History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 46

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 46

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Miss Susan Lower, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and their children are: Rebecca, who became the wife of Joshua Palmer; Sam- tel, who has spent many years abroad; Annie, whose name heads this sketch; Susan E., deceased, was the wife of the late Milnor Gillingham; and Geor- gina, who became the wife of Charles Satterthwaite. George Comfort, father . of these children, died at his home in Falls township, in 1887, leaving behind him the memory of a good name and an untarnished reputation.

SAMUEL COMFORT, son of George and Susan (Lower) Comfort, grandson of Samuel and Rebecca (Moon) Com- fort, great-grandson of John and Mary (Woolman) Comfort, was born at the Comfort homestead near Morrisville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1837. He was educated under private instructors and at the Trenton Acad- emy. At an early age he developed special talents in mathematics and sciences, and attained considerable dis- tinction as an inventor of improvements in mowing and reaping machines, sew- ing machines, counting machines, etc., for which he received numerous patents.

Samuel Comfort joined the union army in October, 1861, and served in Captain Palmer's "Anderson Troop," the bodyguard of General D. C. Buell, in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Northern Alabama, and was present at the battle of Pittsburg Landing. After eleven months' service in this command he was honorably discharged from the service on account of physical disabil- itv contracted in the service. In June, 1863, under special authority from Gov- ernor Curtin, of Pennsylvania, he re- cruited an independent company of cav- alry in Bucks and Montgomery counties and the city of Philadelphia which was mustered into the service of the United States for a term of six months under the name of "Captain Samuel Comfort, Jr.'s Independent Company of Cavalry, the Bucks County Troon." This com- pany served on escort and provost guard

PUBLIC LIFE 17

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

duty at the headquarters of General Cad- wallader at Philadelphia. . In January, 1864, Captain Comfort re-enlisted his company for a further period of three years, or during the war, and was mus- tered into the service as captain of com- pany "F" of the 20th Pennsylvania Volunteer cavalry, One Hundred and Eighty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanded by Colonel John E. Wyn- koop. The regiment was ordered to join the army in West Virginia, and Captain Comfort was never absent from his command when any important opera- tions were in progress from that time until the end of the war. Captain Com- fort was promoted to be major of the Twentieth regiment Pennsylvania Vol- unteer Cavalry in March, 1865. He was mustered out and honorably discharged from the service as major of the first Provisional Pennsylvania Cavalry, July 25, 1865. Major Comfort was present in nearly fifty battles or skirmishes of more or less importance, chiefly in and near the Shenandoah valley and in other parts of Virginia and West Vir- ginia. His last campaign was with Gen- eral P. H. Sheridan from the Shenan- doah valley to Appomattox Court House. At this time his regiment was in General Deven's Second Brigade of Gen- eral Merrit's First Division of General Sheridan's Cavalry Corps, and he was actively engaged in the battles of Five Forks and Sailer's Creek, and at the stir- render of General Lee's army at Ap- pomattox Court House. FIe was wounded in the right arm while in com- mand of the skirmish line in the battle of New Market, in the Shenandoah val- ley. in 1864.

After the close of the war Major Com- fort engaged in manufacturing and mer- cantile pursuits, and travelled exten- sively in foreign countries. He resided in India ten years and was United States vice consul at Bombay from 18944 to 1896, consul at Bombay from 1896 to 1898, and United States vice and deputy consul general at Calcutta from 1900 to 1003. Major Comfort was a member of the Union League Club of New York, the Army and Navy Club of New York, the military order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, the Grand Army of the Republic and other clubs and so- cieties in the United States, and in for- eign countries. He accumulated a com- fortable fortune and retired from active business in 1904. On October 16, 1866, he married Elizabeth Jenks Barnsley, daughter of John and Mary Hough Barnsley, of Newtown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, a second cousin of Gen-

eral U. S. Grant. One child was born of this marriage. Emma Walraven Com- fort, who was educated at Vassar Col- lege and married Harry M. Crook- shank, Pacha, a British official tem- porarily residing in Cairo, Egypt.

