History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 145

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 145

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THEODORE LIPPINCOTT, of Cornwells, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, whose reputation in business circles is an enviable one, having been gained by thoroughiness, promptness, ability and a capacity for details of a high order, was born in Byberry, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, July 8. 1855, a son of Joshua and Mary ( Wright) Lippincott.

When only six years of age Theodore Lippincott was deprived by death of a mother's care, and at this tender age he began to make his own living, assisting to the best of his ability in the family of Nathan Tyson, with whom he lived for a year and a half. The following four- teen years he resided with the various members of one family, and after his marriage in 1879 he farmed for Edward Comley at Byberry. He then assumed the management of the Pancoast farm in Bensalem township, remaining there five years, and at the expiration of this pe- riod of time purchased a farm on the Newportville road, which he sold one year later. He then rented the Middle- ton farm for three years, after which lie purchased a store at Cornwells, where he conducted a general merchandise busi- ness for five years. After disposing of this he became a commercial traveler, in which capacity he served for a time, and then purchased the store at Cornwells, which he conducted successfully from

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1897 to 1901, a period of four years. In addition to the various enterprises in which he has been engaged, he faithfully and efficiently performed the duties of postmaster, having been appointed the incumbent during Grover Cleveland's ad- ministration as president of the United States. Since attaining his majority Mr. Lippincott has cast his vote with the Democratic party, for whose interests he has zealously worked.

Mr. Lippincott was married, July 30, 1879, to Cathrine Bunting, daughter of Joseph Bunting, and their children are: I. Harry S., born May 8, 1880, a resident at Cornwells, who was married in Oc- tober, 1900, to Anna Simonds, and they are the parents of one child, Alvin, born February 6, 1902. 2. Alvin T., born Sep- tember 9, 1882, who for the past four years has been an accountant with the American Pipe Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia. 3. Raymond, who died in infancy.

CHARLES WESLEY SHARPLESS. The pioneer ancestor of the Sharpless fam- ily, worthily represented in the present generation by Charles Wesley Sharpless, of Langhorne Manor, was John Sharpless, who was born in Cheshire, England, in 1624, married Jane Moor, emigrated to America, settling near Chester, Pennsylvania, and died April II 1685. The line of descent is as follows : James, who married Mary Edge ; David, who married Priscilla . Powell ; David, who married Sarah Moore; Benja- min, who married Mary Cowan; David, who married Mary Ann Stedinan, parents of Charles Wesley Sharpless, who was born in Philadelphia, April 22, 1842.

Charles W. Sharpless, after completing his education in the public schools of his native city, engaged under his father in the card manufacturing business, of which the latter was general manager for A. M. Col- lins, card manufacturers, later A. M. Col- lins, Son & Co., and subsequently the A. M. Collins Manufacturing Company. Mr. Sharp- less continued in this concern as superin- tendent up to the time of his father's death, when he was promoted to the position of general manager, the place vacated by the death of his father, in 1866, and this connec- tion has continued from then up to the pres- ent time. The A. M. Collins Manufacturing Company is the largest of its kind in the United States, and by honorable transac- tions has gained an international reputa- tion. Mr. Sharpless takes considerable in- terest in political affairs, is a Republican from conviction, and at the present time (1905) is chief burgess of Langhorne Manor. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, affiliated with Kensington Lodge, No. 211; Girard Mark Lodge. No. 214; Palestine Chapter, No. 241 ; and Mary Com- manderv. No. 36. He is also a member of the Veteran Association of Pennsylvania ; of Fidelity Lodge, No. 138, Independent

Order of Odd Fellows; United Brothers' Encampment, of Philadelphia, and Delta Castle, No. 216, Knights of the Golden Eagle.

Mr. Sharpless married May 3, 1863, Delinda Dover Conn, of Philadelphia, and their children were as follows: I. William C., born August 12, 1864, died December 2, 1865. 2. Alfred Collins, born June 22, 1870, was educated in the public schools of Phil- adelphia and Pierce's Business College and is now a clerk in the department store of Lit Bros. of Philadelphia. He married, Au- gust II, 1900, Kate Spieler, of Philadelphia, who was born December 12, 1869, a daugh- ter of Charles H. and Elizabeth Spieler, the former named having been born in Wurtem- berg, Germany, December 1, 1828, died January 24, 1886, aged fifty-eight years, and the latter was born in Philadelphia, September 1, 1831, now seventy-three years of age. Alfred C. and Kate (Spieler) Sharpless are the parents of one child, Delinda Elizabeth, born August 27, 1902. 3. Ella H., born November 9, 1873, died August 21, 1874. 4. Charles Wesley, Jr., born August 30, 1877, was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia and at Pierce's Business College, and is now super- intendent in the A. M. Collins Manufac- turing Company, in which his father is serv- ing in the capacity of general manager. He married Gabrielle Houpt, of Philadelphia, daughter of Dr. Houpt, and they are the parents of one child, Eleanor. Mrs. Sharp- less, the mother of these children, died, and on April 3, 1903, Mr. Sharpless married Gertrude Bowen, daughter of William S. and Elizabeth (Torton) Bowen, and grand- daughter of Thomas and Ann (Duerr) Torton on the maternal side.

