History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 76

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 76

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life's comforts, and he has the respect of all with whom he mingles. His family, well reared, are an ornament to society and useful to the world.

RICHARD LAFAYETTE DOLTON. Among the progressive and prosperous farmers of Southampton township, who make a specialty of dairy farming, may be mentioned the name of Richard L. Dol- ton, a native of Newtown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, the date of his birth being October 21, 1847. His parents were Charles and Emma (Poulterer) Dolton, and his grandparents were Charles and Tamar (Tomlinson) Dolton, whose family con- sisted of two children: Fanny, who became the wife of a Mr. Walker, who was a printer in the Ledger office, and they were the parents of two children; and Charles, born October 28, 181I.

Charles Dolton (father) aforementioned was a ship carpenter, and for many years followed a seafaring life. It was during one of his voyages that he met his wife, an English girl, whose name was Emma Poul- terer, born February 23, 1824. After his marriage he continued his seafaring life for some years, and in 1867 turned his atten- tion to farming at Newtown, Bucks county, but shortly afterward, however, retired from active occupation, spending his life in New- town until his death, seven years later, which was the result of an injury received from the kick of a horse. He served dur- ing the Mexican war as a carpenter. prob- ably in an engineer corps, and was severely hurt, having both legs broken by a falling timber. He also served in the war against the Seminole Indians in Florida, and was one of the men who helped bury Major Dade and his men. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Dolton are as follows : Eliza, born 1844, became the wife of Franklin Fenton, son of Benjamin Fenton; Richard Lafay- ette, born October 21, 1847, mentioned here- inafter; Charles T., born in April, 1850, married a lady in Chicago, and they have one son, Richard ; they reside in Chicago ; John; Elwood, deceased; Frank, died in in- fancy.

Richard L. Dolton attended the schools of Newtown, Bucks county, until the age of ten years, after which he went to work on the farm owned by Isaac Chapman, at Wrightstown, where he remained for three years. He then went to Holland and worked for Joseph W. and James C. Cornell, and from Holland joined his father in New Britain, where they cultivated a farm leased from Richard Hamilton. In the sixties he went with his father to Illinois, where they only remained a short period, returning to Bucks county in September, 1865. after hav- ing disposed of their property in the west. He then went to work for John K. Talbot in Upper Makefield, where he remained un- til the spring of 1866. when he went to farming for himself, renting the property

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

of David Twining. This land he farmed for about one year and then joined his father at Newtown, with whom he remained until his marriage, when he moved to the farm of Aaron Knight, his father-in-law, which farm he cultivated for twenty-five years, renting it until it was sold. In April, 1904, he removed to the farm on which he now resides in Southampton township and since then has made a specialty of dairy farming. Mr. Dolton was united in marriage to Phoebe T. Knight, who was born in Southampton township, September 29, 1856, a daughter of Aaron and Hannah (Tomlinson) Knight. Seven children were the issue of this union, six of whom are: Aaron, born August 10, 1880, married Blanche Atkinson and they are the parents of two children : Aaron and Florence. Emma, born August 10, 1882, wife of George T. White. Bertha, born July 25, 1884, died August 9, 1885. Mary E., born December 26, 1885. Mabel, born January 28, 1887. Richard, born April 6, 1888.

CHARLES E. COPE, the well known hotel proprietor of Atlantic City, and the Water Gap, was born at New Hope, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, December 28, 1852, and is descended on the paternal side from Yost Cope, one of the earliest German settlers in Bucks county.

