History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 104

Author: Davis, W. W. H. (William Watts Hart), 1820-1910; Ely, Warren S. (Warren Smedley), b. 1855; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III > Part 104

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HARVEY S. KISER, of Doylestown, one of the rising younger members of the Bucks county bar, was born in Springfield town- ship, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, Septem- ber 16, 1871, and is a son of Edwin and Emma (Selner) Kiser. the former of whom is serving his second term as county com- missioner.

The first paternal ancestor of this branch of the Kiser family of whom we have any

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

knowledge was Frederick Kiser, said to have been a native of Germany. He set- tled in Durham township near the Nock- amixon line in 1773, having first appeared as a communicant of Nockamixon Lutheran church in June, 1773. November 21, 1774, he purchased Tract No. 19 of the Durham Tract, containing 145 acres and 25 perches, and lying along the Nockamixon line, and lived thereon until his death, about June 1, 1792. His wife, Anna Barbara Stein, was a native of Brotzinger, a little village near the Rhine, in the grand duchy of Baden, and was a daughter of Johan Michel Stein, who died there about the year 1784. Au- gust 7, 1784, Friedrich Kyser, of Durham, Bucks county, and Anna Barbara, his wife, "an heir and issue of Johan Michel Stein, late of Brotzinger, in Germany, under the jurisdiction of Baden-Durlach, now of the County of Bucks" make a power of attor- ney to their "loving friend, Jacob Epp, of Easton, in the county of Northampton" to collect in her name and for her use her whole inheritance "which my deceased father Johan Michel Stein, and mother Barbara, left unto me in Brotzinger, under the jurisdiction of Baden-Durlach, and in the hands, care and administration of my dear and loving friend Johan Jacob Hock- smuth."

The children of Friedrich and Anna Bar- bara (Stein) Kyser, were five in number, viz .: Mary, who married a Wagner ; Michel; Conrad; Friedrich; and Margaret, who married a Gesler, or Gresler.

Friedrich Kiser, youngest son of Fried- rich and Anna Barbara, was born Sep- tember 14, 1764. He married Gertrude Hoffman, born September 22, 1770, daugh- ter of Conrad Hoffman and Gertrude his wife, the former being one of the earliest patentees of lands in Nockamixon who became actual settlers there. Conrad Hoff- man obtained a patent from the proprietors for two hundred acres of land in Nock- amixon in 1765, and died there in 1780, leaving sons Conrad, Martin, and William, and daughter "Kertout" wife of Friedrich Kiser, Jr., and Catharine. The widow "Kertrout" Hoffman married a German by the name of Premour. In 1793 these heirs of Conrad Hoffman made partition of the two hundred acres of land, and "allowance" and one-half of the same, amounting to III acres, was conveved to Frederick Kiser and Gertrude his wife, but they soon after conveyed it to Martin Hoffman. On April 7, 1794, Frederick Kiser, Jr., purchased of his brother, Conrad Kiser, a plantation of 135 acres in Nockamixon, near the Durham line where he lived the remainder of his life, adding to it thirty acres additional in 1802. This plantation was called "Candia," and was originally patented to Thomas Leightle, whose widow and son conveyed it to Conrad Kiser in 1792. Frederick Kiser later purchased 115 acres of land adjoining his "Candia" plantation. He died on the old homestead December 5, 1816, aged over eighty-two years. His wife Gertrude pre-

ceded him six years, dying May 25, 1840, at the age of seventy years. They were the parents of five sons : Conrad, John, Jacob, Frederick and Samuel, of whom the eldest, Conrad, born January 21, 1792, died April 23, 1823; and six daughters-Mary, wife of John Hoffman, who settled in Monroe county ; Catharine, wife of William Camp- bell; Elizabeth, wife of Jacob Trough; Sarah, wife of John Selner; Susan, wife of George Ott, who removed to Indiana; and Polly, who never married.