HOWARD OLIVER FOLKER, of Philadelphia, was born at Davisville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1857, and is a son of David and Eliza- beth (Wilson) Folker. David Folker, the father, was born in Buckingham, Bucks county, July 17. 1826, and was a son of James and Mary (Hurlinger) Folker. He learned the trade of a har- nessmaker, which he followed in South- ampton township, Bucks county, for many years. During the civil war he was an uncompromising friend of the Union, and stood shoulder to shoulder with the loyal and earnest men of that section in measures tending to the sup- port of the government and the prose- cution of the war. He was an indus- trious and exemplary citizen who had the respect of all who knew him. He died February 23, 1892. He married Elizabeth Wilson, born September 4, 1826, died November 11, 1882. She was a daughter of Ezekiel Wilson, who was born July II. 1789, and died April 28, 1854. He was a private in Captain Will- iam Purdy's company in the war of 1812- 14, serving at Camp Dupont. Marcus Hook, under Colonel Thomas Hum- phrey. His wife was Elizabeth Dungan, born May 31, 1794, died August 17, 1850, youngest daughter of John and Mary (Hyle) Dungan, and great-granddaugh- ter of Rev. Thomas Dungan, of Cold . Spring. The children of David and Elizabeth (Wilson) Folker were: Mary, died in infancy: Charles White, now a resident of Camden, New Jersey; How- ard Oliver, and Horace Conard, de- ceased.

John Dungan Wilson, second son of Ezekiel and Elizabeth (Dungan) Wil- son, born August 28, 1817, died Septem- ber I. 1875, was a man of fine parts and varied accomplishments. He was a jeweler and watchmaker, gunsmith, ma- chinist and carpenter, and a thorough mechanic in all that the word implies. He was also an expert dancing master and a professor in the manly art of self- defense. He married Lucy Ann Lewis, daughter of Elias Lewis, and was a model husband and indulgent father. His wife still survives him, living in 1905 at Hatboro, Pennsylvania. No children now living. He is interred at Davis- ville Baptist church.

Howard O. Folker was educated in the common schools and at the First State Normal School Millersville, Penn- sylvania. He taught school for a short time, and in 1873. during the Cuban im- broglio, entered the United States navy and assisted in returning to the United States the filibustering steamer "Vir- ginius," after the massacre of American citizens at Santiago. A vear later he was transferred to the Mediterranean squad- ron, and visited all the different coun- tries of Europe as well as those of Asia and Africa. In 1877, under the new

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

naval apprentice system, he was ap- pointed naval schoolmaster by Commo- dore Schufeldt, and sent to Port Royal, South Carolina, to take charge of the ca- dets at the training station there. Two years later he was transferred to the U. S. S. "Kearsage," of Alabama fame, and in her made several cruises in the West Indies and to South American ports; was at the occupation of Shep- herd's Island, United States of Colom- bia, and assisted in the establishment of a coaling station there. He left the navy in 1881 and entered the service of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, filling the position of trav- eling car agent for twelve years. He is at present connected with the transpor- tation department as chief car distribu- tor, with offices in the Reading Ter- minal, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since leaving the navy he has taken great in- terest in veteran associations, and has assisted in the formation of a number of these patriotic associations. He is a past commander of the John A. Dahl- gren Garrison, No. 85, Army and Navy Union, and is its present adjutant. He is also an active member of Farragut Association, U. S. Naval Veterans. Mr. Folker is a member of the Bucks County Historical Society, and has prepared a number of papers for its archives on local and family history. He has de- voted several years to investigations in reference to his distinguished ancestors, the Dungan family, and from his "Chron- icles of the Dungan Family" the brief sketches of some of its distinguished members which follow this sketch are derived. Mr. Falker married Annie M. Forney, daughter of Peter and Mary Ann (Henning) Forney, of Annville, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of six children: Lucy Wilson, now a teacher in the Philadel- phia schools: Marian Henning: Alma Forney; Judson La Barre; and Irene Stine, deceased. Their eldest child, Amos Franklin, is also deceased.

WALLACE DUNGAN, one of the successful and active business men of Doylestown. was born in Doylestown township, Bucks county, July 8, 1845. John Dungan, son of Thomas (4) and Mary (Drake) Dungan, and grandson of Rev. Thomas Dungan, was the ancestor of Wallace and Mahlon K. Dungan, of Doylestown. He had sons Thomas, John, Joseph and Jesse. Thomas Dun- gan, son of John, above mentioned. mar- ried Deborah Doan, daughter of Daniel and and Sarah, born March 25. 1757, died December 7, 1829. Thomas Dungan died intestate August 30, 1803. He had issne James, born January 22, 1778, died January 20, 1840: Isaac, see forward; and Daniel, born December 30, 1784,

married Catherine Adams, of War- minster.

Isaac Dungan, son of Thomas and Deborah (Doan) Dungan, born July 14, 1779, died January 27, 1844, married Mary Dyer, daughter of Joseph and Christine Dyer, born May 10, 1781, died June 23, 1849. Their sons were: I. Thomas, born September 30, 1803, died January 13. 1869: married Rebecca U. Montanye; he was county treasurer in 1847; and lived late in life in Plumstead. 2. Jesse, see forward; 3. John, born May 5. 1805, died July 18, 1868; married Eliza Reed, and lived and died in Northamp- ton township, Bucks county; had chil- dren: Harman Y., Dyer C., and John T., deceased, and Mary, wife of David S. Fetter.

