History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 96

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 96

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George Weiss, father of Henry W. Weiss, was born on the homestead farm near Zions- ville, Lehigh county. He followed farm- ing, and in conjunction therewith conduct- ed a saw and chopping mill near Milford Square, Bucks county, which property still remains in the hands of a member of the Weiss family. He was a member of the Mennonite church, and a Whig in politics. He married Anna Weinberger, whose fath- er was a farmer of Milford township. His death occurred in 1864.

Henry W. Weiss attended the common schools of the district until his sixteenth year, after which he assisted on the home farm and in the saw and chopping mill, above referred to, continuing the same until his marriage, March 12, 1859, when he set- tled on his father's farm. In 1864 he moved to Haycock township, near Applebachs- ville, where he farmed for one year. He then moved to Quakertown, near where the North Penn railroad station now stands, and there raised and shipped stock to New York markets. In 1876 he pur- chased the Harry Hacket farm on Califor- nia road, north of Quakertown, containing fifty-nine acres of improved land, which he operates as a dairy farm. For several

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

years Mr. Weiss was actively engaged in building creameries through Bucks county, being one of the pioneers of that industry. Of late years, however, he has led a less active life, and devoted his time to the management of his farm, which is known as "Fairview," and which as a summer boarding house is patronized by many peo- ple from Philadelphia and elsewhere, Mr. and Mrs. Weiss having the reputation of being excellent providers and entertainers. In politics Mr. Weiss has always been ac- tively engaged as a Republican, but has never sought or held office. By his mar- riage to Frances Allebach, daughter of Ja- cob and Ellen (Van Fossen) Allebach, farmers, of Montgomery county, Pennsyl- vania, which was celebrated March 12, 1859, the following children were born: Joseph Franklin, deceased : Ellen, deceased; and Elmira, born September 10, 1862, who mar- ried Joseph B. Shelly, son of Elias Shelly, a farmer, of Milford township. Joseph B. Shelly was engaged for a time in the hotel business, but after several years retired from that line of work and engaged in the agency for farming implements and wag- ons, building up a large business in and about Quakertown. In politics he was an ardent Republican, but never served in any official capacity. He was a Mennonite 111 religion, member of East Swamp church, and for several years took an active part in religious affairs as teacher and superin- tendent of Sunday schools at East Swamp. Their children were: Herbert Arthur, Hen- ry Eugene, Lilly Alberta, Frances Mabel, George Joseph, Cora Irene, and Peninnah May Shelly. Mr. Shelly died August 2, 1903, since which time Mrs. Shelly has suc- cessfully conducted the business in which her husband was engaged at the time of his death. Mr. Weiss and his family are members of the Mennonite church, at East Swamp, Pennsylvania.

JACOB KOOKER. One of the well- known men of Solebury is Jacob Kooker. The great-grandfather of Mr. Kooker was Peter Kooker, a native of Germany, who emigrated to this country in company with a brother, Jacob Kooker, who settled near Norristown, Montgomery county, on land known as Big Meadows. Peter Kooker (great-grandfather) settled in Nockamix- on township, near Rufe's hotel (now Re- vere). He was married three times; his first wife was Elizabeth Raub, who bore him one child, Jacob Kooker, mentioned hereinafter. His second wife was Kate White, who was a widow with several children by her first marriage, and his third wife was also a widow, Mrs. Myers, who was the mother of one son by her first marriage, Jacob Myers, who, at the peril of his life ran back and rescued the has of the One Hundred and Fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, when they had been driven back from their position by the rebels during the civil war.

Captain Jacob Kooker, grandfather of Jacob Kooker, was captain of the Leopard Niflemen during the war of 1812. He was numbered among the good citizens of Bucks county, and died of consumption at the early age of thirty-nine years. He married Mary Magdaline Calfe, who was born in Tinicum township, June 2, 1790, died August 10, 1868, and her remains were interred at Upper Tinicum churchyard. They were the parents of nine children, as follows : John, a carpenter and undertaker by trade, who resided at Holland, New Jer- sey, where he was married. Henry, men- tioned at length hereinafter. Elizabeth, wife of Jacob Sigafoos, of Tinicum town- ship, Bucks county. Samuel, a farmer and retired gentleman, who resided near Pine- ville, Pennsylvania. Sarah, wife of Will- iam Anld, of Carversville, Bucks county. Annie, wife of Charles Slack, of Yardley, Bucks county. Margarette, wife of Joseph Welsh, of Holland, New Jersey. Mary, who died at the age of two years. Cathar- ine, wife of Charles F. Smith, of Clay- ton, Bucks county. These children with their husbands and wives are all now de- ceased with the exception of Louisa, wid- ow of Samuel Kooker, who lives at Pine- ville, Pennsylvania.

