USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III > Part 106
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The subject of this sketch was born in Hilltown, and removed with his parents to Buckingham in 1887. On November 18, 1890, he married Mary Kern, a na-
tive of Plumstead, daughter of John and Christiana (Saylor) Kern, the former a native of Bingen, and the latter of Baden, Germany. Mr. Schmitt assumed the conduct of his father's farm in 1891 and purchased it in 1897, and takes pride in making it one of the neatest and most productive in the neighborhood. In poli- tics he is a Democrat. He is a member of the German Aid Society of Doyles- town, the Doylestown Mennaerchor, St. Joseph's Society, and a number of other benevolent institutions. Mr. and Mrs. Schmitt have two children, Ruth Elizabeth and Grace.
THEODORE P. HARVEY, for a quar- ter of a century an expert telegraph opera- tor, was born in Doylestown township, February 18, 1833, being a son of Joseph · and Ann (Horner) Harvey. Mr. Harvey was reared on the farm and received such education as could be attained at the pub- lic schools, and afterwards was a pupil of Rev. Silas M. Andrews in a private school at Doylestown. He was an apt student and acquired a good education. He studied telegraphy and learned the manipulation of the key under Thomas H. Walton, of Doylestown, when seventeen years of age, and soon became an expert operator. After filling the position as operator at Doyles- town he was called to Allentown, and from there to Norristown. At the latter place he also conducted a drug store. In 1858 he went to Cincinnati, where he filled a responsible position for one year, during which time he was called upon to transmit a presidential message, which he did accu- rately and expeditiously. In 1859 he re- turned to Doylestown and assumed the management of the local telegraph business, and continued in that capacity until his death, on February 5. 1886. He was inter- ested in several local enterprises, and was at one time joint owner with the late James Kane of the Doylestown Gas Works. He was a careful business man, a good ac- countant, and faithful and efficient in all trusts reposed in him. He was a member of Doylestown Council, No. 166, Jr. O. U. A. M., and the treasurer of that institution for many years prior to his death. In poli- tics he was a stanch Democrat. He was married in 1861 to Lydia A. Shearer, daughter of Jesse W. and Margaret (Kneedler) Shearer, of Doylestown town- ship, who survives him, and is a resident of Doylestown.
Jesse Shearer, father of Mrs. Harvey, was born in Montgomery county in 1808. In early life he was a school teacher, and later was a clerk in Polk's store at White- hallville (now Chalfont), for some years, and then went into the mercantile business for himself at North Wales. After suc- cessfully conducting the store there for several years, he removed to a farm in Warrington township. Several years prior
Theo I Harry
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
48 )
to his death he removed to Doylestown, where he died June 3, 1886. His wife, Margaret Kneedler, was born in Mont- gomery county in 1815, and died in Doyles- town in 1882. They, as well as their daughter, were members of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Harvey was their only child.
ASA MATLACK STACKHOUSE, M. D., of Moorestown, New Jersey, formerly of Langhorne, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, was born in Philadelphia, 7 mo. 21, 1845, and is a representative of one of the oldest and most prominent families in Bucks county. He is a son of Robert and Ann Roberts (Matlack) Stackhouse. The ancestry of the Stack- house family is traced in England to the year 1086, and in America traces back to the year 1682, when Thomas Stackhouse, of the village of Stackhouse, in the dean- ery of Craven, West Riding of York- shire, came to America, arriving at New Castle 10 mo. 27, 1682, accompanied by his wife Margery and two nephews, Thomas and John Stackhouse. They all settled in Middletown township and took up large tracts of land. Thomas Stack- house, the elder, lost his wife Margery, who died II mo. 15, 1682, and he mar- ried in I mo., 1702, Margaret Atkinson, nee Fell, daughter of Christopher Fell, of Newtown, Lancashire, and widow of Christopher Atkinson, who had died on board the "Britanica" in 1699 on his way to Pennsylvania. Thomas Stack- house died in 1706 without issue. Thomas and John Stackhouse both reared large families in Middletown, and have both left numerous descendants. The latter died in Middletown in 1757.
