History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 51

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 51

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Philadelphia as a member of the Right- er, Parry Lumber Company. The chil- dren have been provided with good educational privileges, thus fitting them for the responsible and practical duties of life.

JOHN BURTON, of Tullytown, deal- er in coal and general merchandise, was born in Tullytown, Pennsylvania, Aug- tist 12, 1864, and is a son of Elwood and Anna H. (Bailey) Burton, of Tully- town, and a representative of a family that have been prominent in the settle- ment and development of Bucks county for six generations.

Anthony Burton, the emigrant ances- tor of the family, was a native of Eng- land, and was among the earliest settlers in Bristol township, where he owned land as early as 1684. His name ap- pears among those who registered the "ear marks" for their cattle in the old book kept for that purpose by Phinehas Pemberton in 1684. On March 16, 1695, he and Thomas Burk purchased the tract of land on which the town of Bris- tol was subsequently built, and laid it out in streets and building lots, and laid the foundation of the present metropolis of Bucks. It was incorporated by the provincial council of Pennsylvania at a meeting of that body held at the house of Phinehas Pemberton in Falls town- ship, Bucks county, on the petition of "severall in that countie for a Market Town, viz: att the Ferry agt. Burling- ton, within the said township of Buck- ingham, and that the sd persons have projected the same Into ways & streets, Haveing regard to the divisions of div- ers men's Land by the sd streets in the sd Town as now laid down," whereupon, "It was resolved by the Gouvernor & Council, that a town be there erected and the ways & streets to be according to ye model ye agreed upon." The town being erected, grew to such importance that Mr. Burton and other lot holders on October 17, 1718, petitioned the coun- cil to erect it into a borough, which was done, and its charter as engrossed was agreed to by the board of provin- cial councillors at a meeting held July 19, 1720. The name of Buckingham, first selected for the new town, was soon dropped, and it retained the name of Bristol.

Anthony Burton was a man of liberal education and wielded a wide influence in the community. He was commissioned a justice of the peace on May 13. 1715, and was regularly re-commissioned until 1733, and probably held the position un- til his death in 1739, the records for the intervening period merely stating "Justices now acting, re-commissioned." He was a member of the established church, and donated the land upon which St. James Episcopal church of

Elwood Burton

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

SITOM LENOX AND TIVE N. FOUNDATIONS.

229

HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

Bristol was erected, and contributed liberally to its erection in 1712. From the records of this old church it ap- pears that his lineal descendants are en- titled to occupy two pews therein for- ever. Anthony Burton married, Decem- ber 18, 1687, Sarah Gibbs, a widow. She died June 28, 1718, without issue. On July 28, 1720, he married Susan Keene, by whom he had two children; Martha, who died unmarried; and Anthony, Jr., born July 17, 1721. Anthony Burton, Sr., died in 1739, and is buried in St. James churchyard at Bristol.

Anthony Burton, Jr., son of Anthony and Sitsan (Keene) Burton, was a far- mer and a large landowner in Bristol township, residing on the road from Bristol to the "Falls of the Delaware." He married, February 12, 1752, Mary Hough, daughter of Richard Hough, of Falls, and, she being a member of the Society of Friends, he also became af- filiated with that society, as have been his descendants to this day. He died February, 1798. Anthony and Mary (Hough) Burton were the parents of eight children, four of whom died in infancy; those who survived were: John, born September 17, 1753; Martha, born July 25, 1756, married John Minster; Anthony, born August 9, 1758; and Jonathan born August 21, 1765.

John Burton, eldest son of Anthony and Mary (Hough), born September 17. 1753, was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch. He was a farmer and resided for many years on the old homestead in Bristol township, but removed late in life to Falls town- ship, where he died September 3, 1835. He was twice married, first in Febru- ary, 1778, to Rachel Wilson, nee Sotch- er, widow of Henry Wilson and daugh- ter o' Robert and Mercy (Brown) Sotch- er. She died in 1781, leaving two sons, Joseph and John. On October 9, 1789, he married Hannah Watson, by whom he had five children: Benjamin, Mary, Rachel, Anthony, and Charles.

