History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 72

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 72

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ried on October 29, 1887, at Quakertown, Sophia Hedrick. daughter of Oliver and Mary (Fretz) Hedrick, who was one of twelve children and was born September I, 1868. Her paternal grandparents were Henry and Elizabeth (Heistand) Hedrick, the latter being a daughter of David Heis- tand, born January 24, 1788, died July 17, 1860, by his wife Susan Kephard, born January 15, 1785, died January 23, 1851, daughter of Rev. John and Elizabeth (Fretz) Kephard; and the former, born July 10, 1751, being for many years minister of the Mennonite congregation at Doyles- town.

FREDERICK R. VOID is engaged in general agricultural pursuits on the farm on which his birth occurred in Hilltown township, Bucks county, April 15, 1856. His father, Frederick Void, Sr., was born in Germany, in 1831, and was a noted musi- cian, being able to play any musical in- strument. He was a wheelwright by trade and followed that pursuit for many years. In 1844 he purchased a farm in Hilltown township and continued its cultivation and improvement up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1876. He was a Demo- crat in his political affiliation, was a mem- ber of the Reformed church, and lived a useful and upright life. He married Mag- daline Roth, a daughter of Abram and Mary (Cramer) Roth, and they had two children, Charles R. and Frederick R. The former married Diana Housekeeper, a daughter of Samuel Housekeeper, and they have three children, Samuel, Harvey and Erasmus.

Having mastered the common branches of learning in the public schools of Hill- town township, Frederick R. Void worked with his father on the home farm, gaining practical knowledge of the best methods of cultivating the fields and caring for the stock. When he was married he began farming for himself and in 1884 purchased a farm adjoining his father's land, while in 1877 he bought the old homestead farm. He carries on general agricultural pursuits, having placed his land under a high state of cultivation, while neatness and thrift characterizes the entire place. Mr. Void is a member of the Reformed church of Hilltown, and is interested in the sub- stantial improvement of his locality, giving his co-operation to many movements for the general good. He was married in April, 1881, to Miss Mary Alice Cope, who was born January 10, 1861. a daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Kile) Cope. Her father was born October 23, 1814. His first wife was Elizabeth Hackman, a daughter of John and Catharine Hackman. She was born June 4, 18II, and by her marriage be- came the mother of four children, namely : Catharine, born April 3. 1844: Andrew J .. born November 5, 1837, died at the age of one year and ten months; Malinda, born

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

March 6, 1839, died January 28, 1859; and Sarah B., born July 23, 1841. The mother of these children died March 22, 1853. Mr. Cope afterward married Elizabeth Kile, by whom he had three children : Charles, born December 17, 1856; Annie E., born September 30, 1857, died May 18, 1858; and Mary Alice. To Mr. and Mrs. Void have been born thirteen children, as follows: Bertha C., born July 14, 1882, died August 23, 1894: Charles C., born January 17, 1884; Elsie C., born June 12, 1885; Mable C., born October 9, 1887, died December 23, 1887; Edith C., born October 3, 1888; Wel- lington C., born December 8, 1889; Agnes C., born December 6, 1890: Della C., born August 1, 1893, died May 25, 1894; Harry C., born June 24, 1895; Edna C., born Jan- uary 23, 1897, died September 14, 1897; Florence C., born December 7, 1898: Helen C., born October 19, 1903; and one that died in infancy.

DR. WILLIAM RIDGE COOPER, of Point Pleasant, Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania, was born at Point Pleasant, August 26, 1862, and is a son of the late Dr. Alfred M. and Elizabeth (Ridge) Cooper.