Thomas Stackhouse was a very proni- inent man in the community, represent- ing his county in the colonial assembly of Pennsylvania for the years 1711 to 1715, inclusive, and then declining a re-elec- tion. He was also collector of proprie- tary qitit-rents for Bucks county; served as one of the commissioners to lay out roads, and in many other capacities of trust. He was one of the active mem- mers of Middletown Monthly Meeting of Friends, and built their meeting house in 1690. He took up 507 acres of land in Middletown on the Neshaminy, and in 1707 bought 1200 acres of Francis Rich- ardson. He died 4 mo. 26, 1744. He was three times married: first, on 7 1110. 27, 1688, to Grace Heaton, daughter of Rob- ert and Alice Heaton, who was born in Yorkshire, I mo. 14, 1667, and accom- panied her parents to Pennsylvania in 1682 in the "Welcome" with William Penn; she died 8 mo. 8, 1708, and Thomas married (second) on I mo. 1, 171I, at Falls Meeting, Ann Mayos, widow of Ed- ward Mayos, who died 5 mo. 6, 1724, and Thomas married a third time, in 8 mio.,
1725, Dorothy Heston, widow of Ze- bulon Heston of Wrightstown, who sur- vived him. Thomas and Grace (Hea- ton) Stackhouse were the parents of nine children, viz .: Samuel, John, Rob- ert, Henry, Grace, Alice, Thomas, Jo- seph and Benjamin.
Thomas and Ann (Mayos) Stackhouse were the parents of five children, viz .: Isaac died at age of two years; Jacob, Ann, Sarah and Isaac. Nearly all these children lived to rear families and have left numerous descendants, the four daughters marrying into the families of Longshore, Plumly, Wilson and Cary. Thomas and Dorothy (Heston) Stack- house left no children.
Robert Stackhouse, third son of Thomas and Grace, was born 9 mo. 8, 1692. He married Margaret Stone and settled on a tract of land purchased by his father, "adjoining Pigeon Swamp" in Bristol township, which was later de- vised to him by his father's will. He later removed to Berwick on the Suis- quehanna, where he resided until his death in 1788, at the advanced age of ninety-six years. Robert and Margaret were the parents of eight children: Thomas, Joseph, James, Grace, Benja- min, Alice, William and Robert.
James Stackhouse, third son of Rob- ert and Margaret (Stone) Stackhouse, was born in Bucks county II mo. (Jan- mary), II, 1725-6, and married 10 mo. 13, 1750, Martha Hastings, who was born 4 mno. 27, 1722, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Hill) Hastings, and granddaugh- ter of Joshua Hastings, who represented Chester county in the colonial assembly, residing then near Chester, but later re- moved to Philadelphia. His son John. Hastings married Grace Stackhouse, sis- ter of James. The children of James and Martha (Hastings) Stackhouse were: Margaret, Hastings, Mary, Amos, Mar- tha, James, and another Amos, who died in infancy. James, the father, died in Philadelphia, 8 mo. 16, 1759, and his wife Martha died 6 mo. 23, 1806. He is in- terred at the Arch street Friends' bury- ing ground.
Amos Stackhouse, third son of James and Martha (Hastings) Stackhouse, was born 5 mo. 4, 1757, and was married at Mt. Holly, New Jersey, I mo. 14, 1779, to Mary Powell, born 7 mo. 9, 1763, daughter of John and Susanna (Bryan) Powell, granddaughter of Isaac and Elizabethı (Perdue) Powell, who were married August 10, 1729, Isaac being a son of John and Elizabeth (Parker) Powell, and a grandson of Robert and Prudence Powell, the former of whom came to New Jersey in the ship "Kent." 6 mo. 16, 1667, and settled near Bur- lington, West Jersey. Amos Stackhouse died 4 mo. 5. 1825, and his widow Mary 7 mo. 15, 1841. They were the parents of thirteen children, viz .: Susanna, Hast- ings, Martha, Powell, Esther, Martha,
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
second of the name; James. Samuel P., Amos, Robert, Mary P., John P., and another Robert who had died in infancy.