George B. Cope, father of Charles E., was born and reared in Plumstead town- ship, Bucks county. Soon after his mar- riage he engaged in business in New Hope, Bucks county, where he was a successful merchant and general business man, be- ing engaged for some years in boat build- ing and other local industries. He was a Democrat in politics, and for many years took an active part in the councils of his party. He was elected to the office of treasurer of Bucks county, and served for three years. He later removed to Burling- ton, New Jersey, and engaged extensively in cranberry growing. He died at the age of seventy years. His wife was Frances M. Crook, of an old New Hope family, and they were the parents of ten children of whom eight survive: Ella, widow of Edgar Haas, of Solebury; Charles E., the subject of this sketch; G. Frank, of Sum- mit's Point. New Jersey ; Clara, widow of Sexton Woodward, of Philadelphia; An- netta, wife of Blanchard White, an at- torney of Pemberton, New Jersey: Cath- arine, wife of Dr. Seagraves, of Pember- ton; Bertha, wife of William Watts, a hotel proprietor at Atlantic City ; J. Pardy, of Atlantic City.

Charles E. Cope was reared at New Hope and acquired his education at the public schools and the State Normal School at Millersville. Pennsylvania. At the age of twenty years he left his father's cranberry farm and returned to Bucks county, where he took up the butchering business, first

in Pineville, later at Forest Grove, and Buckingham, and finally in Doylestown, where he conducted a meat market for some years. Selling out his business he con- ducted the Upper Hotel at Buckingham for two years, and then removed to the Water Gap, where he conducted a summer resort for three years. His father dying about this time and leaving him his partially de- veloped cranberry farm, encumbered, Charles as the eldest son was called home to take matters in charge. Needing money to develop the property, Mr. Cope went to Atlantic City and engaged in the hotel business, and from his earnings there de- veloped the cranberry bog, thus placing the property upon an earning basis, so that in three or four years cranberries were pro- duced by the carload, and a large income was provided for the widowed mother and her children. Mr. Cope then deeded the property over to his mother, and has since continued the hotel business at Atlantic City and the Water Gap. He assisted his brothers to start in business for themselves, and both of them have been successful, Frank, the elder having retired from active business. Mr. Cope has been the proprietor of the "Clifton," "San Marcus," "Alber- marle," "Kenilworth," the "Grand Atlantic," and the "Jackson" hotels at Atlantitc City, and still retains the latter, as well as the Kittatinning House at the Delaware Water Gap, both of which he conducts. In 1898 he purchased a tract of land at Wycombe, Bucks county, upon which he has erected several houses and business places.

Mr. Cope married, in 1879, Emma Thompson, daughter of the late Abraham Thompson, of Wrightstown, for many years a prominent farmer of that township, and who filled the office of county commissioner several years ago. He belonged to an old family in that vicinity, of Scotch-Irish ex- traction. Mr. and Mrs. Cope have no chil- dren. He is a member of Doylestown Lodge, No. 245, F. & A. M., Atlantic City Lodge. B. P. O. E., Pequod Tribe, I. O. R. M., and Atlantic City Lodge, I. O. O. F.

MRS. J. WARREN PAXSON, of Sole- bury township, is descended from the well known Beans family of Bucks county, be- ing a great-granddaughter of Nathan Beans, who at one time was the owner of a clock that is now in possession of Mrs. Phillips. It was made for him by Seneca Lukens, of Horsham, Pennsylvania, in 1787.

Stephen Beans, son of Nathan Beans, was born March 8. 1776. in Warminster township. Bucks county, but after attaining his majority removed to Northampton township, where he was engaged in farm- ing for many years. He. however, returned to Warminster township and located in Johnsville, where he died on the 20th of August, 1866. He married Nancy Ramsey. and their son was Robert Beans, who was born in Northampton township, March 28,