Jesse Dungan, son of Isaac and Mary (Dyer) Dungan, born February 5, 1802, died May 4, 1892, married Adriana Cor- nell. He was a successful farmer, and a man much esteemed by his neighbors. He filled the office of director of the poor of Bucks county for the term 1866-68, and a few years later retired from active life, and lived to the age of ninety years. Religiously he was a

Presbyterian and politically was

a staunch Democrat of the old school. He died at Churchville and is interred in the churchyard there. Jesse and Adri- anna (Cornell) Dungan, were the pa- rents of four sons and five daughters, viz .: Isaac, George, John K. David, Mary Jane, Ann Eliza, Louisa, Sarah and Adelaide.

Isaac Dungan, son of Jesse Dungan, was born on his father's farm in North- ampton township and spent practically all his life in that and the adjoining township of Southampton. He was a farmer, and an active and prominent man in the community, holding at differ- ent times different township offices. Po- litically he was a Democrat, and took an active part in the councils of his party. He was an earnest and consistent member of the Davisville Baptist church. He died in Southampton town- ship in 1887, at the age of sixty-five years. His first wife was Rebecca Boos, by whom he had two sons Wallace, to be further mentioned, and Mahlon K., of Doylestown. The mother died at Richboro in 1849, and Isaac Dungan married (second) Cynthia Ann Doan, and two children were born to them that grew to maturity: Sarah, wife of Albert Fesmire of Hartsville, and William Dun- gan. of Southampton.

Wallace Dungan, son of Isaac and Rebecca (Boos) Dungan, though born in Doylestown township, removed with his parents to Northampton township when a child. At the age of thirteen years he went to Tinicum township, where he lived for three years. Returning to Southampton, he lived with his father until twenty-one years of age. He re-

allace Digan

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

ceived a fair common school education in the schools of the neighborhood, and at the age of twenty-two years he began farming on his own account and tol- lowed that vocation for five years. In 1872 he engaged in the hide and tallow business in a building near the Doyles- town flour mill, and in the following year built a factory near the present Doylestown electric light plant. By strict attention to business he built up a prosperous business, and prospered in spite of repeated reverses. His factory was totally destroyed by fire June 29, 1880. Undismayed by this untoward disaster, he at once erected another factory near his present residence, just east of the borough line, and equipped it with the most improved machinery for utilizing the several products of dead animals. In 1892 he purchased a tract of seventy-five acres, one mile west of Doylestown, and moved his factory thereon and added a fertilizer plant, both of which he conducted on a large scale. He now experienced another great loss in the destruction of his plant by fire on April 8, 1897, but he again re- built it immediately, and has since con- ducted the business with entire success, assisted by his son-in-law, William Worthington. Mr. Dungan erected his present residence on Maple Avenue in 1878, and has resided there ever since. In 1899 Mr. Dungan had the misfortune to lose his left arm by having it drawn into the machinery in his factory, neces- sitating an amputation near the shoulder. He has, however, accustomed himself to the loss and continues to personally conduct his business. In politics Mr. Dungan is a Democrat. He is a deacon of the First Baptist Church of Doyles- town. He is a member of Doylestown Lodge No. 245, F. and A. M., Doyles- town Chapter No. 270, R. A. M., and Mary Commandery, No. 36, Knights Templar, of Philadelphia. He was mar- ried February 21, 1867, to Rachiel Hea- ton, of Moreland, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and the union was blessed with one child, Effie F. H., now the wife of William Worthington. Rachel Hea- ton Dungan died December 22, 1898. aged fifty-eight years, and Mr. Dungan married, March II, 1903, Anna, daugh- ter of George Martin, of Doylestown township.

DUNGAN FAMILY. Reverend Thomas Dungan, the great-grandfather of John Dungan, mentioned in the pre- ceding sketch, was born in London. Eng- land, about the year 1632. His father, William Dungan, was a merchant of London, and was of a cadet branch of the Dungans of Dublin, Ireland. en- nobled by Queen Elizabeth. The senior branch ended under the following cir- cumstances: William Dungan, Eari of