HENRY Y. PICKERING, of Lower Makefield township, Bucks county, was born in Philadelphia, January 9, 1854, and is a son of Thomas Elwood and Mercy (Paist) Pickering. His ancestors have been residents of Bucks county for over two centuries, his first paternal ancestor of whom we have any distinct record be- ing Samuel Pickering, who married, in 1712, Mary Scarborough, daughter of John Scarborough, of Solebury, a granddaughter of John Scarborough, of the parish of St. Sepulcre, London, Eng- land, who purchased land in Bucks county in 1682, and gave a power of at- torney to his son John, of Solebury, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1696 to convey the same. Samuel Pickering died in Solebury 8 mo. 19. 1727. His wife Mary survived him nearly sixty years, dying I mo. 10, 1787, aged nearly one hundred years. They were the parents of five children : John, Isaac, Samuel, William and Grace.

John Pickering. eldest son of Samuel and Mary (Scarborough) Pickering. was born in Solebury in 1714, and died on the

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

old homestead there 2 mo. 1, 1787. Hle married in 1745 Hannah Dawes, who died in 1796. They were the parents of three children: John, Jesse, and Hannah, who married Jonathan Johnson. John Pick- ering, eldest son of John and Hannah (Dawes) Pickering, was born in Sole- bury 7 mo. 27, 1748, and married in 1771 Rachel Duer, of Makefield, and had the fol- lowing children: Joseph, Benjamin, Phin- cas, William, John, Yemans, Stacy, and Mercy, who married Robert Paist.

Yemans Pickering, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born on the old homestead in Solebury, that had been the property of his ancestors for a century, on May 12, 1784. He followed the trade of a carpenter in early life. but carried on farming in connection there- with. On his marriage in 1808 he set- tled in Upper Makefield township, re- moving to Buckingham three years later, where he remained until 1840, when he removed to Lower Makefield township, where he had purchased a farm, on which he resided until 1861. In the latter year he removed to Newtown borough, where he died a year later. He married in 1808 Rachel Beans, of Upper Make- field, by whom he had eight children: Mary, born 8 mo. 28, 1809; Hannah, born 7 mo. 23, 18II, married Job Roberts; Timothy, born 7 mo. 7, 1813: Rachel Duer, born 9 mo. 21, 1815; Phineas, born I mo. 12, 1819; Thomas Elwood, born March 4, 1821; Elizabeth, born 9 mo. 29, 1823; Henry Y. (Captain), born 4 mo. 20, 1831.

Thomas Elwood Pickering was born in Buckingham township, and spent his boyhood days there, acquiring his edu- cation the Buckingham Friends' school. He learned the carpenter trade with his father, and on arriving at man- hood removed to Philadelphia, where he followed the business of a carpenter and builder until 1856. when he returned to Bucks county, purchasing the farm where the subject of this sketch still re- sides, and devoting his attention to agri- cultural pursuits until his death, on July 31, 1869. Like his ancestors for many generations, he was a member of the So- ciety of Friends. He married his cousin, Mercy Paist. daughter of Robert and Mercy (Pickering) Paist.

Henry Y. Pickering, the subject of this sketch, was the only child of Thomas Elwood and Mercy Pickering, and was but two years of age when his parents removed to the Lower Makefield farm, where he has ever since resided. Until 1892 he devoted his entire atten- tion to farming. Since that time he has leased his farm and devotes his attention to the sale of fertilizers and farm im- plements at Yardley. though continu- ing to reside upon the farm. In poli- tics he is a Republican, and has been a member of the county committee for many years. He has been assessor of

Lower Makefield township continuously since 1884. He is a member of New- town Lodge, No. 335, K. of P .; Yardley Lodge, No. 159, A. O. U. W .; and of Newtown Castle, No. 121, A. O. K. 01 the M. C. He married, December 19, 1876, Lizzie W. Taylor, daughter of Jacob H. and Rebecca (Pitman) Taylor. They have no children.