The great-great-grandfather of Dr. Al- fred M. Cooper was a native of Stratford- on-Avon, England. William Cooper, the great-grandfather, settled in Tinicum town- ship and his son, James Cooper, was born and reared there. William B. Cooper, son of James, was born in Tinicum, Decem- ber 24, 1807, and came of English Quaker ancestry. He became an extensive land- owner in Tinicum township and died there December 12, 1854. He married Elizabeth Meyer, born May 9, 1807, died December 4, 1871, daughter of John Meyer, who was born June 23, 1773, and died September 9, 1823, by his wife Eve Fry, and granddaugh- ter of Henry Meyer, who was born in Montgomery county, in 1750, married Susan Smith, and settled in Plumstead townshin, Bucks county. Henry Meyer, the father of the last named Henry, was a son of Hans Meyer and came to America with his pa- rents at the age of one year about 1720. He inherited the homestead of his father. Hans Meyer, in Upper Salford, Montgom- ery county, and died there about 1800. His wife. Barbara Miller, came from Germany at the age of eighteen years, in 1738, and was a niece of Anna (Miller) Leisse, who married Jacob Stout, the pioneer ancestor of the Stout family in Bucks county. John Meyer, above mentioned, and his brother Henry followed teaming between Philadel- phia and Pittsburg when much of the inter- vening country was a wilderness. On one of their trips John was taken sick and died and his brother Henry buried him in the wilderness. William B. and Elizabeth (Meyer) Cooper were the parents of eleven children : Lavina, born July 15. 1826. died December 24, 1893, married John H. Wat- son ; Rebecca, who died young : Dr. Alfred

M .; Clara, living in Philadelphia unmar- ried; Rachel and Jane, who died young ; Eve, who died in January, 1899; James B., born August 11, 1842, killed at a barn rais- ing in Tinicum, October 5, 1875; Caroline, born January 14, 1845, married Eli Siga- foos, of Easton; Newton R., born August 26, 1848, died June 14, 1865; and Justus, born July 28, 1851.

Dr. Alfred M. Cooper, eldest son of William B. and Elizabeth (Meyer) Cooper, was born in Tinicum township, Bucks coun- ty, September 15, 1830, and was reared on a farm to the age of nineteen years. He received a good common school education and taught school for five years. At the age of twenty-three years he began the study of medicine and graduated at Jeffer- son Medical College, March 10, 1856. He- located at Point Pleasant and began prac- tice the same year, and was considered one of the leading physicians of Middle Bucks, being highly respected in the community for his many excellent qualities. He prac- ticed at Point Pleasant until his death, September 15, 1898, after a continuous practice there for forty-two years. He was a member of the State Medical Society, the Bucks County Medical Society, the Le- high Valley Medical Society, and the Hun- terdon County ( N. J.) Medical Society. He married, March 21, 1861, Elizabeth Ridge, daughter of William and Catharine (Wyker) Ridge, of Point Pleasant, and a descendant of Edward Marshall, the Walker of 1737. Dr. and Mrs. Cooper were members of the Baptist church of Point Pleasant, of which the former served as deacon and elder for many years. He also took an active interest in educational mat- ters and served several years as school di- rector. Dr. and Elizabeth (Ridge) Cooper were the parents of three children: Dr. William R., the subject of this sketch; J. Howard Cooper, M. D., now practicing medicine at Middle Bush, New Jersey ; and Katherine E. C., wife of William S. Acuff, a lawyer of Ambler, Pennsylvania.

William R. Cooper was reared at Point Pleasant and attended public school there and later the First Pennsylvania State Nor- mal school at Millersville, Pennsylvania. He studied medicine with his father for two years and then entered Jefferson Medi- cal College, from which he was graduated April 2, 1885, and began to practice the same year as an assistant to his father. Five years later he established an office of his own. On the death of his father he re- moved to the old homestead, in the spring of 1899, where he has since resided and continued the practice of his profession. retaining practically all the practice of his honored father. He is a 'member of the American Medical Association. the State Medical Society, the Bucks County Medical Society, and the Lehigh Valley Medical Association. He is a member of the Point Pleasant Baptist church, of which he is a trustee. Dr. Cooper married, March 20, 1800, Mary Smith Shaddinger. daughter of

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

Andrew and Martha (Smith) Shaddinger, of Point Pleasant, and they are the parents of two children, Lloyd Napier, and Dorothy S.