Anthony, the second son of Anthony and Mary (Hough) Burton, born Ang- ust 9, 1758, married Jane, daughter of John and Deborah (Watson) Gregg April 27, 1781, and had children: John G., Amos, Deborah, and William. The latter became a successful merchant in Philadelphia and afterwards a physician. He was a remarkably brilliant man. His wife was Susan Hallowell, of Philadel- phia, belonging to an old Bucks county family, who died in Penns Manor, Bucks county. Jonathan, the other son of An- thony and Mary, married Letitia Will- iamson, March II, 1790, and died in 1840. His children were William, Sarah. Peter. Ann L., and Elizabeth. His grandson, Jonathan Burton, was a large manufacturer of iron, and died in Ohio. Joseph Burton, son of John and Rachel (Wilson) Burton, was a large landhold-

er in Bristol and Falls township, and a justice of the peace for over thirty years. He married Sarah Watson, and died in 1858. Many descendants of the three of Anthony and Mary (Hough) Burton still reside in Bucks county, where they have intermarried with other families that have been prominent in the development of the county.

Anthony Burton, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, born in 1796, was a son of John and Hannah (Watson) Burton. In his younger days he was a school teacher, but later became a farm- er, and he was also identified with va- rious business enterprises, operating for several years an extensive shad fishery on the Delaware. He was for twenty- four years the president of the Farmers' National Bank of Bucks county, at Bris- tol, and was also president of the Upper Delaware River Steamboat Company, and filled many other positions of trust. He was a prominent member of the So- ciety of Friends, and a man much es- teemed 'in the community. He died near Tullytown in 1874, at the age of seventy eight years, lamented by all who knew him. He was twice married, his first wife and the mother of his children being Mary Headley, and his second wife was Anna Paxson. His children were Caroline, Hannah, John, Anna, and Elwood. John, born August 3, 1829, was a soldier in the war of the rebel- lion, serving in the Anderson Cavalry, and participating in eighteen engage- ments. He was a prominent business man in Falls township, holding many positions of trust and honor, being a director of the Farmers' National Bank of Bucks county, president of the Bris- tol Improvement Company, and direc- tor of the Delaware River Steamboat Transportation Company, and of the Cape May and Delaware Bay Naviga- tion Company. He was also president of the William Penn Mutual Loan and Building Association. He married, Feb- ruary 7. 1867, Elizabeth Headley, daugh- ter of William and Eliza, and had chil- dren, Franklin, Elwood, Horace H. and A. Russell. Caroline Burton, daughter of Anthony and Mary Headley Burton, married Pierson Mitchell, of Middle- town. Hannah never married, and Anna married John W. Paxson, of Philadel- phia.

Elwood Burton, father of the subject of this sketch, was the youngest son of Anthony and Mary (Headley) Burton, and was born on the old homestead farm near Tullytown, February 28, 1836. He obtained his elementary education in the public schools of Falls township, and finished at the academy at Lang- horne. On leaving school he entered the store of his brother-in-law, John WV. Paxson, at Tullytown, as a clerk, and filled that position until arriving at