Limerick, died in 1698, without leaving issue, in consequence of the death of his son, Lord Walter Dungan, colonel of dragoons at the Boyne, in 1690. The title of Earl of Limerick then came to Colonel Thomas Dungan, brother of the Earl of Limerick. Thomas, under the will of his father, Sir John Dungan, baronet, inherited an estate in the Queen's county, and served in the army of Louis XIV till 1678 as colonel of an Irish regiment, worth to him about £5.000 per annum. He had from Charles II a life pension of £500 a year; was made lieutenant-governor of Tan- gier, in Morocco, and subsequently gov- ernor of New York in America. The title of Earl of Limerick ceased in the Dungan family on the death of Colonel Thomas Dungan in December, 1715, he leaving no heirs. William Dungan died in London in 1636, leaving four children, Barbara, William, Frances, and Thomas. The mother of Rev. Thomas Dungan was Frances Latham, daughter of Lewis Latham, sergeant falconer to Charles I. She had married (first) Lord Weston and (second) William Dungan, and soon after the latter's death married Captain Jeremiah Clarke, and with him and her children emigrated to New England and settled in Newport, Rhode Island, where Captain Clarke became prominent, serv- ing in the provincial assembly and fill- ing other official positions. He died in 1651, and his widow married (fourth) Rev. William Vaughan, pastor of the first Baptist church in America. Mrs. Vaughan died in September, 1677, at the age of sixty-seven years.

Thomas Dungan came to Newport, Rhode Island, in 1637, with his mother and stepfather, Captain Clarke, and was reared and educated in that colony, prob- ably receiving his education in a school established there by Roger Williams. His second stepfather being a Baptist clergyman he imbibed that faith and became an eminent Baptist preacher. He was a representative in the colonial as- sembly of Rhode Island, 1678-81, and a sergeant in the Newport militia. He be- came one of the patentees of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, but sold his real estate there in 1682 and removed with a colony of Welsh Baptists from Rhode Island to Cold Spring. Falls township, Bucks county, and established the first Baptist church in Pennsylvania. He died in 1688. He married in New- port. Rhode Island, Elizabeth Weaver, daughter of Sergeant Clement and Mary (Freeborn) Weaver. Clement Weaver was a member of colonial as- sembly in 1678, and his father-in-law, William Freeborn served in the same body in 1657. Elizabeth (Weaver) Dun- gan, died at Cold Spring. Bucks county, in 1600. The children of Rev. Thomas and Elizabeth (Weaver) Dungan were as follows:

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

I. William, born 1658, preceded his father to Bucks county, died there 1713; married Deborah Wing of Newport and left five children.

2. Clement, died in Northampton township, Bucks county, in 1732, without iss11e.

3. Elizabeth, married Nathaniel West and had four children, one of whom, Elizabeth, married Joseph Hough of Warwick, and has numerous descendants in Bucks.

4. Thomas, born about 1670, died June 23, 1759, married Mary Drake and had nine children, Thomas, Joseph, James, John, Jonathan, Elizabeth, who married John Hellings; Mary, married Thomas Barton; and Sarah married

Stevens.

5. Rebecca married Edward Doyle, who died in 1703, leaving sons Edward and Clement, who were the ancestors of the Doyles for whom Doylestown is named.

6. Jeremiah, born about 1673, died in Bucks county, April 6, 1766, married Deborah Drake and had eight children. 7. Mary, married a Richards and had three children.

8. John, who died without issue.

9. Sarah, who married James Carrel, and had six children.

The sons and sons-in-law of Thomas and Elizabeth Dungan became large landowners in Bucks county, and they and their descendants were prominent in the affairs of the county, province and state.

James Dungan, son of Thomas and Mary (Drake) Dungan, of Northampton township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, was the great-great-grandfather of How- ard O. Folker, the historian of the fam- ily, and a full account of him is given in his "Levi Dungan, the Pioneer." among the archives of the Bucks County Historical Society. He married Re- becca Wells, daughter of Samuel Wells. a farmer in Lower Dublin township, near the present site of Bustleton, Phil- adelphia county, and lived and died on a farm in Lower Dublin township.

JOHN DUNGAN, the great-grand- father of Mr. Folker, was a son of James and Rebecca (Wells) Dungan, and was born in 1753, died March 22, 1798. He was a lieutenant in Captain Andrew Long's company, Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment, Colonel Samuel Miles. This company was in the disastrous battle of Fort Washington. November 16, 1776, under the command of Lieutenant John Spear, and was almost annihilated. .Lieutenant John Dungan was a farmer in Northampton township, Bucks county, and is buried at Southampton. He mar- ried Mary Ilyle, and had four children- two sons: Uriah and Jonathan: and two daughters: Esther. who married William Hibbs, Jr., and Elizabeth, who married

Ezekiel Wilson. Another daughter, Re- becca, died young. Uriah, born 1777, lied October 4, 1822, had children: Mary, who married Edmund Van Arts- dalen, of Springville, Northampton township, whose daughter Elizabeth married Elias Hogeland, (see Ilogeland Family); and John and Martin. Mary, the widow of Uriah, married (second) Everett, and (third) Jonathan Knight. John, son of Uriah, had four sons : William, now living at Ringues, New Jersey; Edmund B., who died at Harlingen, New Jersey, in 1900, leaving five children; Charles, deccased; and Thomas A., now a resident of Chicago. Nelson Y. Dungan, son of Edmund B., is a practicing attorney at Somerville, New Jersey, ex-district attorney, state senator for two terms and major of Second Regiment National Guards of New Jersey.