WILLIAM H. MURRAY, one, if not the oldest resident of New Hope, Penn- sylvania, at the time of his death, was born in the city of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, January 31, 1817, and died in New Hope, Pennsylvania, November 23, 1904, after an almost continuous res- idence of nearly eighty-eight years. He was one of thirteen children born to Jo- seph D. and Margaret M. (Sharp) Mur- ray, four of whom still survive. Thomas S., a resident of Trenton, New Jersey; Frances, wife of James E. Darrow, Tren- ton, New Jersey; Anna, widow of Charles E. Aaron, of Norristown, Penn- sylvania; and J. Howard Murray, of Trenton, New Jersey. Joseph D. Mur- ray (father) was born in Edenton, North Carolina, November 7, 1788. His grand- father emigrated from Scotland with a colony that settled on the Roanoke river, naming the settlement Scotland Neck. His parents settled in Edenton. His mother dying in his infancy, he was left an orphan at the age of seven years by the death of his father, and came under the care of his uncle Henry. After his uncle's death, and at the age of eighteen years he came to Philadelphia, engag- ing in the dry goods business. In the spring of 1817 when his son William was but two weeks old he removed to New Hope, Pennsylvania, where he en- gaged in general merchandising. He purchased the house in which his son so long resided (a portion of the resi- dence being built later), and in two rooms of this house conducted a suc- cessful business. After engaging several years in mercantile pursuits he disposed of the same, and then turned his atten- tion to the lumber business, from which he derived a goodly income.

At the age of fifteen years, after com- pleting a common school education with two years at a private school at Bur- lington, New Jersey. William H. Mur- ray accepted a position in an engineer corps engaged in laying out and build- ing the Beaver Meadow Railroad above Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, with Ario Pardee at head of corps. His compen- sation at first was $14 per month, which was later advanced until it reached $4 per day, and at finishing of road was made superintendent of same at nineteen years of age. Subsequently he engaged in the lumber business with his father. In 1838 and '39 he was in the silk busi- ness, hatching out the eggs and carry- ing it on in its different branches to the finished product. This was considered at the time as a business with a bright future. In 1840 Mr. Murray engaged in mercantile pursuits, but at the expira-

tion of six years he disposed of same to his brother Thomas. In 1848 he joined in partnership with A. J. Beau- mont and Samuel Sutton in the plow business, continuing until 1852. In 1853 and '54 he was engaged with his brother Thomas in building a portion of the Flemington railroad. In 1858 and '59 he was in the soap and candle business bought of Charles B. Knowles. In April, 1859, he again became interested in the agricultural implement business, and for the next ten years manufactured the same. When the civil war broke out Mr. Murray told his employees to offer their services to their country if they so wished and he would take care of their families as far as he was able. He called upon the burgess and prom- inent citizens in order to secure funds to raise a company, was successful therein and he assisted in putting in the crops for the men who went to the front. In 1871 he was engaged in the lumber business with his brother-in-law, James E. Darrow, Trenton, New Jersey, for four years. In 1877 he engaged in the grocery business, continuing until 1896 when he retired from active pursuits and lived a retired life. He was a consistent member of the Baptist church for many years, and an earnest advocate of Re- publican principles.

CHARLES EDWARD DURNER, a prominent factor in commercial circles in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, was born on Front street, Quakertown, the son of Charles Frederick and Mary Jane (Speaker) Durner, and belongs to a family distinguished for five generations as organ builders. Charles Edward Dur- ner is descended from Conrad Durner and his wife, Rosina Gauibier, of Wur- temberg, Germany. Their son, Chris- tian Durner, (grandfather of Charles Edward Durner) was born 1810, and died 1879. He followed the trade of or- gan building, as did his ancestors, and emigrated to America, settling in Zion Hill .. He married Catherine Goll and had a son, Charles Frederick.