Samuel Kiser, youngest son of Frederick and Gertrude (Hoffman) 'Kiser, was the grandfather of Harvey S. Kiser. He was born on the old homestead in Nockamixon, October 12, 1814, married Mary Ochs, who was born in Lower Saucon, Northampton county, November 7. 1816, and settled on the farm bought in that year by his father, adjoining the old homestead, which he pur- chased of his father's estate in 1847. He was a lifelong resident of Nockamixon, dying there March 26, 1877. His widow, Mary (Ochs) Kiser, died August 10, 1880. They were the parents of two sons: Wil- son O. Kiser, of Nockamixon; and Edwin Kiser, of Springfield.

Edwin Kiser, father of Harvey S. Kiser, was born in Nockamixon in 1840. He was engaged in the mercantile business at Bur- sonville for a number of years, but for the past fifteen years has been engaged in farm- ing in Springfield township. He has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the community in which he lived, and has filled a number of local offices, serving for sev- eral years as school director of his district, and also filling the office of supervisor of the roads. In February, 1902, he was ap- pointed by the court to fill the unexpired term of Michael Callahan, deceased, as county commissioner, and at the following November election, was elected to succeed himself for the term of three years, and made a conscientious and efficient official. He married in 1870 Emma Selner, daughter of Peter and Hannah Selner, of Spring- field, and that union has been blessed with five children: Harvey S., the subject of this sketch; Frank W., now engaged in the mercantile business in Germantown ; Minnie A., a dressmaker in Allentown; Ella N., residing at home; and Warren S., a book- keeper in Philadelphia.

Harvey S. Kiser was reared in Spring- field township, and acquired his education at the Springtown Academy and the Key- stone Normal School at Kutztown, Penn- sylvania, graduating from the latter in 1893. Prior to his graduation at Kutztown he taught school in Springfield for four years, and after his graduation taught at Richboro, Northampton township, Bucks county, for two years. He then entered Dickinson Law School, at Carlisle, Penn- sylvania, from which he graduated in 1897. He then entered the office of Hon. Webster Grim, at Doylestown, as a student at law, and on June 6, 1898, was admitted to prac- tice at the Bucks county bar. He at once

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

opened an office at the county seat and en- tered upon the practice of his profession. July 1, 1900, he formed a partnership wit. Hon. Mahlon H. Stout, under the firm name of Stout & Kiser. attorneys and coun- sellors at law, which continued until the elevation of Mr. Stout to the bench in January, 1904. Both members of the firm were popular and successful lawyers and built up a large clientage. Mr. Kiser has since continued the practice of his chosen profession alone with marked success. Hc has always taken an active interest in all that pertains to the best interest of the town in which he lives. At the organization of the Doylestown Board of Trade he was selected as its president, a position he still fills. He is a director of the Bucks County Trust Company, Doylestown's leading · financial institution, and is identified with several business and social institutions of the town.

Mr. Kiser married, June 5, 1901, Miss Louisa Butler, an accomplished young lady of Bridgeton, New Jersey.

JAMES POLLOCK, the genial pro- prietor of the Pollock House, Doyles- town, was born in county Down, Ireland, February 4, 1858, and is a son of James and Esther (Kerr) Pollock, who, with their two sons, James and Robert, and a daughter, Sarah Jane, now the wife of George Turkington of Plumstead. emi- grated to America in 1866 and settled in Philadelphia, where both parents died in 1873.