230

HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

his majority, when with his brother John he purchased the plant of Mr. Pax- son. Two years later he purchased his brother's interest, and successfully con- ducted the business until his death in 1896. He was a man of much more than ordinary business ability, and h many positions of honor and trust. He was a director of the Farmers' National Bank of Bucks county from 1874 until his deatlı, also a director of the Bristol Rolling Mill Company, the Bristol Im- provement Company and the Standard Fire Insurance Company of Trenton, New Jersey, and was frequently called upon to act as executor, administrator, agent and guardian in the settlement of estates. He was a consistent member of the Society of Friends, and was high- ly respected and esteemed in the com- munity. He married, September 8, 1859, Anna H. Bailey, daughter of John W. and Phoebe (Brown) Bailey, of Falls township, and a descendant of two old and prominent families of Bucks county, and they were the parents of five chil- dren; Ida C., wife of A. Brock Shoe- maker, a prominent merchant of Tully- town; John, the subject of this sketch; Pierson, who died in infancy; Raymond A .; and Lilian C., wife of Allen Cor- son, of Philadelphia. Anna (Bailey) Bur- ton resides in Philadelphia. The ma- ternal ancestors of the subject of this sketch were also among the most promi- nent people of Bucks county. Richard Hough, the father of Mary, the wife of Anthony Burton (2) was the son of Richard and Margery (Clowes) Hough, of Makefield, the former of whom came from Macclesfield, in the county of Chester, England, arriving in the Dela- ware river in the "Endeavor," 7 mo. 29, 1683, and settled in Makefield township. He was a member of provincial council, and was drowned in the Delaware in 1706, while on his way to attend a meet- ing of the council. His wife, Margery Clowes, was a daughter of John and Margery Clowes, who also came in the "Endeavor" and settled in Makefield. Rachel Sotcher, who became the wife of John Burton (1) was the daughter of Robert and Mercy (Brown) Sotcher, and granddaughter of John and Mary (Lofty) Sotcher, the latter of whom were William Penn's trusted stewards at Pennsbury, and John. Sotcher . was for many years a member of colonial assembly. George and Mercy Brown, the parents of Mercy, the wife of Robert Sotcher, was the youngest child of George and Mercy Brown, who came from Leicestershire, England, together in 1679, and were married at New Castle on their arrival, and later settled in Falls township, where they reared a family of eight sons and three daughters. General Ja- cob Brown was a great-great-grandson of George and Mercy Brown. Phoebe (Brown) Bailey, the maternal grand-

mother of the subject of this sketch, was of the same lineage. The Headleys and Baileys were also among the earliest settlers in Lower Bucks, where they have left numerous descendants.

John Burton was educated at the Friends' Central School in Philadelphia, and later took a course in Trenton Busi- ness College, after which he assisted his father in the conduct of the general merchandise and coal business at Tully- town, and succeeded his father in 1893. He is a director of the Farmers' Na- tional Bank of Bucks county at Bris- tol, and a director of the Bristol Im- provement Company, treasurer of the William Penn Mutual Loan and Build- ing Association, of Tullytown, and a director of the Standard Fire Insurance Company, of Trenton, New Jersey. In politics he is a Republican. He mar- ried, September I. 1893, Sarah G. East- burn, daughter of Thomas C. and Abi (Crozer) Eastburn, who was born in Bucks county, Penn's Manor, in 1866, and is a descendant of Robert and Sarah (Preston) Eastburn, who came from Yorkshire in 1714, their son Samuel set- tling later in Solebury, from whence Samuel Eastburn, a grandson of the above named Samuel, removed to Penn's Manor in 1803. The Eastburns were members of the Society of Friends. John and Sarah G. (Eastburn) Burton have one son, Pierson Mitchell Burton.

JACOB H. SWARTZ. The name which introduces this record is that of an honored veteran of the civil war, and one of the enterprising agriculturists of Plumstead township, and was also borne by his paternal grandfather, who lived and died in Bucks county, where he followed farming for many years. The family, although its earlier history has not been preserved. was undoubt- edly one of the first established in Bucks county. Jacob Swartz, the grandfather, who served in the war of 1812, purchased of Nicholas Swartz in 1812 the farm upon which his grandson and namesake now resides, and the property has since been continuously in the family. Jacob Swartz was united in marriage to Miss Ann Black, and they became the parents of six children: Sarah Ann, Thomas B., Catherine, wife of Lewis Horn; Henry, Cyrus, and Sophia, who married Abra- ham Garis, and after his death Josiah Tomblin.