Henry Kooker, father of Jacob Kooker, was born March 11, 1815, in Nockamixon, and was a son of Jacob and Mary Magda- line (Calfe) Kooker. When a boy he went to live with an uncle, John Calfe, in Tini- cum township, and there he grew to man- hood. Later he went to Hunterdon coun- ty, New Jersey, and for several years was employed at Godley's mills, ultimately be- coming salesman for the mills. At the time of his marriage he returned to Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and settled in Sole- bury whence he removed to Clayton, Buck- ingham township, remaining some years and engaging in lime burning. Subsequently he moved to Tinicum township, where he resided nine years, then moved back to Buckingham township, and on his retire- ment from business both he and his wife made their home with their daughter, Ida Roberts, wife of Charles S. Roberts, or New Hope, Pennsylvania. Until the break- ing out of the civil war Mr. Kooker was a Democrat in politics, but then became a Republican. He was a member of Soie- bury Baptist church, in which body he served as deacon for many years. He mar- ried, November 5, 1840, Elizabeth Strouse, who was born in Tinicum, Pennsylvania, January 12, 1821, daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth (Sigafoos) Strouse, of Nocka- mixon township, the latter named having been born October 13, 1792, died August 10, 1868, and buried at Upper Tinicum churchyard. After the death of his wife Mr. Strouse went to live with his daugh- ter Catharine, wife of Cyrus Foreman, who resided in the vicinity of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and there resided until his death and was buried in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Strouse were the parents of seven

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

children, three sons of whom died in youth and childhood, and the names of the oth- ers were as follows: Annie, deceased, who was the wife of the late Paul Rymond, of Tinicum. Elizabeth, deceased, wife of the late Henry Kooker, of New Hope. Mary, deceased, who was the wife of the late Jobn Wilkinson, a cotton manufacturer of New Hope, who operated the cotton mills there for several years. Catharine, wife of Cy- rus Foreman, aforementioned, who is the only survivor of the family. Henry and Elizabeth (Strouse) Kooker were the par- ents of the following children : William S., a physician in the city of Philadelphia. Mary, who married Walker Booze, of New Hope. Jacob, mentioned at length herein- after. Charles H., who is a contractor and builder in Philadelphia. John, a resi- dent of New Hope, who carries on pork butchering and is the owner of a large hardware store. Ida, wife of Charles S. Roberts, a lumber and coal dealer of New Hope. The deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Kooker occurred May 10, 1903, and February 10, 1898, respectively, and the funeral services were conducted at the Solebury Beptist church, of which they had both been men- bers for many years.

Jacob Kooker, son of Henry and Eliza- beth ( Strouse) Kooker, was born Septem- . ber II, 1846, in Buckingham township. He received his education in the public schools, at the age of twenty began to teach, but at the end of a year turned his attention to farming, becoming a tenant in Solebury. After two years he removed to the farm in Buckingham now owned by Judge Pax- son, where he remained six years, and then purchased the store at Holicong. He con- ducted the business for one year and then sold out and bought his present farm in Solebury township. He deals extensively in horses and cattle, owns the Keystone carriage works in Doylestown, and is also a dealer in real estate, owning several farms and properties at the present time (1905). He was the first man in this sec- tion to buy wagons from the manufactur- ers in carload lots, and is still in the busi- ness, carrying at the present time a stock of over two hundred and also deals exten- sively in harness, organs and pianos. As a clerk for sales he is better known than any other man in the county. He is a member of the Carriage Dealers' Protec- tive Association, and was recently a dele- gate to a convention of that organization. He now holds the office of registration as- sessor. In politics he is a Republican, and his church membership is with the Sole- bury Baptist church, in which for so many years his father served as deacon. He married, December 17, 1867, Martha Nay- lor, daughter of Reeder and Elizabeth (Mc- Nealey ) Naylor, of Solebury township, and the following children have been born to them: Annie, who is the wife of Ellsworth Lippencott, of New Hope, and has four children : Bertha, Nellie, Herbert J., and Eva. Nellie G., who married Spencer Rob-

erts, a gardener and florist with Judge E. M. Paxson, and has one child, Martha K. Roberts. Margaret N. Edgar S., who is assistant station agent at Buckingham Valley station on the Reading Railroad from New Hope to Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania.