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

1818. In early manhood he learned the wheelwright trade and opened a shop in New Hope about 1840. In 1842 he re- moved to Richboro, where he remained for a year or two and then established his home at Johnsville, where he owned and conducted an extensive machine shon which became one of the leading industrial con- cerns of the locality, furnishing employment to twenty or more men. He was an ac- complished mechanic, and patented a mow- ing machine. He was very active in busi- life, a man of keen discernment and un- faltering enterprise as well as unblemished integrity, and through the capable manage- ment of his affairs acquired a handsome competency. He always voted with the Re- publican party, giving stalwart support to the cause, and was a recognized leader in its local councils, and, in fact, his influence extended . to political circles in the state. He was at one time a candidate for state senator, and although his district was strongly Democratic he was defeated by a very small vote, running far ahead of his ticket. He served for a number of years as justice of the peace, and was one of the highly esteemed and influential men of his locality. He married Miss Ann Carver, who was born in Northampton township. December 9, 1818, a daughter of Robert and Mary (Smith) Carver. Her father was a prominent farmer of Northampton town- ship, and was a son of Joel and Ann (Smith) Carver. Robert and Ann (Carver) Beans became the parents of five children, of whom four are living: Mrs. Carrie R. B. Paxson; Annie E., the wife of Frank A. Phillips, assistant cashier of the Lam- bertville National Bank of Lambertville, New Jersey; Mary C., wife of Watson K. Reeder, of New Hope, Bucks county ; and Alice, wife of Milton Wood.

Mrs. Paxson spent her girlhood days in her parents' home, and her early education, acquired in the common schools, was sup- plemented by study in the State normal school at Millersville, from which institu- tion she was graduated with the class of 1875. In 1863 she began teaching, and fol- lowed that profession with splendid suc- cess in the district schools for twelve years. In 1879 she gave her hand in marriage to J. Warren Paxson, a son of Abraham and Evelina (Walton) Paxson. His father was born July 17, 1802. in Solebury town- ship, where his entire life was passed. He was in ill health for a long time, and died when comparatively a young man.

J. Warren Paxson was born in Solebury township on the farm where he now resides, lais natal day being June 25, 1845. He was here reared, and the common schools af- forded him his educational privileges. In 1863 he enlisted for three months service in the Union army, and returned to his home at the end of that time in very poor health, so that for three years he was under the doctor's care, and for a long time little hone was entertained for his recovery. After regaining his health he worked on the

farm of his father until 1876, when he and a brother purchased the old homestead, which they farmed together until 1879. In that year Harvey Paxson assumed the man- agement of the home place, and J. Warren Paxson removed to his late home, where he and his wife thereafter resided. For sev- eral years he was engaged in the under- taking business. He was a cabinet-maker and carpenter by trade, and followed these pursuits occasionally. Mr. Paxson was a Republican in his political views, and be- longed to the Friends' meeting. Both Mr. and Mrs. Paxson represent old families of Bucks county, and have enjoyed the high regard of a large circle of friends. J. War- ren Paxson died suddenly of heart trouble on June 27, 1905.

HARRY R. TREGO, of Pineville, Wrightstown township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, was born March 2, 1866, on the farm upon which he still resides, and which had been the property of his ances- tors for several generations, having been purchased by John Trego, the ancestor of the Bucks county branch of the family of George Newburn, October 10, 1743. The family of Trego is of French origin, the ancestors Peter and Judith Trego emigrat- ing from France about 1685, and settling in Middletown township, now Delaware county, where Peter purchased land in 1690. The children of Peter and Judith Trego were: Jacob, born 8 mno. 17, 1687; James, born 4 mo. 26, 1690; William, born 6 mo. 3. 1693; Ann, born 8 mo. 28, 1702, married Dr. James Rushton; John, born 12 mo. 15, 1696; Peter, born about 1700. Peter, the father, died in Middletown at the age of seventy-five years, in 1730.

Jacob Trego, the eldest son of Peter and Judith, born in 1687, married at Darby Meeting of Friends in 1710, Mary Cart- ledge, daughter of Edmund and Mary Cart- ledge, who had come from Darby, Derby- shire, in 1683. Mary was born at Darby. Chester county, Pennsylvania, 8 mo. 25. 1685. Jacob resided in Merion, Chester county until 1717, when he moved to Darbv. where he died 4 mo. 10, 1720, his eldest daughter Hannah dying on the same day. He left two children: John, born 5 mo. 6, 1715: and Rachel, born 7 mo. 27, 1719. On October 5. 1722, his widow, Marv Trego, married John Laycock, who had emigrated from Lancashire, England, and settled in Wrightstown, Bucks county. Their only child, Mary Laycock, married Daniel White, of Buckingham, 9 mo. 12, 1751.