Thomas B. Swartz, the eldest son of Jacob and Ann (Black) Swartz, was born April 16, 1813, upon the farm now owned and occupied by his son Jacob, and his boyhood days were quietly passed in the usual manner of farmer lads of that period. He learned the blacksmith's trade in his youth and fol- lowed it for a number of years, but about

231

HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

1840 resumed agricultural pursuits, pur- chasing the old homestead farm from his father. He then gave his entire at- tention to farming until his retirement from active business life, about two years prior to his demise, which occur- red April 22, 1895. In all business trans- actions he was thoroughly reliable and he won the respect and confidence of his fellow men. In politics he was a Re- publican, and held the office of school director at one time. He married Miss Emily Ann Beans, born October 29, 1814, died May 15, 1899, and they be- came the parents of four children: I. Levi B., born 10 mo. 26, 1837, married, I mo. 10, 1860, Elizabeth Nash, and their children were: Mary Alice, born 4 10. 6, 1863: Abraham Thomas, born 10 mo. 19, 1865; and Emily Ann, born 9 mo. 2, 1867. 2. Jacob H., born 9 mo. 23, 1842, married. 12 mo. 5,. 1867, Caroline P. Meginnis, mentioned at length herein- after. 3. Anna Mary, born 8 mo. 29, 1847, married, 10 mo. 30, 1871, Cephas WV. Michener, and their children are: Evan W., born 10 mo. 8, 1872: Frank P., born II mo. 18, 1875; Hiram M., born I mo. 28, 1878; and Thomas Swartz Michener, born 6 mo. 8, 1880. 4. Laura F., born II mo. II, 1855, married, 6 mo. 6. 1881, Stacy B. Emmons, and they are the parents of one child: Stella Alice Emmans, born I mo. 6, 1885.

Jacob H. Swartz, the second son of Thomas and Emily Ann Swartz, first opened his eyes to the light of day on the old family homestead September 2, 1842. At the usual age he enterd the public schools and acquired therein a good knowledge of the fundamental branches of English learning. He re- mained at home with his father on the farm until 1862, when his patriotic spirit being aroused by the continued attempt of the south to overthrow the Union he enlisted as a member of Company D. Forty-fifth Pennsylvania Infantry, from which command he was honorably dis- charged on August 29, 1863. Following his return from the war he again be- gan work for his father, with whom he remained until 1868. He then purchased the home farm, on which he remained for three years, when he sold it back to his father. He then removed to Lum- berville, where he engaged in the coal and feed trade for a year and also conducted a general mercantile store. After a · year he purchased the Hellyer farm in Plumstead township, where he remained until 1897. His son then took charge of the farm, and for two years Jacob H. Swartz carried on agricultural pursuits and also engaged in the commission business. In 1899 he purchased the in- terest of the other heirs in the old homestead property, where he now re- sides, giving his undivided attention to agricultural pursuits. He follows pro- gressive methods of farming, utilizing

the latest improved machinery and the scientific methods of rotating crops in order to secure good harvests, and his fields now annually return to him a bountiful product. Mr. Swartz votes with the Republican party, and while he has never sought nor desired public office he has held the position of school director for two terms. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Py- thias Lodge, No. 221, at Carversville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Swartz has been married twice. He first married, 12 mo. 5. 1867, Caroline P. Meginnis, and to them were born three children: Flora May, 5 mo. 7, 1869, wife of Thomas S. Michener; Henry, 4 mo. 26, 1874, a resi- dent farmer of Plumstead township; and Emily Ann, 4 mo. 4, 1880, wife of Harry Vassey. For his second wife Mr. Swartz chose Mrs. Emma Meginnis, nee Stout.

