being generally used in his day to distinguish workers in iron on a large scale from whitesmiths who work in silver and other precious metals. Peter Browne built the machinery for the first steam craft in the world, the vessel constructed by and for John Fitch, the real inventor of steam- boat navigation. Mr. Browne, unlike his father, who was a member of the Society of Friends, vigorously supported the cause of the colonists during the Revo- lution, serving as a captain in the artil- lery, and after the war he continued his activities, being recognized as one of the most public-spirited men of his day. He held among other offices that of county commissioner for Philadelphia county, and eight years later was appointed a justice of the peace. Among social or- ganizations with which he was identified was the famous State in Schuylkill which he joined March 29, 1786, and of which
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AGEND
SPECTEMUR
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Pour Browne
DISTRI.
PETER BROWNE'S COAT OF ARMS.
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he was at one time a coroner and at another a counsellor. He belonged to the Schuylkill Fishing Company, and was chosen, January 23, 1801, a member of the Society of the Sons of St. George. He was one of the managers of the Penn- sylvania Hospital, and was active in re- ligious and philanthropic movements. In 1783 he became a pewholder in Christ Protestant Episcopal Church, in which, from 1806 to the close of his life, he held the office of vestryman. He was an inti- mate friend of Dr. Benjamin Rush who, in a letter to Mr. Browne during the epi- demic of yellow fever in Philadelphia in 1798, said : "Be assured, my good friend, that even a dog belonging to Peter Browne should not be neglected by me."
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