James and William Trego, sons of Peter and Judith, married sisters by the name of Moore, and remained in Chester county, the former rearing a family, and the latter dying soon after his marriage, childless. Peter. Jr. married Ann Whitaker, and reared a family. John. the youngest son. followed the sea for many years. Rachel, the surviving daughter of Jacob and Mary

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

Trego, married

Joseph Johnson, of Wrightstown, and left four sons and a daughter.

John Trego, only son of Jacob and Mary (Cartledge) Trego, born in Chester county, 5 ino. 6, 1715, was reared from the age of seven years in Wrightstown, Bucks county. He married Hannah Lester, of Richland, her ancester, Peter Lester, being one of the first settlers in the "Great Swamp." In 1736 his stepfather and mother, John and Mary Laycock, conveyed to him 140 acres in Upper Makefield, a part of which remained the property of his descendants until the present generation, the last owner of the name being Morris W. Trego, his great-grandson. This farm was near the line of Wrightstown, and its northeast line was that of Buckingham township. The children of John and Hannah (Lester) Trego were: Jacob, died in Wrightstown, on the old homestead, without issue; Sarah, married Joseph Wiggins, of Wrightstown, and removed to Harford county, Maryland, in 1771; Joyce, died young ; Rachel, married a Skelton; Mary, married Meshach Mich- ener, of Plumstead ; Hannah, married David Stockdale, and removed to Harford coun- ty, Maryland; and William.

William Trego, second son of John and Hannah (Lester) Trego, was born on the Upper Makefield homestead, March 16, 1744, married 9 mo. 19, 1768, Rebecca Hibbs, and on June 18, 1770, his father conveyed to him aout sixty acres of the homestead farm, the balance of which reverted to him and his six sons at the death of his brother Jacob, in accordance with his father's will, probated in 1791. William Trego died in 1827. He and his wife Rebecca were the parents of eleven children, as follows: I. Thomas, born 8 mo. 15, 1769, married Sarah Duffield, and removed with his family to Harford county, Maryland, in 1812, dying there 8 mo. 7, 1837 : 2. Mahlon, born II ino. 25, 1770, married Rachel Briggs, and died 3 mo. 22, 1849; 3. Joseph, born II mo. 10, 1772; 4. William, born 9 mo. 29, 1774, mar- ried Rachel Taylor, and died 7 1110. 1.4. 1850: 5. John, born 2 mo. 20, 1776, died 10 mo. 16, 1832; 6. Mary, born 10 mo. I. 1778, died 10 mo. 6, 1784: 7. Jacob. born IO ino. 28, 1780, married Letitia Smith, and lived in Wrightstown until 1846, when he removed to Illinois, where he died, 10 mo. 3. 1870; 8. Jesse, born 1783, died 1784: 9. Hannah, born 10 ino. 23. 1784, married Isaac Beans, and settled in Harford coun- ty. Maryland, in 1812: 10. Rebecca, born 8 mo. 21, 1786, married John Beans, and (second) Thomas Briggs; II. Mary, born IO mno. 3. 1788, married her cousin, Mahlon Hibbs West, in Harford county, Maryland, his mother and hers being sisters.

John Trego, fifth child of William and Rebecca (Hibbs) Trego, born 12 mo. 20, 1776, on the Upper Makefield homestead, inherited sixty-five acres thereof and spent his whole life there. He also inherited the Wrightstown farm now occupied by his

great-grandson, the subject of this sketch. He died 10 1110. 16, 1832, and the Upper Makefield homestead was adjudged to his . second son, Morris W., his eldest son, John K. Trego, the grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, electing to take the Wrightstown farm, where he then resided. The other children of John Trego, were Seth and Lydia.