Charles Frederick Durner, father of Charles E. Durner, was the son of Christian and Catherine (Goll) Durner, and was born April 3, 1838, in Wurtem- berg. Germany. He attended the state schools until he was fourteen years of age, when he commenced a term of ap- prenticeship to learn the trade of organ- building, serving five years. He then went to Lyons and Grenoble, France, at these places working as journeyman and tradesman for about five months. The experience thus gained proved of no little value to him in later years. In 1859 he emigrated to this country, set- tling at Zion's Hill. Here he entered into business for himself, but met with opposition at first, owing to the fact that

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

the trade of organ-builder was not a popular one with the people of this country at that time, who considered that time wasted that was spent in "pro- ducing sounds" from an instrument. However, Mr. Durner persevered in his work and has been attended .with great success, as is demonstrated by the large and well-equipped factory in Quaker- town, to which place he removed his business in 1861. The first organ Mr. Durner built was valued at seven hun- dred and fifty dollars, the building of which occupied Mr. Durner for nearly a year, the compensation he received be- ing the munificent sum of about fifty cents per day. His means being lim- ited, he began with foot-power, which was superceded by steam as his business developed, and he is now at the head of one of the largest and most com- pletely equipped organ factories in Pennsylvania. In 1876 he bttilt an or- gan for the Centennial exposition at Philadelphia, which won for him the highest honors. Though small in size, (compared with many others on exhibi- tion) it was considered in volume and sweetness of tone and perfection of me- chanism superior to many other organs on exhibition, the production of more pretentious establishments. His instru- ments also received the first premium at the State fair in 1878. Mr. Durner's business has extended over the greater part of eastern Pennsylvania, and his handiwork is highly appreciated where- ever seen. Mr. Durner's political affilia- tions are with the Democratic party, and while he takes much interest in local affairs, he has little to do with politics, beyond the influence of his opinion as expressed in his vote. He is a member of St. John's Lutheran church, and is especially interested in religious work, and was a trustee for many years.

In 1862 Mr. Durner was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jane Speaker, daughter of William and Lydia (Poor- man) Speaker, of Center county, Penn-, sylvania. Immediately after his mar- riage Mr. Durner and his wife removed to Quakertown, settling in the house where they now reside. The following named children were born to them: Charles Edward, September 1, 1863, spoken of at length hereinafter: 2. Anna Elizabeth, born January 5, 1866, married Calvin F. Heckler, lawyer, son of John and Victoria (Fluck) Heckler, farmers of Hilltown township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. 3. Mary Katherine, tin- married, and lives at home. Mrs. Dur- ner died January 5. 1893, in the seventy- first year. of her age.

CHARLES EDWARD DURNER, eldest child of Charles Frederick and Mary Jane (Speaker) Durner, attended the common schools of his native place until his sixteenth year. He then de-

voted himself to learning the trade of organ-building with his father, with whom he is still engaged at the organ factory in Quakertown, on the corner of Front and Juniper streets, one of the largest and most prosperous of its kind in that section of the country. Mr. Durner and his father have worked themselves up to a very high place in the world of business, and theirs is an example of what perseverance, indom- itable will and unfailing energy can ac- complish in the way of assisting men to attain the highest success. In political affairs, Mr. Charles E. Durner helps support the Democratic party, and al- though he never aspired to public office, takes a lively interest in the welfare of that organization. He is a member of St. John's Lutheran church, in the af- fairs of which he has always taken an active part. He was a member of the church council for fourteen years, and for a period of thirteen years was sec- retary of that body.