The subject of this sketch spent his boyhood days in Philadelphia, and ob- tained a meagre education at the public schools. He was compelled to earn his own livelihood at a very early age, and sought such employment as was avail- able to boys of his age. At the age of eighteen years he opened a small store for the sale of coffees and tea, and sup- plemented the local trade by running a team out into the country, taking orders and delivering the goods. In 1880 he removed to Doylestown and opened a store there for the sale of coffees and tea, which he conducted for two years. In 1883 he bought out the bottling estab- lishment on State street. Doylestown, and conducted it until 1891, when he sold out and purchased the Lenape cigar store, which he conducted for over a year. About this time he purchased a tract of land at West Court and Frank- lin streets and erected several houses thereon. In the summer of 1895 he con- ducted a hotel at Atlantic City. Return- ing to Doylestown he began the manu- facture of bicycles, a business which he conducted for nearly two years. In 1898 he purchased the Armstrong property on the north side of the borough, and, open- ing Shewell and Harvey avenues, laid it out into building lots, many of which

have been since built upon. In 1899 he was proprietor of the Union House, Lambertville. In 1900 he purchased the present site of the Pollock House, then a restaurant, which he conducted for two years, and then erected the present hotel building. A unique feature of the popular hostelry is the Sixteenth Cen- tury Cafe, known as "The Jug in the Wall," fitted up in the quaint style of centuries past, that attracts a great deal of attention from visitors to the county town. Mr. Pollock has always taken a deep interest in everything that pertains to the improvement of the town. He was one of the organizers and a member of the first board of directors of the Doyles- town Electric Company, and was super- intendent of their plant for about one and a half years. He was an original stockholder and director in the Worstall and Carl Wheel Works, and has been an active promoter of other local enter- prises. In politics he is an ardent Re- publican. He has served three years in borough council, and was one of the most active members in the advocacy of municipal improvements. Mr. Pollock is strictly a self-made man, and by in- dustry, integrity and a close application of good business qualifications has won a fair competence.

He was married, April 4, 1879, to Emma, daughter of Charles and Wil- helmina Miller, of Philadelphia, who has borne him two children: Emma, born 1880. died 1884: and Laura, born March 29, 1881. who resides at home.

HON. CARLILE SHEPHERD, of Buck- ingham township, Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania, was born October 19, 1834, on the farm adjoining his present residence, that had been the home of his ancestors for three generations. He is a son of Cornelius and Jane (Fell) Shepherd, both natives of Buckingham township.

Cornelius Shepherd. the great-grand- father of the subject of this sketch, is said to have come to America from Germany in 1752, accompanied by a brother and two sisters. He located in Baltimore county, Maryland, where he married into a family who were members of the Society of Friends, and became a member of the Society. On 6 mo. 5, 1775, he produced at Buckingham Meeting a certificate from Gunpowder Monthly Meeting in Maryland for himself, wife Catharine and children Rachel, Joseph, Margaret, Jonathan and Mary. The birth record of these children as shown by the Buckingham records is as follows: Rachel, born 7 mo. 3. 1762; Joseph, born 5 mo. 31, 1764; Margaret, born 10 mo. 4, 1766; Jonathan, born 6 mo. 8. 1771 ; and Mary, born 6 mo. 9, 1774. He purchased the Buckingham farm of 1IO acres in 1789, and spent his remaining days thereon, dying in 1819. He was disowned

Carlile Shepherd

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

by the Friends in 1779 for taking the oath of allegiance to the United Colonies, and refusing to acknowledge his sorrow there- for. His wife Catharine having died, he married (second) on April 23, 1801, Phebe. Scott, who survived him, dying at the residence of Thomas Smith, in Buckingham, 4 mo. 18, 1832, at the age of ninety-four years, three months and four days. His daughter Rachel married Joseph Burgess, of Buckingham, 2 mo. 6, 1786. Joseph mar- ried Sarah, daughter of John Carlile, March 24, 1788. Margaret married Isaiah Michener, 3 mo. 5, 1789; Jonathan mar- ried out of meeting and was disowned in 1798; and Mary married Mechack Miche- ner, March 30, 1793.