CHARLES VAN HART. One of the skilled farmers of Upper Makefield town- ship is Charles Van Hart. The great- grandfather of Mr. Van Hart emigrated from Holland and settled in Falls town- ship before the revolutionary war. The son of this ancestor, Jacob Van Hart, who was a farmer and shoemaker, mar- ried Mary, daughter of Daniel Richard- son, who was one of the pioneers of the county and lived near Dolington. They were the parents of fifteen children, one of whom, Charles Van Hart, was a farmer in Upper Makefield township, and married Eliza Tomlinson. One of their seven children was David, mentioned at length hereinafter. After the death of his wife, Mr. Van Hart married Jane Jackson.

David Van Hart, son of Charles and Eliza (Tomlinson) Van Hart, was born August 15, 1846, in Bucks county, ob- tained his education in the common schools, and for many years engaged in agricultural pursuits in different parts of the county. He has been a member of the school board for nine years, and for ten years has served as collector of the township. He is a Republican in poli- tics, and for the last twenty-one years has served as one of the trustees of the Thompson Memorial Presbyterian church. He married, in September, 1869, Frances Jackson, of Solebury township, and they are the parents of three sons: Eugene, who lives in Brooklyn, New York: Charles, mentioned at length here- inafter; and Abner, who resides in Nor- ristown, Pennsylvania.

Charles Van Hart. son of David and Frances (Jackson) Van Hart, was born December 13, 1872, in Upper Makefield township, where he received his educa- tion in the common schools. He rented the Enos Merrick farm, and after re- maining there a year, became manager of the farm of Edward Horn, both these estates being in his native township. He then worked one year for his father, after which he moved to the Charles Twining farm in Newtown township. He remained there two years and then took up his abode on the Slack farm, which he has cultivated for the last four years. For one year he filled the office of tax collector of Newtown township, and he has also served as a member of the elec- tion board. He affiliates with Silvan Lodge, No. 265, I. O. O. F., of Newtown.

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In politics he adheres to the Republican party. He is a member and trustee of the Thompson Memorial Presbyterian Church. Mr. Van Hart married, March 4, 1896, Sarah W., daughter of Andrew and Florence (Worstell) Wiley, of New Hope, and they have one child, Leroy S.

WASHINGTON O. CROUTHAMEL, the proprietor of the Ottoway House, Buckingham, was born in Bedminster township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1848, and is of German de- scent, his parents, Jacob S. and Caroline (Ott) Crouthamel, both natives of Bed- minster, being descendants of two of the oldest families in that township, their ancestors having been among the first settlers in that township prior to 1750.

Mr. Crouthamel has had a somewhat itinerant career in his native county, as salesman, merchant and hotel keeper. At the age of fourteen years he began his mercantile career as a clerk in a coun- try store in Tinicum township, where he remained three years. After a year at Applebachsville he accepted a position in the hat store of William Jacoby, in Phil- adelphia. Two years later he entered the large mercantile establishment of Jonas D. Moyer & Co., at Dublin, where he re- mained two years. After two and a half years in the store of William Detweiler, at New Galena (now Levin), and a year at Perkasie he accepted a responsible po- sition with Reuben H. Delp, at Church Hill, who at that time opened a store in connection with his tannery at that place. After three years with Mr. Delp he en- tered into partnership with Henry Rob- inson, the genial auctioneer, and opened a store at Line Lexington under the firm name of H. Robinson & Co., which con- tinued for two years, when he sold out his interest in the firm and opened a store at New Galena, where he conducted a successful business for three years, after which he conducted a store at New Britain Station for eighteen months. and returned to New Galena for another two years. He then sold out his store and became a salesman in the store of E. M. Armstrong. at Doylestown, remaining with Mr. Armstrong's successor. J. A. Linn, for one year, and then entering the large store of A. F. & O. R. Scheetz. In 1886 he was a traveling salesman for Reeves, Parvin & Co., wholesale grocers, and the following year entered the em- ploy of A. S. Heelyer & Son, at Doyles- town, where he remained for ten years. After conducting a store in the Thomp- son building, Doylestown, for one year he purchased the Buckingham Hotel. which he conducted for two and a half years, when he returned to Doylestown and purchased the stock of the Lenape Hat and Gents' Furnishing Store, and conducted it for eighteen months, when

he purchased the Gardenville Hotel. Two years later he again purchased his pres- ent hotel, and has remained there since. Mr. Crouthamel was a popular and suc- cessful salesman, and in his many and varied ventures has always enjoyed the confidence of the people with whom he came in contact.