SAMUEL SNYDER HILLPOT. Samuel Snyder Hillpot, a prosperous farmer and old resident of Bucks coun- ty, Pennsylvania, was there born in Tin- icum township, November 20, 1802, the son of Barnard and Barbara (Snyder) Hillpot, and grandson of Barnett Hill- pot. Samuel received what education the subscription schools of that period af- forded, leaving school at the age of twelve years. He then turned his at- tention to farming and has since fol- lowed that occupation with considerable Sticcess. He was born and reared in Tinicum township. He was a Democrat in politics, and although he took a live- ly interest in the affairs of that organi- zation, and always advocated its princi- ples with great enthusiasm, he never aspired to public office. He was a regu- lar attendant of the Lutheran church in Lower Tinicum.

March 9, 1830, Mr. Hillpot was united in marriage to Christena, daughter of George and Catherine (Hager) Shive, weavers of cloth and blankets, of Nock- amixon township. The following named children, eight in number, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hillpot: William Barnett, July 2. 1831, died October 10, 1879; 2. Elizabeth Shive, born May 26, 1833, died May 19, 1855; 3. Thomas Shive. born June 4. 1835, married Amanda, daugh- ter of Thomas and Lydia (Landis) Lan- dis: 4. Jonas George, born July 16, 1837, died October 15, 1865; 5. Mary Ann Shive, born June 6, 1840, married, June 6, 1865, William Keep, of Allentown, who died in February, 1884, and had the following children: I. Anna, born Feb- ruary. 25, 1866, died March 12, 1889; 2. Samuel George, born October 9. 1874, resided at Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was instructor in bookkeeping in Brown's School of Correspondence. He died in Salt Lake City in February, 1905. 6. The sixth child born to Mr.

232

HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

and Mrs. Samuel IIillpot was Leah Shive, born April 11, 1844, married John King, a wheelwright of Plumstead town- ship; 7. Fannie B., born December 1, 1846, married May 12, 1870, to Lewis, son of John and Mary Fluck, farmers of Richland township. He was a Demo- crat in politics and was postmaster of Richland Center during Grover Cleve- land's second administration. He died February 20, 1888, and Mrs. Fluck mar- ried. August 28, 1890, William H. Min- inger, son of Joseph and Mary Mininger, a carpenter and builder at Zion Hill, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and lives in Quakertown. By her first husband Mrs. Mininger had two children: John Samuel, born April 16, 1878, married Addie Moyer. He is engaged as car tracer for the Reading railroad, and lives at Lansdale, Pennsylvania; Arthur Fluck, born March 28, 1881, lives at home, unmarried, and is assistant freight agent to the North Pennsylvania Railroad of Quakertown. The eighth child born to Mr. and Mrs. Hillpot was Clarissa, born October 6, 1849, died No- vember 17, 1857.

THOMAS STINTSMAN. The good business men and useful citizens of the county have a worthy representative in Thomas Stintsman, of New Hope. Mr. Stintsman is a grandson of Samuel Stintsman, who emigrated from Ger- many and settled in Bucks county, where his son, also named Samuel, spent his life on the homestead, dying at the advanced age of ninety-two. The Stints- man homestead is situated near Point Pleasant, in Plumstead township.

Silas Stintsman, son of Samuel, sec- ond bearer of the name, mentioned above, was born in Plumstead town- ship, and on reaching manhood en- gaged in boating on the canal, owning and controlling two canal boats. He mar- ried Elizabeth Solomon, and they were the parents of a son and two daugh- ters: Annie A., who is the widow of

Edward McNutt, of Philadelphia; Thomas, mentioned at length hereinaf- ter; and Laura J., deceased. While boating on the Hackensack, Mr. Stints- man was accidentally killed by the cars in consequence of delay in opening a bridge through which his boat was to pass.