PRESTON W. HAGERTY. Among the prosperous and influential business men of Chalfont, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, who have aided materially in the develop- ment of its mercantile pursuits, is Preston W. Hagerty, whose birth occurred in Nock- amixon township, Bucks county, April 4, 1852. This township (which was spelled Noximinson in a deed of 1762) signifies,. in the Delaware language, "the place at the three houses," and is supposed to have been settled prior to 1730. Judging from a list of the names of landowners in 1742, the original settlers were English-speaking people.

John Hagerty, father of Preston W. Hagerty, was a son of James Hagerty, who emigrated to this country from Ire- land, settling in Nockamixon township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where he fol- lowed farming as a means of livelihood. John Hagerty was a shoemaker by trade, and this line of work he followed in con- nection with agricultural pursuits in the state of New Jersey. He was united in marriage to Catherine Walters, daughter of Jacob Walters, a native of Germany, who migrated to America, settling at the Forge, in Warren county, New Jersey. In 1852, accompanied by his family, John Hagerty removed to Nockamixon town- ship, Bucks county, and thereafter made his home in that attractive locality. The following named children were the issue of his marriage: Mary M., James, Jacob, Sarah E., Solomon, Annie, Sophia J., John W., Hannah M., and Preston W.

Preston W. Hagerty was reared on his father's farm, and was indebted to the com- mon schools in his neighborhood for his. educational advantages. At the age of eight- een years he engaged with his brother Jacob in the produce commission business, and at the expiration of three years, one of which he was employed in driving a team, he purchased the business and con- ducted a wholesale produce trade for ten years, achieving a well merited success as a result of his reliable methods. In the meantime he purchased a farm which he conducted until 1884, in which year he en- tered into business relations with his broth- er-in-law, John S. Rickert, purchasing the store at Chalfont. This connection contin- ued until the death of Mr. Rickert, ten years later, when Mr. Hagerty purchased his interest and has since conducted tile business alone ; he also purchased the build- ings. His general mercantile business has increased to large proportions, and is now one of the most extensive of its kind in that section of the county. The respect and

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esteem in which he is held is evidenced by the fact that he was appointed a director of the Doylestown National Bank, a school director, and attained the position of post- master in his town, in which capacity he served for twelve years. His political views are in accord with those advocated by the Democratic party.

In 1874 Mr. Hagerty married Miss Emma Leatherman, daughter of Eli Leatherman, of Plumstead township, Bucks county, and three children were born them : Wilson, who died at the age of six months; Mable, who died at the age of nine months; and Luella, who resides at home. The family are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church of Doyles- town, and are highly respected in the community.

HENRY WALP FREED. Among the descendants of Bucks county's pioneers must be numbered Henry Walp Freed, of Richlandtown. Mr. Freed is a grandson of Henry and Catharine (Ruhl) Freed, who were the parents of a son, John, men- tioned at length hereinafter. The old Freed homestead, which has now passed out of the possession of the family, was situated on the turnpike, near Tohickon bridge.

John Freed, son of Henry and Catha- rine (Ruhl) Freed, was born in I800, on the homestead, and was a farmer and weav- er. He married Hannah, born in 1810, daughter of David and Susanna (Ohlwein) Walp, by whom he was the father of the following children: I. Henry Walp, men- tioned at length hereinafter. 2. Julia Ann, who was born January, 1833, and married John A., son of John and Adeline Judd. 3. William, who was born in 1835, mar- ried Sarah Biehn, of Richland township, and is now a resident of Richlandtown. 4. Charles, who married Marietta, daughter of Tobias and Susan (Leidy) Scholl, of Hatfield, Montgomery county. 5. Reuben James.

Henry Walp Freed, son of John and Hannah (Walp) Freed, was born Novem- ber 25, 1831, on the homestead, and in 1835 his parents moved to a farm of forty acres situated on the Doylestown road, about one mile from Richlandtown. There he attended the district school until his sixteenth year, when he began to learn the shoemaker's trade with his uncle, Charles Walp, serving one year and a half, after which he did custom work for his uncle. After a time he formed a partner- ship with his brothers, Charles, William and Reuben, and the firm carried on a thriv- ing business, the partnership remaining un- dissolved until 1903, since which time Mr. Freed has led a quiet and retired life on a farm. He has always been a public- spirited citizen, and was one of the prime movers in the organization of Richland- town borough, serving for four years as its first chief burgess. He is now a mem- ber of the council. In politics he is a Dem-