Mr. Crouthamel was married on Feb- ruary 13, 1873, to Mary A. Myers, of Dublin, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and to this marriage were born six children, three of whom survive: Harvey K .; Will- jam M., married to Martha May Ridge; and Edward M. Mr. Crowthamel and his family are members of the Lutheran church. In politics he and his sons are Democrats.

ROBERT L. BALDERSTON. Among the best-known citizens of Bucks county must be numbered Robert L. Balderston, of Upper Makefield township. The fam- ily is of English origin, and for several generations has been resident in Bucks county. John Balderston was a farmer of Upper Makefield township, and mar- ried Phoebe Longshore. Their son David was born May 13, 1815, in Make- field township, where during the years of his life he was engaged in farming. After his retirement he moved to Dol- ington, where he lived for ten years, and in 1879 went to Newtown, where he lived for the remainder of his life. He mar- ried Hannah Margerum, of German de- scent, and they were the parents of seven children, of whom six survive: Rebecca, who married Edward Hicks; Phoebe, who became the wife of Edward Carter; Sarah Ann, who is the wife of Eli Over- holt; David J., a resident of Northamp- ton township; Franklin, who lives in Philadelphia; and Robert L., mentioned at lengthi hereinafter. By a second mar- riage Mr. Balderston was the father of two children, Ellen, and Mary A., de- ceased. The death of Mr. Balderston occurred December 27, 1892.

Robert L. Balderston, son of David and Hannah (Margerum) Balderston, was born March 28, 1850, in Falls town- ship, Bucks county, and received his edu- cation in the public schools. At the age of twenty-one he accepted a position in the store of W. Godey Ellis, at Doling- ton, where he remained five years. At the end of that time he opened a store for himslf at Brownsburg, which he con- ducted for five years more. He then re- moved his stock to Dolington, and has ever since been recognized as the leading mer- chant of that place. In the autumn of 1884 he was appointed postmaster at Dolington, an office which he filled with the greatest credit to himself and the most complete satisfaction to the government. In poli- tics he is a supporter and advocate of the principles of the Republican party. Mr. Balderston married, February 27, 1879,

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

Josephine A., daughter of Azariah and Julia A. (Connard) Matthews, of Sole- . bury township. Mr. and Mrs. Balderston have one son, William Ernest, who holds a position in his father's store, and he married, June 17, 1903, Dora J. Kitchin.

BENJAMIN MALONE WORTH- INGTON, deceased, for many years one of the widely known and highly re- spected citizens of Hulmeville, Bucks county, whose active career was well worthy of emulation, was born March 19, 1837, a son of Amos Subers and Har- riet (Paxson) Worthington, and grand- son of Asa Worthington, who were pros- perous and progressive agriculturists of Bucks county.

Benjamin M. Worthington passed his boyhood days on the home farm, and his educational advantages were acquired in the public schools of Northampton township. Being thus inured to the ar- duous and varied duties of farm life, he was able to give his father competent assistance and he remained with him until he attained his majority. He then located Hulmeville, Bucks county, where for almost a quarter of a century he conducted the Hulmeville Hotel in such a manner as to show a substantial profit at the end of each year. After this long period of service he disposed of his property, and the following year lived in retirement at Newtown. He then be- came the proprietor of the celebrated Anchor Hotel, which he conducted one year and then disposed of, after which he purchased a hotel in Tullytown, which he also conducted for one year and then sold. He then returned to Hulmeville, purchased a comfortable residence, and resided therein until his decease, April 25, 1901. As a citizen Mr. Worthington was ever earnest, alert and conscientious, keenly alive to everything which con- cerned in any way the wellbeing of his town and county. He was a Republican in politics.

Mr. Worthington married, February 15, 1865, Amy Worthington, of Byberry, now Philadelphia, daughter of Walton and Cynthia (Tomlinson) Worthington, the former named having been a son of John and Sarah (Walton) Worthington, and the latter a daughter of Amos and Sarah (Doane) Tomlinson. Their chil- dren are: Florence, born February 12, 1868, became the wife of Henry Harri- son Brown, of Oxford Valley, Novem- ber 5, 1890, and they are the parents of one child. Russell Worthington Brown, born at Hulmeville, February 9, 1902. Russell, born September 18, 1876, died January 25, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Worth- ington were reared in the faith of the Friends, and their religious affiliations were with that body.