Robert Stackhouse, son of Amos and Mary (Powell) Stackhouse, was born in Philadelphia 12 mno. II, 1801, and died I mo. 6, 1881. He married (first) 4 mo. 23, 1829, Elizabeth Davis Kimber, of Richard and Elizabeth, by whom he had: Tacy J., born 3 mo. 13, 1830, died II mo. 2, 1837; Edward Livingston, born 3 mo. 27, 1833; Tacy Elizabeth, born II mo. 25, 1838. He married (second) Ann Roberts Matlack, daughter of Asa and Tamar (Roberts) Matlack, 9 m0. 21, 1841, by whom he had Asa Matlack Stackhouse, born 7 mo. 21, 1845. Tacy Elizabeth, of Robert and Elizabeth, married I mo. 2, 1862, Allen Lippencott, M. D., of Fallsington, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Dr. Lippincott died 2 mo. 28, 1863, when she married II mo. 25, 1867, Milnor Gillingham, who is also de- ceased; no issue. Tacy E. Gillingham and her brother Edward L. Stackhouse reside at Fallsington, Pennsylvania.
The paternal ancestor of Matlock fam- ily was William Matlack, born about the year 1648 in Cropwell Bishop, Notting- hamshire, England, who came to Bur- lington county, West Jersey, with Dan- iel Wills in the ship "Kent," arriving at Burlington in October, 1677. In 1682 he married Mary Hancock, from Brayles, Warwickshire, England, aged about six- teen years at the time of her marriage. They were the parents of nine children: John, George, Mary, William, Jr., Rich- ard, Joseph, Timothy, Jane and Sarah. Of these Timothy, who married Mary Haines in 1720, was the father of Tim- othy Matlack, at one time secretary of the continental congress and for many years secretary of the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania during the Rev- olution.
William Matlack, Jr., third son of William and Mary (Hancock) Matlack, married in 1713 Ann Antrim, daughter of John and Frances Antrim, of North- ampton township. Burlington county, who were among the earliest settlers in Burlington county, New Jersey, where John died in 1719. William Matlack, Jr., died in Chester township, Burlington county. New Jersey, in 1730, leaving chil- dren, Jeremiah, William. Rebeckah, Rachel. Leah, Mary, James and Anın.
William Matlack (3) born 6 mo. 31, 1725, married Mary Turner in 10 mo. I. 1748, and their son Reuben Matlack, born II mo. 17, 1757, married Elizabeth Coles, in I mo. 23. 1783, a descendant of Samuel Coles and of William and Thomas Budd, all early members of the colonial assembly of New Jersey, and their son Asa Matlack, born 10 m10. 21, 1783. who married Tamar Roberts 5 mo. 12, 1807. was the father of Anna Rob- erts Matlack, who married Robert Stack- house.
ASA MATLACK STACKHOUSE was educated in the public schools of Moores- town, New Jersey, and entered the junior class of the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated from that institution in the class of 1865. He sub- sequently studied medicine, graduating from Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia, in 1868, and practiced med- icine in Attleborough (now Langhorne) Bucks county, and elsewhere for a num- ber of years, but has now retired from practice and resides at Moorestown, New Jersey. He has always taken. an interest in local history and the gen- ealogy of the old families of Bucks county and vicinity, and has contributed a number of articles on these subjects to the local papers,
Dr. Stackhouse was married at Allen- town, Pennsylvania, 12 mo. 8, 1868, to Ella Jane Romig, daughter of William J. and Mary Ann Catharine (Royer) Romig, and they are the parents of two children: William Romig Stackhouse, of Moorestown, New Jersey, who was born in Chester township, Burlington county, New Jersey, January 10, 1870, and mar- ried Rebecca Gibson; and Ernest Robert Stackhouse, born at Allentown, Pennsyl- vania, December 3, 1884. Another child, Ernest Raymond, born January 17, 1874, died young.
William R. Stackhouse above mentioned has been for several years past engaged in connection with his cousin, the late Powell Stackhouse, in extensive gen- ealogical researches, and his history of the Stackhouse Family is now in press.