John K. Trego was born on the Upper Makefield homestead, but on his marriage or soon after settled on the Wrightstown farm, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying March 23, 1886. He was an active and prominent man in the commun- ity. Like all his American ancestors, he was a member of the Society of Friends. He was one of the trustees of the Pineville school, established for the use of the neigh- borhood long before the time of the com- mon school, and filled other positions of trust. He married Wilhelmina Kirk, daughter of Amos and Charity (Doan) Kirk, of Buckingham, the former of whom was born in Buckingham 2 mio. 10, 1782, and died 9 mo. 24, 1863. He was a son of Thomas and Ocea ( Kinsey ) Kirk, grand- son of Isaac and Rachel (Fell) Kirk, great- grandson of John and Joan ( Elliot) Kirk, the former of whom came from Alderton, Derbyshire, England, in 1687. and settled near Darby, from whence his son Jolin re- moved to Buckingham in 1729. The chil- dren of John K. and Wilhelmina (Kirk) Trego, were Angelina, now widow of S. Smith Kirk, still living in Wrightstown, and Amos K

Amos Kirk Trego, only son of John K. and Wilhelmina, was born on the Wrights- town homestead, March 27, 1838, and still resides on a portion of it, having resigned the management of the farm to his son, the subject of this sketch, several years ago. He married Emily A. Mckinstry, daughter of Henry and Hannah (Hillborn) Mc- Kinstry, who was born in Montgomery county, July 21, 1840. Henry Mckinstry died in 1845, and his widow, Hannah ( Hill- born) Mckinstry, survived him fifty-nine years, dying in Wrightstown in April, 1904, at the age of eighty-six years. Amos K. and Emily A. (Mckinstry) Trego are the parents of two children : Harry R., the sub- ject of this sketch; and Miriam, wife of Jonathan A. Warner, of Edison, Bucks county.

Harry R. Trego was born and reared on the Wrightstown homestead, which he now occupies, and was educated at the pub- lic schools. He was reared to the life of a farmer, and on his marriage in 1889 took charge of the farm. In politics he is a Republican, but has never sought or held other than local offices. He is a member of Northern Star Lodge, No. 54. I. O. O. F. of Richboro; Penns Park Council, No. 973, Jr. O. U. A. M., and of Northern Star Castle, No. 121. A. O. K. of the M. C. of Newtown. On January 10, 1889, he mar- ried Anna D. Twining, daughter of Elias

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

Twining, of Wrightstown, and a descend- ant of the oldest and most prominent fam- ilies of that section. They have no chil- dren.

AMOS S. WORTHINGTON. Lewis Worthington, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Buckinghami township, Bucks county, in 1820, and is a descendant of the family of that name who have been residents of Buckingham for sev- eral generations, their earliest ancestors having originally settled in Byberry, Phila- delphia county, from whence the immedi- ate progenitors of the Buckingham fam- ily removed to Buckingham about the middle of the eighteenth century. Lewis Worthington was reared to the life of a farmer, and always followed that vocation. In the year 1854 he purchased of a rela- tive, Israel Worthington, the farm in Doylestown township where the subject of this sketch now resides, and containing eighty-two acres, and resided thereon until his death in 1895. He married Tacy Dud- bridge, daughter of William Dudbridge, of Warwick township, and they were the par- ents of two children: Theresa, wife of Frank Keller, of Doylestown; and Amos S.

Amos S. Worthington was born in Doylestown township, August 19, 1855. He was reared on the farm where he still re- sides, and acquired his education at the public schools. At the death of his father he continued to manage the farm, and a year later purchased his sister's interest therein, and takes great pride in making it one of the most productive and attrac- tive farms in the neighborhood.