Thomas Stintsman, son of Silas and Elizabeth (Solomon) Stintsman, was born October 20, 1854, in Plumstead township, and was about ten years old at the time of his father's death. After that event he went on the canal with an uncle and until his seventeenth year was employed in boating on the Lehigh, Delaware, Raritan and Morris canals. He then went to New Hope to learn the boat-building business under

his uncle, A. J. Solomon. In four years he finished his apprenticeship and then worked two years as a journeyman. His uncle being elected county commission- er, Mr. Stintsman took charge of the yards and during two years built many boats on his own account. The times, however, being unfavorable to the busi- ness, he accepted a position with C. S. Atkinson in his agricultural implement shops, where he remained fifteen or eighteen years, holding during the lat- ter four or five years the position of superintendent of the shops. After re- signing this position he was engaged for a short time in contracting and house building. July 3, 1896, he was appointed postmaster of New Hope, taking his place August I, following, and served a full four years' term under President Cleveland's administration. On the ex- piration of his term he engaged in the hardware business in partnership with John W. Kooker, and the firm conduct- ed a flourishing trade. In May, 1903, Mr. Stintsman sold his interest in that firm and established a general notion store. Mr. Stintsman has served six years as a member of the borough coun- cil, the same length of time as treasurer of the borough, for eighteen months held the office of deputy coroner, and for three years was a member of the school board. He belongs to Delaware Castle, No. 196, Knights of the Golden Eagle, and since 1888 has been secre- tary to the order. He is also a member of the Order of Heptasophs. In politics he is a Democrat. Mr. Stintsman mar- ried in 1880 Laura, daughter of Moses L. Fryling, of New Hope, and of the eleven children born to them nine are now living: Catherine, who is engaged in her father's store at New Hope; Eliza- beth: Moses, who has the newspaper route in the borough; Harold; Samuel; Frank; Charlotte; Howard; and Harry. All these children are at home with their parents.

FRANKLIN BUCKMAN. Prominent among the old residents of Bucks coun- ty is Franklin Buckman, of Upper Make- field township. Mr. Buckman is a son of Zenas Buckman, who was a farmer in Newtown, and married Mary Worth- ington. Of their nine children four sur- vive: Spencer, who lives in Trenton: Amos, who is a resident of Newtown; George, who lives in Wrightstown township; and Franklin, mentioned at length hereinafter. Mr. Buckman, the father, died on his farm at Newtown at the comparatively early age of forty- five years.

Franklin Buckman, son of Zenas and Mary (Worthington) Buckman, was born October 9, 1823, and when a child was taken by his aunt. Margaret Worth- ington, who lived in Warwick township,

233

HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

where he remained until reaching his eighteenth year. He then began to work for farmers, and after three years be- came a tenant farmer. In 1857 he pur- chased the farm which has since been his home. He also owns two other farms in Upper Makefield township, where he is one of the leading citizens. He affili- ates with Newtown Lodge, No. 225, F. and A. M., and is a Republican in poli- tics. He is a member of the Society of Friends. Mr. Buckman married in 1845 Martha, daughter of Joseph Hamp- ton, of Buckingham township, and the following children have been born to them: Edward H., who resides in Wrightstown township; Joseph, de- ceased; Walter, who lives in Upper Makefield; E. Smith, who is also a resi- dent of Upper Makefield; Anna, who is the wife of Lemuel Hendrycks; Mary, who married Wilbert Trego. of Upper Makefield; Frank, who lives in Kansas; Sallie, who is the wife of John F. Adams, of New York state; Benjamin, deceased; Richard J., and Henry H. Buckman.

EDWARD HAMPTON BUCKMAN, one of the best known citizens of New- town township, was born December 25, 1845, and was educated in the common schools. When about twenty years old he began to work by the year as a farm hand, and at the end of two years hired the "Gus Taylor farm," near Tay- lorsville. Seven years later he purchased his present farm of eighty-one acres, in Newtown township. where he has since resided. He is a good citizen and votes with the Republicans. Mr. Buckman married, June 6, 1867, Sarah H., daughter of Joshua Heston, of Upper Makefield township, and they are the parents of one son, Jesse, who is a blacksmith at Wood Hill, Upper Makefield.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 51

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