Joseph Shepherd, grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, as above stated, mar- ried Sarah Carlile in 1788. By the will of his father the Buckingham farm was de- vised to the two sons, Joseph and Jonathan, they paying the legacies to the daughters and a dower to their stepmother. In 1820 they partitioned the farm between them, Joseph getting the western half, fifty-seven acres. He died in 1821, and the farm de- scended to his eldest son, Cornelius, the father of the subject of this sketch, who spent his whole life thereon. The children of Joseph and Sarah (Carlile) Shepherd were: Elizabeth, married William Car- min; Rachel, married William Jones; Re- becca; Cornelius; John; Benjamin; and Joseph.

Cornelius Shepherd, the eldest son, was born on the old homestead in 1797, and died there in 1881. With the exception of a few years prior to the death of his grand- father, when his parents resided in New Britain, his whole life was spent on this farm. In politics he was a Democrat, and took an active part in the councils of his party. He served one term as director of the poor. In religion, he conformed to the principles of the Friends, whose meetings he and his family attended. He was a member of Doylestown Lodge, I. O. O. F., and was an active and influential man in the community. He married Jane, daughter of Eli and Rachel ( Bradshaw) Fell, who was born 2 mo. 12, 1809, on an adjoining farm, and a descendant of one of the oldest fami- lies in the neighborhood, an account of which is given in this work. She was a granddaughter of Seneca and Grace (Holt) Fell, great-granddaughter of John and Elizabeth (Hartley) Fell, and great-great- granddaughter of Benjamin and Hannah (Scarborough) Fell.

Cornelius and Jane (Fell) Shepherd were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom grew to maturity, viz .: Joseph, born 7 mo. 6, 1828, now living in Philadelphia ; Elizabeth, born 9 mo. 25, 1829, widow of Robert Long, now living with her son, Warren S. Long, at Doylestown; Martha Inn, born 2 mo. 8, 1833, widow of Robert Amstrong, now living at Lock Haven, F insylvania; Carlile; Cornelius, born

I 10. 20, 1837, an eminent physician of

Trenton, New Jersey, died 1902; Sarah Jane, born 8 mo. 9, 1840, unmarried, living with her brother Carlile; Watson F., born 12 mo. 28, 1843, a lawyer at Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Jane (Fell) Shepherd died 7 mo., 1889.

The subject of this sketch, born 10 mo. 19, 1834, was reared on the old homestead and acquired his education at the public schools. He has never followed any other vocation than that of a farmer except that he taught school a part of a term as a substitute for an uncle. He remained on the homestead until 1883, from which time until 1902 he farmed in Buckingham as a renter. In the latter year he purchased his present farm of thirty-five acres. In poli- tics he is a Democrat; he was elected in 1892 to the state legislature and served one term. He is a member of the Presbyterian church of Doylestown, of which he has been an elder for thirty years. He has been the superintendent of the Sabbath school at Friendship School for thirty years. He married in 1867 Hannah B. Overholt, daughter of Samuel and Mary Ann (Pick- ering) Overholt, of Chester county, Penn- sylvania. She died in April, 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd were the parents of three children-Harry W., deceased; Wilmer S., now in the stationery business in Philadel- phia; and Laura P., wife of Robert Mc- Nealy, in the employ of the Easton Electric Railway Company.

HENRY C. SHEPHERD, of Bucking- ham, was born in that township, and is a son of John Carlile, and Elmina ( Shaw) Shepherd. On the paternal side he is a descendant of the family mentioned in the preceding sketch, being a grandson of Joseph and Sarah (Carlile) Shepherd, and great-grandson of Cornelius and Katharine Shepherd, who migrated from Baltimore county, Maryland, to Buckingham in 1775.

John C. Shepherd, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch, was born on the old homestead in Buckingham, and in early life learned the trade of a shoemaker and fol- lowed that occupation in Plumstead town- ship for several years. In 1850 he pur- chased the farm of 126 acres in Bucking- ham, now owned by the subject of this sketch, where he resided from that date until his death in 1883. He was an active worker in the Democratic party, and served one term as coroner of the county, 1855- 1857. He was for many years a trustee of the Hughesian Free School, and also a director of the public schools. In religion he was a Friend. His wife, Elmina Shaw, was a daughter of Aaron and Susanna (Brown) Shaw. and was born in Plum- stead township, May 4, 1814, and was mar- ried to John C. Shepherd, April 4, 1838. She died April 29, 1886.