COLONEL THOMAS DUNGAN. Joseph Dungan, son of Thomas and Mary (Drake) Dungan, born 1710, died 1785 married Mary Ohl, born 1710, died 1788, and had children: Thomas, Joshua, Sarah (wife of Benjamin Corson) and Hannah, (wife of Benjamin Marple). Both Joseph and his wife are interred at Southampton churchyard.

Thomas Dungan, eldest son of Joseph and Mary (Ohl) Dungan, was born in Warwick township, Bucks county, Penn- sylvania, March 16, 1738, entered the University of Pennsylvania (then "Col- lege of Philadelphia,") in 1762 and grad- uated in 1765. Was a tutor there 1764-66; professor of mathematics 1766- 69; and Master of Arts 1767. On May 2. 1767, he was called to preach at the Southampton Baptist Church, but de- clined. In 1774, March 18th, he was chosen principal of the Germantown Academy. Soon after this date, how- ever, he entered the continental army, and was commissioned paymaster of the Twelfth Regiment, Continental Line, April 29, 1777; was transferred to Sixth Pennsylvania, and commissioned ensign June 2, 1778; made paymaster of Sixth Regiment, September 1, 1778; promoted to Lieutenant January I, 1781, and transferred to Second Pennsylvania, January I, 1783. General Washington in refering to the deplorable condition of the troops while suffering from smallpox in their winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey, mentions the special efforts made by Paymaster Dun- gan to ameliorate their conditon and his persistent importuning of Robert Morris, the financier of the Revolution, for money for necessary clothing and medicine. He served until the close of the war and then returned to the charge of the Germantown Academy, where he remained until about 1800. He died at Germantown, April 26, 1805. aged sixty- seven years, and is buried in Hood's

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

cemetery at that place. He married, May 19, 1793, at Neshaminy Presby- terian Church, his cousin Elizabeth Dungan, daughter of Jeremiah and Ann (Whitton) Dungan, of Northampton township, Bucks county, and three chil- dren were born to them: Thomas, died in infancy; Elizabeth, who married George Taylor Stuckert, and had one child Elizabeth, the wife of Dr. William Wilby Burnell of Philadelphia; and an- other Thomas.

Another prominent descendant of Rev. Thomas Dungan was General Mahlon Dungan, born April 23, 1780, died De- cember 8, 1848, seventh child of David and Sarah (Newell) Dungan, grandson of David and Rachel Dungan, and great- grandson of Jeremiah, fourth son of Rev. Thomas Dungan. He married, October 7. 1802, Phoebe Addis, daughter of John and Mary of Northampton, and lived for many years at "Lakeside," the ancestral home of Thomas Yardley, at Yardley, Pennsylvania, built in 1728. He was a prominent Democratic politician, and a Mason of high degree. He was elected in January, 1824, brigadier-general of Bucks county militia and had command of the military escort that accompanied Marquis Lafayette across Bucks county on his visit to America in 1824. In 1827 he was a candidate for the nomination for sheriff, and was defeated by General John Davis. He left three children, viz .: John A., born August II, 1803, mar- ried Amelia V. Bailey, and left one son Mahlon, died 1849, Methodist minister at Yardley, and three daughters; Levi, born March 23, 1805, died August 5, 1824, unmarried; and Mary Ann, died 1831, unmarried.

HENRY W. GROSS, of Doylestown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, was born in New Britain township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, February 4, 1842, and is a son of Joseph N. and Sarah (Wismer) Gross.

Rev. Jacob Gross, the great-grand- father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Germany and came to this country about 1763, locating in Hatfield, now Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, from whence about the year 1780 he re- moved to Bedminster township, where he purchased a farm and resided until his death, December 12, 1810, at the age of sixty-seven years. He was for many years a minister of the Mennonite con- gregation at Deep Run, and later a bishop of that denomination. His wife Mary nee Krall, survived him and died in Bedminster, February 10, 1816, at the age of sixty-five years. They were the parents of six children: Isaac, Christian, Mary, wife of Abraham Nash, Jacob, Daniel and John.

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History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 46

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