June 17, 1889, Charles Edward Durner was united in marriage to Miss Emma Jane Fluck, daughter of William Ben- jamin and Catherine (Hager) Fluck, of Quakertown. She is a descendant of an old German family who emigrated to . this country under Richard and Thomas Penn, settling in Bucks county, Penn- sylvania. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Durner settled in Juniper and Third streets, in a house that they had had erected previous to their marriage. The following named children were born to them: Harold Frederick, born October 25, 1890, lives at home and at- tends the Quakertown schools; and Laura Catherine, born March 22, 1893, also lives at home, attending school in Quakertown.

CALVIN F. HECKLER. The early ancestors of Calvin F. Heckler, both di- rect and collateral, settled in the south- eastern counties of Pennsylvania more than one hundred and fifty years ago. Mr. Heckler is a descendant of George Heckler, a Redemptioner. who arrived in Philadelphia on the ship "Neptune," September 30, 1754. He was purchased by John Steiner of North Coventry township, Chester county, near Potts- town. George Heckler was the son of Michael Heckler, and was born in 1736 in the province of Lower Alsace, on the Rhine. He was obliged to work on a farm for three years in order to redeem his passage, and afterwards married Christiana Freed, daughter of Peter Freed. of Lower Salford township, Montgomery county. He died August 28. 1816. aged eighty years, and by his thrift and industry had acquired consid- erable property. At the beginning of the American Revolution George Heck- ler bought a two hundred acre farm on

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

or near the site of the Mennonite meet- ing house at Blooming Glen, in Hill- town township, Bucks county. He ren- dered assistance to the patriots when the Continental army was in and around Philadelphia. In 1774, according to a tax duplicate record, was rated

among the list of taxables of Hilltown township. The European branch of the family fought alternately for and against Napoleon, according to the fate of the Alsace and Loraine provinces as deter- mined by the fortunes of the Napoleonic wars.

Samuel (Detweiler) Heckler, grand- son of George Heckler mentioned above, whose father's name was also George, was born in Lower Salford township, Montgomery county, in 1803. After his marriage he settled in New Britain township, near the village of Greer's Corner, where he resided for six years. He then purchased a farm of about one hundred and twenty acres in the western part of Hilltown township, where he resided until his death, which occurred in the spring of 1884, at the age of eighty-one years. He was a life- long farmer, disposing of his produce in the Philadelphia markets. He was very successful, reared a family of twelve children, and accumulated considerable property. In religious belief he was a liberal Mennonite, and belonged to the church of that sect at Line Lexington, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. In poli- tics he was affiliated with the Whigs, and later with the Republicans. He mar- ried, in 1825, Anna Rosenberger, of the vicinity of Norristown, Montgomery county. Their children were as follows:

I. Anna Eliza, unmarried, died at the age of twenty-two years.

2. George, unmarried, died in 1859, at the age of twenty-nine years.

3. Elias, married Rebecca Gerhart, of Hilltown township, and died in 1900.

4. Hester Ann, deceased, became the wife of George W. Magargal, of Elkins Park, Montgomery county.

5. David R., married Amanda Kimbel, of Buckingham township, in 1862, and is now a prosperous farmer in West Bedminster township, Bucks county.

6. Jacob R., married Lydia Baringer, of Hilltown township, and is now a re- tired resident of Perkasie, Pennsylvania.

7. Aaron R., married Sophia Rosen- berger. of Hatfield, Pennsylvania, and is one of the substantial farmers of that township.

8. Samuel, died in infancy.

9. John R., mentioned at length here- after.

10. Samuel R., having served through- out the great civil war as a volunteer, married Rebecca Kimbel, of Bucking- ham, and is now a retired farmer living near Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