The pioneer ancestor of this branch of the Shaw family was John Shaw, a native of England, who settled in Northampton

31-3

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. .

township in 1697, purchasing in that year 300 acres of land. By his wife Susanna he had ten children, who have left numerous descendants in Bucks county and elsewhere. James Shaw, eldest son of John and Susanna, was born January 9, 1694. In 1724 he purchased of his father-in-law, Thomas Brown, a native of Barking, Essex county, England, 200 acres of land in Plum- stead township, a part of which remained the property of his descendants until 1903, and settled thereon. He died December 3, 1761. By his wife, Mary Brown, he had six children; the sixth, Alexander, born November 24, 1734, died January 11, 1790, was the ancestor of the subject of this sketch. He inherited the old homestead and lived his whole life thereon. He mar- ried Sarah, the widow of Moses Brown, by whom he had eight children. Aaron Shaw, the eighth child of Alexander and Sarah Shaw, was the grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch. He was born on the old homestead, August 19, 1778, and died November 3, 1838. He lived on a portion of the old Shaw homestead. He married, December 13, 1804, Susanna Brown, of Plumstead. The children of Aaron and Susanna (Brown) Shaw were: Rachel ; Amos B .; Charles M .; Harvey; Elmina, the mother of the subject of this sketch; John A .; Aaron and Gilbert. Both the Shaws and Browns were prominent people in Buckingham and Plumstead township, where they were large landowners. Both families were members of the Society of Friends, and there was a number of inter- marriages between them. The Browns donated the land upon which the Plum- stead meeting house stands.

The children of John C. and Elmina (Shaw) Shepherd are: Harvey S., of Chi- cago, Ill. ; John A., of Buckingham; Henry C .; Charles S., deceased, who was insur- ance commissioner in Chicago; and Emily, of Buckingham.

Henry C. Shepherd, the subject of this sketch, was reared on the Buckingham farm and obtained his education at the Hughesian School. His father was an in- valid for many years prior to his death, and, his two brothers having left home to seek their fortunes in the west, the active management of the farm devolved upon him soon after attaining manhood. In 1884 he purchased the farm, his mother removing to the village of Buckingham, where she died two years later. In 1891 Mr. Shepherd was appointed clerk of the board of county com- missioners and removed to Doylestown, where he resided for four years. Return- ing to Buckingham, he again took up the management of the farm. In 1900 he re- moved to the village of Buckingham, but still continues the active management of the farm. In politics he is a Democrat, and takes an active part in the councils of the party. He has served three years as school director, and in 1899 was elected trustee of the llughesian School for life. He is a member of Aquetong Lodge, No. 193, 1. O.

O. F., of Doylestown. He married, in 1883, Minnie W. Holloway, daughter of Henry and Ellen Holloway, of Philadelphia, both deccased. Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd are the parents of one child, Isabelle Emily, born October 18, 1893.

A. OSCAR MARTIN, architect, of Doylestown, was born at Dublin, Bucks county, September 8, 1873, and is a son of Jonas and Mary Catharine ( Crouthamel) Martin. Jonas Martin, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Bucks county, and of German descent, his ancestors having been among the earliest German settlers in upper Bucks. He was a veteran of the civil war, having enlisted in Company D. Captain Jacob Swartz- lander, in the One Hundred and Fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel W. W. H. Davis, on September 17, 1861, being commissioned sergeant of the com- pany. He served the full term of his en- listment, three years, and re-enlisted in the same company for the war. After his re- enlistment, with a number of other mem- bers of the company stationed at Philadel- phia, while the company was being recruited, he paid several visits to his family. In January, 1865, they were ordered to the front and proceeded to Point of Rocks, Virginia, where Sergeant Martin was at- tacked with acute diarrhoea, and died Jan- uary 24, 1865, and is buried in the Na- tional Cemetery at City Point, Virginia, in Section F, Division I, No. 138. His widow, who was Hannah Hill, of Bedminster, is still living at Durham, Bucks county, Penn- sylvania, aged eighty-eight years.