ocrat. Since 1853 he has held the position of organist in the Union Reformed church of Richlandtown, of which he and his wife are members. Mr. Freed married, De- cember 18, 1858, Hannah, daughter of Ja- cob and Hannah (Lewis) Horn, the for- mer a farmer of Haycock township, and they have one daughter, Martha Ida, who is the wife of Henry C. Trumbauer, son of Dr. Trumbauer, of Norristown, Penn- sylvania, and the mother of one child, Ma- ria. Mrs. Freed is the granddaughter of the Rev. A. D. Horn, whose son Jacob married Hannah, daughter of Jacob Lew- is, a farmer and weaver of Rockhill town- ship and a member of the Lutheran church. They were the parents of a daughter, Han- nah, who was born September 3, 1837, at- tended the subscription schools until reach- ing the age of fourteen, and remained at home until she became the wife of Henry Walp Freed, as mentioned above.

HENRY BARINGER. One of the most highly respected citizens of Bucks county is Henry Baringer, of Richland Centre. Mr. Baringer is a representative of one of the old families of Pennsylvania, the land but lately in possession of the present genera- tion having been purchased of the Penns. The Baringers are related to John David Behringer, one of the original settlers of Lehigh county.

Henry Baringer, son of Henry and Ma- ria (Cramer) Baringer, was born on the homestead in Richland Center, and married Anna Bartholomew. They were the par- ents of a son, Henry, mentioned at length hereinafter. Mr. Baringer made it his life- work to cultivate the land which had de- scended to him from former generations, the estate comprising in all ninety-three acres.

Henry Baringer, son of Henry and Anna (Bartholomew) Baringer, was born No- vember II, 1826, on the homestead which had been the birthplace of so many of his ancestors. Until completing his twelfth year he attended the subscription school, and thenceforth became his father's as- sistant in the labors of the farm. Following the traditions of his family he has all his life been a tiller of the soil, and has proved himself an enlightened agriculturist. On

April 25. 1904, he sold the farm on which his entire life had thus far been passed to Enos Kile, and withdrew from active labor to enjoy the fruits of a laborious and useful career. He is a good citizen, taking an active interest in all that concerns the welfare of the community, but has never been induced to accept office. In politics he is a Democrat. He and his family are members of the German Reformed church of Richlandtown, in which he has served for many years as elder and deacon. The Baringers were largely instrumental in the organization of this church and in the erec- tion of their present place of worship. Mr.

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

Baringer married, in 1859, Matilda, daugh- ter of John and Sarah ( Moyer) Foust, of Upper Whitehall township, Lehigh coun- ty, and four sons have been born to them : 1. Oliver Franklin, who was born July 17, 1860, attended the public schools of Richland township and the Quakertown high school, and later studied at Pierce's Business College. He died March 22, 1875. 2. Milton, who was born November 25, 1863, was educated in the schools of his native township and in those of Quaker- town, resides at Wyncote, Montgomery county, and is a member of the Philadel- phia Bourse. He married, in 1892, Ella Walraven, of Philadelphia. 3. Henry. 4. John, born September 25, 1866, attended, as his brothers had done, the schools of his native township, and in 1886 graduated from the Quakertown high school. His death occurred August 15, 1895. Since 1889 Mr. Baringer has resided in Quaker- town, making his home in the comfortable and attractive residence which he built for himself at the time of his retirement from agricultural labors.

JONATHAN RITTENHOUSE UM- STEAD, M. D. Among the practicing phy- sicians of Bucks county Jonathan Ritten- house Umstead, of Quakertown, holds a well recognized position. Dr. Umstead is a grandson of William and Maria ( Ritten- house) Umstead, who were the parents of a son, David Rittenhouse, mentioned at length hereinafter. Mr. and Mrs. Umstead were residents of Germantown, where the former was employed in the stone quarries.

David Rittenhouse Umstead, son of Will- iam and Maria (Rittenhouse) Umstead, was born November 6, 1829, in German- town, and received his education in the lo- cal schools. In the course of time he came into possession of the farm in connection with his brother, Josiah Umstead, and for two years they managed the estate in part- nership, disposing of their produce in the Philadelphia markets and having a dairy attached. Mr. Umstead married Leah, daughter of Isaac and (Springer) Benner, of Franconia township, where they lived on a farm. Mr. and Mrs. Umstead were the parents of the following children: I. Jonathan Rittenhouse, mentioned at length hereinafter. 2. Thomas, who married and lives in Philadelphia. 3. Angeline, who be- came the wife of William Evenna, of Phila- delphia. 4. Amanda, who married William Tyson, of Philadelphia. 5. Ella, who was engaged in teaching. 6. Maurice, who mar- ried Hannah Straley, of Germantown. 7. Josiah. 8. William, who married and Irves in Philadelphia.