II. Amanda, the widow of Charles Massinger, deceased, of Chalfont.

12. Franklin R., deceased, married Margaret, daughter of Christian Moyer, of Hilltown.

John R. Heckler, son of Samuel Det- weiler and Anna (Rosenberger) Heck- ler, was born November 3, 1840, on the homestead in Hilltown township. His boyhood was passed in rendering assist- ance on the farm, and at the same time attending the subscription and free schools. He taught a public school in Monroe county, Pennsylvania, and after- wards at Fluck's school house, in Hill- town township for two years. He was for some years afterward a tenant- farmer, but in 1885 purchased one of his father's farms, where he lived until 1892, when he moved to Perkasie, Pennsyl- vania. John R. Heckler married, in 1861, Victoria S. (Stout), daughter of Tobias and Anna (Stout) Fluck of Hill- town and the following children were born to them:

I. Calvin F. (christened Samuel Cal- vin), mentioned at length hereafter.

2. Allen Henry, born August 26, 1866, married in 1891 to Elizabeth, daughter of John D. Hunsberger, of Souderton, one child, Sallie Lorene, being born in 1892. Mrs. Heckler's death occurred shortly afterwards. Mr. Heckler mar- ried again. in 1894, Kate Abele, of the city of Philadelphia, where he now re- sides. Since 1888 he has been a foreman of carpenters in the service of the Phil- adelphia and Reading Railroad Com- pany. Their children are: Calvin F., Jr., deceased; Henry Frederick, and Ernest Abele.

Nari Franklin, the third son of John R. Heckler, was born February 4, 1873, in Hilltown, Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania, and attended the common schools and the Sellersville high school. In July, 1888, he became a telegraphic stu- dent with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company at Souderton, Penn- sylvania, and afterwards served as a tel- egraph operator of the Philadelphia and New York divisions until October 24, 1895, when he resigned to enter the serv- ice of the American Printing Company, of New York City. On March 30, 1896, he was employed by the Union League of Philadelphia, as a stenographer, and was gradually promoted until he was appointed superintendent of that fa- mous organization on March 20, 1900, which position he still retains. He is an active member of the Baptist church, and was married to Alberta Lorene, daughter of John G. Fritz, of Lafayette, Montgomery county, and has one child, John Franklin, who was born July 12, 1896.

Calvin F. Heckler, son of John R., and Victoria Stout (Fluck) Heckler, was born on the Heckler homestead in Hilltown township, Bucks county, June 12. 1864. He received his preliminary education in the common schools of the township, after-

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

ward attending the Sellersville high school and also the normal school at Millers- ville, Pennsylvania. He worked on the farm during the summer, taught school during the winter in Hilltown and Bed- minster townships, saved his money, and worked his way through the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with high honors in the law department of that in- stitution in 1887. He registered as a law student with Hon. Henry M. Hoyt, for- mer governor of Pennsylvania, with whom he served three years, and on whose mo- tion he was admitted to practice in all the county courts. He was afterward admit- ted to the Pennsylvania supreme court and the United States courts. He further sup- plemented his legal attainments by after- wards associating himself with the law firm of Arundel & Moon ( Congressman Reuben O. Moon of Philadelphia) until he took offices for himself in the Pennsyl- vania Building at Fifteenth and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia, where he is favored with a large clientage. He has held var- ious positions of trust, and since February, 1904, is serving as a member of the bor- ough council. His political support is al- ways freely given to the Republican party, and he has actively participated in every state and national campaign since 1884. Mr. Heckler has traveled extensively in the United States and many of the provinces of Canada. He is a member of the German Reformed church, to which his parents also belong. Mr. Heckler is past master, by merit, of the Quakertown Lodge, No. 512, F. and A. M., and member of the Philadel- phia Sovereign Consistory, S. P. R. S. 32d degree. He also belongs to numerous oth- er fraternal organizations. Mr. Heckler married, 1892, Anna Elizabeth Durner, who for ten years prior was a successful teacher in the public schools of Quakertown. She is an active member of the Lutheran church and other auxiliary organizations, and is devoted to all the interests and duties of her home and family. Mrs. Heckler be- longs to a family distinguished for five generations as church-organ builders. She is a daughter of Charles F. and Mary J. (Speaker) Durner, of Quakertown, Penn- sylvania.

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History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 72

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