SUMMERS FAMILY. Hance George Summers ( Sommer in German), the an- sector of the Summers family, and great- great-grandfather of William Summers, of Conshohocken, with his wife Elizabeth and children Johannes, Hans Martin, George, Peter and Margaretha Elizabeth, arrived in Philadelphia from Germany on Septem- ber 22, 1752, in the ship "Brothers," Cap- tain William Muir. Philip and Henry, also sons, arrived September 22, 1754, in the ship "Edinburg," James Russel, master. Hance George Summers resided in Lower Dublin township in 1769.
Johannes, born 1737, married, January 24, 1764, Elizabeth Reidannauer; at the date of his marriage his residence was near New Hanover. (There was a John in
Moreland in 1774.) Children : John, born February 24, 1765.
Martin died in March, 1804; married July 6, 1769, Anna Barbara Geiss: children : Philip; Henry; and Elizabeth, married Loedwyk Sharp. Martin lived in Lower Dublin in 1769: he was an employe in the United States mint from its organization to 1804, as were also some of his descend- ants down to 1899; he was a private in Cap- tain Ezekial Lett's company in the war of
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
the Revolution; muster roll, August 25, 1779.
Peter died November 24, 1783; married August 3, 1769, Catharine Maenchen. Chil- dren : Ernest, Margaret and Catharine. He lived in North Ward, Philadelphia, in 1774; he served in the war of the Revolution, filling the following positions in the Fourth Pennsylvania Regiment ; ensign, second lieutenant, first lieutenant and quarter- master.
George, born April 5, 1745; died October 14, 1825; married Ann , born 1752, died March 16, 1829. Children : John, died 1781; Eli; David and Martin; George was a drummer in the Sixth Pennsylvania Regi- ment in the war of the Revolution. He re- sided at the time of his death in Warring- ton township, Bucks county. He and his wife and son John are interred in the churchyard of Upper Dublin Evangelical Lutheran church, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.
Henry died October, 1798; marred, May 6, 1766, Catharine Dessinger. Children : Mary, married Daniel Linker; Henry Sum- mers Linker, and Elizabeth, who married 'Squire Clevenger. Henry was enrolled as a private in Captain Isaac Cooper's com- pany, muster roll dated November 2, 1778, war of the Revolution. He resided in the city of Philadelphia.
Philip Summers, great-grandfather of William Summers, was born October 2, 1728; died May 2, 1814; married February 24, 1764, by the Rev. Henry Melchoir Muh- lenberg, pastor of St. Michael's and Zion's Lutheran church, Philadelphia, to Salome Reibel, daughter of Nicholas and Susannah. Salome, born 1739, died May 20, 1817. Philip and his wife are interred in the churchyard of St. John's Lutheran church, Race street, Philadelphia. Philip purchased November 24, 1774, a farm of 165 acres in Horsham township, Philadelphia (now Montgomery ) county, of Charles Steadman, and here resided until March 29, 1796, when he sold his homestead to Job Spencer and removed to Philadelphia. Previous to pur- chasing his farm he resided in the follow- ing places : Douglass, Cheltenham, and Manor of Moreland in 1769. Philip was enrolled as a private in Captain David Mar- pole's company, 1777-1780. His name is in the depreciation pay roll, Pennsylvania Ar- chives, vol. 13, p. 721. Children :
I. Martin Summers, grandfather, born December 5, 1764, died July 27, 1845. (See forward.)
2. Nicholas Summers, born September 10, 1767, died March 24, 1854; married Ann Hoover, born November 8, 1776, died Au- gust 8, 1827. Children : John, Sarah, Isaac and Enos.
3. Philip Summers, born 1770, died July 3, 1834; married Catharine Hurst, born De- cember 18, 1772, died June 18, 1827. Chil- dren : Henry, John, Philip, William, Anna, Mary, Jesse and Charles.
4. John Summers, born 1770, died April 10, 1846; married Catharine Kneedler, born
1777, died February 12, 1835. Children : Jacob, John and Elizabeth.
5. Anthony, born 1773, died August 22, 1816, single. He enlisted May 4, 1812, for five years in the Fourth Regiment United States army, and died at Creek Agency.
6. George Summers, born 1775; married Elizabeth Dotts. Children: John, George, Jacob, Henry, Samuel, Mary and Elizabeth. 7. Henry Summers, born 1775; married Maria Magdalena Shearer, died. May 24, 1802. Children : Henry and Samuel. Mar- ried (second) Susannah Johnson. Chil- dren: Elizabeth and Elijah.