Jonathan Rittenhouse Umstead, son of David Rittenhouse and Leah (Benner) Umstead, was born November 25, 1864, on his father's farm, near Souderton, in Fran- conia township, Montgomery county, and

attended the public school until his tenth year, when he went to reside with his grand- uncle, Jonathan Rittenhouse, at German- town. During his stay there he attended for two years the Friends' school at Lane and Green streets. After spending one year at home he returned for one year to the Friends' school, and then attended for the same length of time the West Chester State Normal School. In the summer of 1881 he again returned home, and for the next four years devoted himself to the labors of the home farm. In March, 1885, he entered the drug store of Dr. Horace A. Long, of Souderton, to whom he was related through the Rittenhouses, and in the autumn of the same year matriculated in Jefferson Medical College, from which institution he graduated in 1888 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. While a student his vacations were spent in Dr. Long's drug store, and were thus made sea- sons of continued study and improvement. After graduating lie became the assistant of his preceptor with whom he remained until the spring of 1889, when he moved to Qua- kertown, where he has since followed his profession as a general practitioner. Dr. Umstead is active as a citizen and is now serving his third term as deputy coroner. For three years he represented the sec- ond ward in the town council, and during his term of service was prominently con- nected with the promotion of the water and trolley franchise. He has acted as delegate to county and congressional conventions of the Republican party of which he is an ac- tive member. He is an attendant of St. John's Lutheran church. Dr. Umstead mar- ried, in 1889, Lillian Minerva Zendt, and they are the parents of the following chil- dren : I. Evelyn Zendt, born February 7, 1892. 2. Joseph Russell, born April 17, 1893. 3. Daniel Milton, born August 31, 1895. 4. Floyd, born July 2, 1897, and died Septem- ber 25, 1897. 5. Ralph J., born October I, 1902. Mrs. Umstead is a granddaughter of Frederick D. and May (Delp) Zendt whose son, Milton Delp Zendt, was born in 1845, in Skippack township, Montgomery county. He attended the public schools of his district and was for several years a teacher in the township schools. He moved to Illinois and there also engaged in teach- ing, returning finally to his old home, where he is now a cloth manufacturer. Mr. Zendt married Mary, daughter of George L. and Ann (Harley) Hallman, and they were the parents of the follow- ing children: I. Lillian Minerva, who was born February 22, 1859, attended the dis- trict schools of her native town, and be- came the wife of Jonathan Rittenhouse Um- stead, as mentioned above. 2. Penrose Har- per, who was born in 1871, lives at Souder- ton, married Laura, daughter of Oliver Alt- house, of that place, and has three children : Robert, Laura and Oliver Milton. 3. An- nie Eunice, who became the wife of Frank- lin Moyer, son of Enos Moyer, of Souder- ton, and has had three children, the young-

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est of whom is deceased, the others being Clifford and Mary. 4. George Newton, who married Eva, daughter of Benjamin and Emma (Harr) Barndt, of Souderton, and has two children, Abram Randall and Alma. Mr. Zendt holds a position in a bank at Souderton. 5. Joseph Norman, who mar- ried Gertrude, daughter of Joseph Moyer, of Perkasie, has one son, James Edward, and lives in Philadelphia. 6. Ivan Freder- ick, who is a cloth manufacturer at Soud- erton and is unmarried. 7. May Pearl, who was born September 17, 1886. 8. Beulah H., who was born November, 1892. Both the last named members of the family re- side at home.

BENJAMIN LARZELERE, of Bristol township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, is a descendant of Jacob La Resaleur, who came to Long Island about 1675, sup- posedly from Antwerp, where a French merchant of that name had settled some years earlier and was probably of the same lineage as Nicholas Largilliere, the distin- gutished portrait painter of the age of Louis XIV (born in Paris, 1656, removed with his father to Antwerp, 1659).

Jacob Larzelere (La Reseleur) was a member of Flatbush church in 1677. He owned considerable land in the New Lotts of Flatbush at the time of his death, about 1687 He married Maria Granger, and had issue : Claes Jacobse ( Nicholas) ; Mag- dalen, born January 5, 1679; Maria, bap- tized January 12, 1681 ; and Catharine, who married Daniel Stillwell. Nicholas Lar- zelere, removed to Staten Island and be- came a land owner there in 1693, and was sheriff of Richmond county.

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History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 96

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