Jonas Martin, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on a farm near Dublin, in Bedminster township, in 1850. He lived on the farm until his eighteenth year, when he was apprenticed to the carpenter trade, and has followed that occupation ever since. He has been a resident of Doylestown for the past thirty years, where he has been a prominent contractor and builder. He married Mary Catharine Crouthamel, who was born in Bedminster township. Bucks county in 1851. the daughter of Michael and Barbara Crouthamel, both of German descent. They were the parents of thir- teen children. twelve of whom survive: Ida. wife of George Freas. a carpenter of Philadelphia : Ezra, a builder and contrac- tor in Philadelphia: A. Oscar, the subject of this sketch: Elmira, wife of Warren Lewis, a painter, residence Philadelphia ; Barbara, residing at home; Frank, a car- penter residing in Philadelphia ; Laura, Raymond, Emma, Hannah and Howard re- siding at home.

A. Oscar Martin, the subject of this sketch, was an infant when his parents removed to Doylestown, and his education was acquired at Doylestown high school. He learned the carpenter trade with his father, but at the age of seventeen years be-

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

gan the study of architectural drawing, and in 1892 entered Drexel Institute, Philadel- phia, where he took up a special course for the study of architectural work. He early displayed special talent for this branch of work, and prior to his college course de- signed numerous buildings. After his grad- uation he spent nearly three years in the offices of prominent architects in New York city, Philadelphia and Buffalo, New York, thereby gaining the necessary experience to equip him for a successful career in his chosen profession. He then located in Doylestown, where he is doing a fine busi- ness. The German Reformed and Meth- odist churches were designed by Mr. Mar- tin, as well as numerous prominent build- ings in other parts of the country. His plans for the development of the grounds and location of building of the Bucks Coun- ty Historical Society were accepted by the building committee, and he drew the sec- ond prize in the competition. Politically Mr. Martin is a Republican. He is a mem- ber of Aquetong Lodge, No. 193, I. O. O. F. Religiously he is a member of the German Reformed church.

He was married in January, 1896, to Miss Minerva Fretz, of Bedminster, and they are the parents of three children : Marian Cathryn, died April 30, 1905; Margaret F., and Fred F.

LEHMAN & SONS. The enterprising firm of Lehman & Sons, retail and whole- sale butchers, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, has been for many years one of the promi- nent business firms of Doylestown. Michael Lehman, the senior member of the firm, was born at Landow, Bavaria, April 22, 1828, and came to America about 1850. He first found employment with John G. Myers, of Plumstead, and later with John Clem- mens, of Doylestown township. In 1861 he started the business of pork butchering at the corner of State and Pine streets, where McGinty's printing establishment now stands, and two years later moved to his present location on the opposite side of State street. In 1865 he entered into nart- nership with Samuel Hall, of Doylestown, and largely increased the business. adding in 1867 the beef butchering branch and shipping large quantities of meat to Phila- delphia. In 1876 he purchased Mr. Hall's interest in the business, and took his son Harry C. into the firm. In the autumn of the same year the other son, Arthur C., also became a member of the firm, under the name of Lehman & Sons, which has continued to the present time, doing a large and successful business, wholesale and re- tail, and maintaining a high standing as a reliable business firm.

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History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 104

Author: Davis, W. W. H. (William Watts Hart), 1820-1910; Ely, Warren S. (Warren Smedley), b. 1855; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921 Publication date: 1905 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Davis, W. W. H. (William Watts Hart), 1820-1910; Ely, Warren S. (Warren Smedley), b. 1855; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1040