8. Peter. Summers, born 1778, died March 12, 1865; married Susannah Schwenk, born July 24, 1770, died March 10, 1865. Chil- dren : Eva Maria, Sarah and Noalı.
9. Elizabeth Summers, born September I, 1781, ded October 12, 1803.
Martin Summers (grandfather,) named above, born December 5, 1764, died July 27, 1845; married Elizabeth Houpt, born Au- gust 4, 1766, died November 4, 1822. Issue : Sarah, married George Bossert; George, married Sarah Hilkerd; Martin, married Elizabeth Freed; Anna Margaret, married Nicholas Gouldy; Philip, married Ann Shutt; Elizabeth, marred Andrew Keel; Samuel, married Eliza Whitby; Hannah, married Philip Shambough. Martin mar- ried ( second) December II, 1823, Mrs. Anna Elizabeth Sterigere, born January 1, 1770; died June 21, 1853. She was the widow of Peter Sterigere, sister to his first wife. He and first wife are interred in the church- yard of St. John's Episcopal church, Nor- ristown, Pennsylvania. His first place of residence was in Horsham township, second Gwynedd township, third Providence town- ship, 1803; fourth Norriton township, where he purchased, April 5, 1810, a farm of 104 acres of John Brown. He was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran church, North Wales (known as "the yellow church"). He was elected a deacon of this church November 16, 1796. His residence at that time was Gwynedd township.
Samuel Summers ( father), son of Martin and Elizabeth (Houpt) Summers, was born in Providence (now Upper Providence) township September 27, 1804; died July 18, 1881; married March 22, 1832, by Rev. George Wack, to Eliza Whitby, born March 22, 1809, died November 16, 1898. She was the daughter of Anthony and Mary ( Berk- heimer) Whitby. He resided in the bor- ough of Norristown, and for several years was employed by the borough ; in later years he bought and sold country produce. He and his wife are interred in Montgomery ceme- tery, Norristown, Pennsylvania. Children :
William (subject), born May 30, 1833. Martin, born November 2, 1836; died May 12, 1872; was a soldier in the Civil war, Company G, One Hundred and Fourteenth Pennsylvania Regiment. Charles, born De- cember 2, 1839; died January 14, 1874; em- ployed as a clerk with his brother William, at Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Anna Elizabeth, born January 7, 1843: resides at
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
Norristown, Pennsylvania. George M., born July 19, 1845; died November 12, 1872; was a soldier in the Civil war, Com- pany D, Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania Regi- ment. Albert, born April 24, 1848; resides at Norristown, Pennsylvania; married Theresa Manes; no issue.
William Summers, the eldest son of Sam- uel and Eliza ( Whitby) Summers, was born May 30, 1833, in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He received his education in the public schools. In the year 1851 he was employed as a clerk in a general store at Consho- hocken, Pennsylvania. In 1858 he con- menced business as a dealer in general mer- chandise on the corner of Fayette and Washington streets. In 1880 lie erected the store on the corner of Fayette and Elm streets, where he continued business until the year 1900, when he retired. He took an active part in promoting the growth and improvement of the borough. He was elected burgess of the borough of Con- shohocken for two terms, and also served as a member of town council and school director for several terms. He also served as a director in the Conshohocken Gas and Water Company. At the present time he is librarian of the Montgomery County His- torical Society and a member of the Penn- sylvania German Society. On October 10, 1858, he married Henrietta Yost, born March 26, 1833; died May 18, 1887, daugh- ter of Abraham and Maria (Christman) Yost. She was a great-great-granddaugh- ter of Jacob Yost, born March 16, 1696; married July, 1732, Elizabeth Shambough. He emigrated to ths country from Zwi- brucken, Germany, landing in Philadelphia, September 21, 1727. Children :
William E. Summers, born June 6, 1860, died March 9, 1897; married, February 8, 1888, Anne Donnelly, born June, 1866. Chil- dren : William, born November, 1888; died July, 1889; Frances, born July 9, 1891.
Clara E. Summers, born July 16, 1865; married July 26, 1900, John Murray, born July 14, 1865. They reside at Wharton, New Jersey.