JOSEPH B. WALTER, M. D., who for thirty-six years has been engaged in the practice of his profession in Sole- bury, was born in Plumstead township, Bucks county, on the 30th of August, 1840. His paternal grandfather, Michael Walter, wliose ancestors were residents of Alsace, Germany, became one of the early settlers of Plumstead township, where he followed the occupation of farming and also took an active and helpful part in public affairs. He served for a number of years as justice of the peace. His son, John Walter, was born in Plumstead township and in early life learned the carpenter's trade, being for many years identified with building pur-

suits. He married Miss Mary Beek, daughter of Samuel Beck, a resident farmer of Plumstead township. They had five children: Catherine, Joseph B., Levi, Silas and Emma.

Dr. Joseph B. Walter resided with his parents in Plumstead township until about eight or nine years of age, when, on his mother's death, he was taken into the family of his maternal uncle, William Beek, residing in Doylestown. He was there educated in the private schools conducted by S. A. Thompson and Dr. S. M. Andrews, and also attended the public schools of Doylestown, while sub- sequently he became a student at Kisha- coquillas Seminary, in Mifflin county, and in the boarding school of Rev. M. S. Holford, of Beverly, New Jersey. In 1859 he entered upon the profession of teaching, and his leisure hours during this period were devoted to the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. I. S. Moyer. He taught in the public schools of Durham, Warrington and Northamp- ton and Southampton townships, but in 1862 put aside his professional duties to enter active military service. In the month of' August of that year he en- listed for a term of nine months as a member of Company E, One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, and was mustered out in May, 1863. He taught school for a few months at Richboro. Northampton township, and then re-enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-second Pennsyl- vania Infantry. He was stationed dur- ing the greater part of the time at headquarters in Virginia and North Car- olina, until mustered out at the close of hostilities. He was promoted to the rank of third sergeant, and on the Ist of September, 1865, was commissioned sec- ond lieutenant, but declined the office. He participated in the battles of Freder- icksburg, Chancellorsville, Appomattox and minor engagements. Immediately following his return to civil life, Dr. Walter took up the study of medicine under Dr. I. S. Moyer, then of Plum- steadville, and in 1866 entered the medi- cal department of the University of Pennsylvania. He was graduated in the

F. B. Walter nn.

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spring of 1868, and at once began the practice of his profession with Dr. J. E. Smith, of Yardley, with whom he re- mained until the spring of 1870, when he located in Solebury township, where he has since been actively engaged in prac- tice, covering thirty-six consecutive years. He is a member of the Bucks County Medical Society, the Lehigh Val- ley Medical Association and the Penn- sylvania State Medical Society, and thus kecps in touch with the advanced thought, research and experience of the medical fraternity.

On the 13th of October, 1870, Dr. Wal- ter was united in marriage to Miss Mary T. Child, daughter of George M. and Sarah (Wood) Child, of Plumstead township. In politics he is a Republi- can, and his fraternal relations connect him with the lodge, chapter and com- mandery of the Masonic order.

ALBERT E. SLACK, of Upper Make- field township, Bucks county, was born in Philadelphia, October II, 1860, a son of Elijah T. and Eliza D. (Crowell) Slack, and is of Holland and Scotch- Irish ancestry. On the paternal side he is a descendant in the eighth genera- tion from Hendrick Cornelise Slecht, who emigrated from Holland to Long Island in 1652, and settled near the pres- ent site of Brooklyn, where he died about 1690. From his four sons, Barendt, Cor- nelius, Abraham and Johannes, are de- scended the numerous family of Slack, now residing in nearly all parts of the United States. Two grandsons of Hen- drick, John and Abraham, settled in Makefield township, Bucks county, about . 1740.

Abraham Slack was twice married. His first wife, and the mother of his four children, died while the latter were young and he married (second) June 16, 1768, Martha Titus, who survived him. Abraham died in '1802. His chil- dren were: Abraham, married Elizabeth Torbert ; Cornelius, married Sarah Hell- ings: James, married Alice Torbert ; and Sarah, married Moses Kelley. Eliza- beth and Alice Torbert, who married Abraham and James Slack, respectively, were daughters of James and Hannah (Burleigh) Torbert, of Makefield, and their two grandfathers, Samuel Torbert and John Burleigh, came from the north of Ireland and settled in Bucks county about 1725.

Abraham Slack, son of James and Alice (Torbert) Slack, was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. He inher- ited from his father a farm in Lower Makefield, and died there in 1833. His wife, Mary Mann, survived him. They were the parents of thirteen children, eleven of whom lived to maturity. Mary Mann, the mother, was a daughter of

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History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 145

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