STACY BROWN, of Newtown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, was born at Browns- burg, Upper Makefield township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1864, and is a son of the late William B. and Hannah (Hough) Brown.

Mr. Brown is descended on both mater- nal and paternal sides from the oldest and most distinguished families of Bucks county. George Browne and Mercy his wife, the pioneer ancestors of the family, came from Lancashire, England, in 1679, and were married on their arrival at New Castle. They located in Falls township on land surveyed to them under warrant from Edmund Andros, governor-general under the Duke of York. This land fronted on the Delaware, above the Manor of Pennsbury, and a part of it has remained in the tenure of the descendents of George and Mercy Browne to the present time. He and his wife Mercy were said to have been members of the Established church, but most of their descendants of the third gen- eration became members of the Society of Friends. They had fourteen children. Joseph Brown, the great-great-grand- father of the subject of this sketch, was

a grandson of George and Mercy Browne and supposed to be a son of Joseph and Ann (Higgs) Brown. He was born in Falls township, Bucks county, and residea there all his life, dying in 1777. He mar- ried, May 27, 1760, Mary Hutchinson, eld- est child of Joseph and Esther (Stanaland) Hutchinson, and granddaughter of John and Phebe (Kirkbride) Hutchinson, and great-granddaughter of Joseph and PheDe ( Blackshaw) Kirkbride. Many of the de- scendents of George and Mercy Browne became prominent in the affairs of the in- fant province, and later in that of the state and nation. His son, Samuel, was prominent member of the colonial assem- bly, as were George and John, sons of Sam- uel. The former was the grandfather of General Jacob Brown, of the United States army. Of Joseph Kirkbride, the distin- guished ancestor of the subject of this sketcli, it is hardly necessary to state that he was one of the most pi in the colonial history of Bucks county.

Joseph and Mary (Hutchinson) Brown were the parents of six children: Joseph and Jesse, who died young; Levi, Stacy, Phebe and Letitia. Mary, the mother, died in 1783.

Levi Brown, eldest surviving son of Jo- seph and Mary (Hutchinson) Brown, was born in Falls township in the year 1765. On arriving at manhood he located in Buckingham and married Sarah Bennett, daughter of William Bennett, of Holland and English ancestry. In 1791, while a resident of Buckingham, he purchased in partnership with Joseph Harrold 150 acres of land in Plumstead township, but prob- ably never lived on it, as he was a resi- dent of Warwick township, when he joined in its conveyance in 1793. Little is known of his subsequent history.

Stacy Brown, son of Levi and Sarah (Bennett) Brown, was born in Bucks county, November II, 1796. On December 17, 1826, he married Lenah Beans, born August 5, 1896, daughter of Thomas and . Christiana (Johnson) Beans, of Warmin- ster, and located at the present site of the village of Brownsburg, Upper Makefield township, Bucks county, of which village he was the founder. He first purchased five acres of land there, but eventually be- came the owner of over 299 acres in that locality, and was a prominent and succes- ful business man, establishing a store, ho- tel, sash and blind factory and coal and lumber yard, and doing an extensive and thriving business. He died September 20, 1879, and his wife Lenah on May 3, 1872. They were the parents of five children: Mary, the wife of Albert Agin; Thomas B .; William B .; Sara, the first wife of the late Dr. J. P. Agnew; and Harriet S., who never married.

William B. Brown, second son of Stacy and Lenah (Beans) Brown, died, 1875, married Hannah Hough, daughter of Sam- uel Moore Hough, of Newtown, and granddaughter of Benjamin and Hannah

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

(Simpson) Hough, of Warrington, and a descendant of Richard Hough, provin - cial councillor, an extended account of whose descendants is given in this vol- ume. The children of William B. and Hannah (Hough) Brown were: Stacy, the subject of this sketch; Nellie, the wife of William Hicks, of Newtown; and Lizzie, who died in infancy.

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History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 76

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