Lillian E. Summers, born December 5, 1875.
OLIVER M. THOMAS, of Hilltown township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, near Line Lexington, is the sole survivor, of the paternal name, of a family that was once very numerous in Hilltown, and whose members were among the largest landown- ers and most influential people in the town- ship. He also resides on land taken up and improved by his ancestors nearly two cen- turies ago.
Rev. William Thomas, or as he was more familiarly known, "Elder Thomas," the pa- ternal ancestor of the Thomas family of Bucks county, was born in the year 1678, in Lanwenarth, Merionethshire, Wales, on the borders of England. He belonged to a family that possessed considerable means, being freeholders of a considerable estate.
Ilis parents were members of a Baptist church in Merioneth, and he was reared in the tenets of that faith, and, receiving a superior education for his time, and being of a studious and pious disposition, he be- came a speaker in religious meetings of his sect when still a young man, and, though never an ordained minister, continued to administer to
the spiritual needs
of his neighbors tire life. Rev. Abel Morgan, for many through his en- years pastor of the Baptist church at Penny- pack, and the founder of the Montgomery Baptist church, and also a native of Mer- ioneth, was his acquaintance and friend: Prior to his coming to America his parents located on a farm called Blassaw of Wyn, in the parish of Bedwlldy, some distance from the place of his nativity. At the death of his parents he sold the patrimonial estate, and being possessed of sufficient means to settle himself comfortably in a new country where land was cheap, he made his pre- parations to embark for Pennsylvania. He had married in 1710 Ann (maiden name not recorded), born in 1680, and his eldest child Thomas was born in Wales in 17II. In January, 1711-12, he transported his house- hold goods and his wife and infant child to Bristol, England, and, having engaged passage on a ship lying there bound for Philadelphia, had his goods, clothing and the greater part of his cash taken aboard. Being informed that the ship would not sail for several days, he took his family to the country to await the day of sailing. Though he returned before the appointed time, the ship had already sailed, though still in sight. After an ineffectual attempt to overtake her he was forced to await the sailing of a later vessel. He and his family arrived in Phila- delphia on February 14, 1712, and, though he found the vessel there in which his goods had been transported, the dishonest master had absconded with everything of value he could lay his hands on, and he had the mortification of seeing some of his own clothes on the backs of persons who had bought them of the dishonest master. Wholly without funds or any worldly po- sessions, he was forced to look about for means of obtaining a livelihood. Fortun- ately, he had learned the useful craft of a cooper, and, meeting with a family by the name of Watkins, whom he had known in the old country, he obtained sufficient funds to pay for his passage and to equip him in a modest way to follow his trade. In the latter part of the year 1713 he located in Radnor township, now Delaware county, where he followed the trade of a cedar cooper for some time, returning later to the east side of the Schuylkill and locating in the Northern Liberties. By industry and shrewd business tact in the course of five years he accumulated sufficient funds to re- pay his benefactors and to warrant him in fulfilling his original intention of becoming a freeholder. At that time the township of Hilltown, though already surveyed, was heid in large tracts of one thousand to three
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HISTORY OF ,BUCKS COUNTY.
thousand acres by a few residents of Phila- delphia and vicinity. Among these was Jeremiah Langhorne, of Bucks county, then chief justice of Pennsylvania. Of him Mr. Thomas purchased 440 acres lying along the county line between Line Lexington and Telford, for eighty-eight pounds. The pur- chase, being consummated February 12 1718, William Thomas removed his growing family to his new purchase, which was en- tirely unimproved. He soon erected a sub- stantial though modest house which con- tinued to shelter him and some of his de- scendants until nearly a century later, being demolished in 1812. Continuing his life- long habits of industry and thrift, he was able five years later to purchase another tract of three hundred acres one and a half miles further north, part of which is still in possession of the subject of this sketch. In 1725 he purchased 406 acres in two tracts, one of them adjoining his first pur- chase, and the other adjoining the New Britain line, where he later erected a Bap- tist church and gave to the township, with land sufficient for a graveyard. In 1728 he purchased another fifty acres, making in all 1258 acres, whose total cost was 361 pounds.
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