History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 166

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162

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In his common intercourse among men he was uniformly guarded in his expressions, and some useful lesson of in- struction was ordinarily blended in his discourse. It has been said of him that he was a man that never talked non- sensc ; he was cheerful, without the accompaniment of light- ness or levity ; there was a dignity and nobleness about him that commanded respect, and gave evidence of an exalted aim.

This bright, gifted, and eloquent servant of God was not, however, exempt from human frailty, and during a portion of his life his capacity for usefulness was somewhat weak- ened, and the brightness of his renown for a time eclipsed ; but it was his consolation in the evening of life to believe that, amidst all his weakness and trials, his disappointments and afflictions, of which he had many, he had never been wholly forsaken by the beneficent author of his being, in whom he trusted. He recovered from the infirmity which had beset him (which had been induced by disease and pernicious medical treatment), and the life and services of his latter years, if without their earlier strength and bright- ness, shed a mild and benignant light as he sank to his final rest.

Jesse Kersey was a man of remarkable purity and sim- plicity of character, and a most amiable spirit of benevo- lence seemed ever to pervade his breast. He went down to the grave at a good old age, with the benedictions of thou- sands, and, it is believed, without the enmity of one living being.

His children were as follows : Hannah, b. 3, 29, 1791, d. 4, 2, 1877, m. Ezra Cope, Benjamin Hannah, and Ste- phen Fish, and died at Kingston, Mo .; Lydia, b. 11, 24, 1792, d. 12, 24, 1836, m. Ziba Vickers; Mary, b. 5, 19, 1795; d. 10, 28, 1816; Joseph, b. 6, 14, 1797, d. 9, 9, 1827, m. Charity Cope; Rachel, b. 1, 29, 1800, d. 11, 11, 1815; Sarah, b. 11, 13, 1802, d. 9, 23, 1814 ; Jesse, b. 1, 21, 1805, d. 1, 23, 1827; William, b. 9, 9, 1807, d. 1, 7, 1829; Elizabeth R., b. 11, 1, 1809, d. 8, 12, 1820; Ann, b. 4, 22, 1812, d. 8, 19, 1820 ; Esther, b. 9, 3, 1815, d. 3, 4, 1818.

KIMBLE. John Kimble, or Kemble, in 1783 pur- chased 187 acres of the Mckean land, in New London, and died prior to 1812, leaving children,-James, William, John, Samuel, Mary, Isaac, Jane, and George. Samuel and George owned considerable land, and lived at what is now Kimbleville, so named from the family. George kept store there a long time, and died April 22, 1856. Samuel died suddenly, March 3, 1859.

KINNARD, ASHER MINER, was born in December, 1840. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in Company C (Paoli Guards) of the 97th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. At the time the company was being formed he was learning

the trade of a machinist at the shops of Edge T. Cope, East Bradford ; in company with David Taylor he walked to West Chester, and both joined the same company, and afterwards fought side by side. He served with his com- pany and regiment until Jan. 18, 1864, when, at his own request, he was transferred to the 3d U. S. Regular Ar- tillery, and in that branch of the service participated in the battles of Drury's Bluff, Green Plains, and the siege of Petersburg. He was discharged Sept. 17, 1864, after serv- ing three years and six days in defense of his country. After the close of the war he resumed his trade, working in many of the largest machine-shops in the country. He for a time engaged in agricultural pursuits, but latterly em- barked in the gunsmithing and hardware business in West Chester, where he was an active member of several promi- nent organizations, being at the time of his death Worship- ful Master of the West Chester Lodge of F. and A. M., and chief engineer of the Fame Fire Company. He died June 5, 1880.

KING, JOHN .- Among the many emigrants to Penn- sylvania between 1735 and 1740, from Germany, was Michael King (then written Koenig), a native of Witten- berg, who located in West Pikeland township, ncar Pike- land church. He was born in 1714, and was the son of a baron in the Fatherland. Upon his eldest brother suc- ceeding to the real estate, he took his part of the patrimony in money and came to the New World, the others of his family remaining in Germany. He purchased 160 acres in Pikeland, 300 acres in Charlestown, and a tract in Uwch- lan. His children were Lawrence, John, Philip, Conrad, Mary (m. John Moses), and Catharine (m. John George Snyder). Of these, John married Maria Snyder, and had the following children : John, Elizabeth (m. George Moses), Philip, and George. He married, second, Elizabeth Wagoner, by whom he had two daughters,-Catharine, m. to Samuel Griffith, and Anna, m. to John Funderwhyte. George mar- ried Catharine, daughter of Isaac Smith, by whom he had the following children : Isaac, Samuel, Thomas, Abraham, John, Mary Ann, m. to John Fry, Sarah, died unmar- ried; and George.

In 1771, the Pikeland Lutheran Church was estab- lished. Michael King, the emigrant, gave the land upon which it was erected, and otherwise contributed most liberally to its construction. He was an active patriot in the Revolutionary war, and freely aided the colonists in their struggles for independence. He died in 1790. The King family were thrifty agriculturists, and John the elder was an active business man. His grandson John, the son of George, was born in Charlestown township, April 9, 1822, and when four years old removed with his parents to Pikeland. Here in the subscription schools he was well educated, and prepared himself for a teacher, and taught for some time. He married, Sept. 28, 1843, Rebecca, daughter of William and Mary (Brownback ) Emrey, who came of an old and respected family. Her father, William, was a substantial farmer of Pikeland, a good and public- spirited citizen, often called upon to fill positions of trust and honor. They have had one child, William Albert, who was born July 22, 1844, and married Mary E. Hall- man, by whom he has two children, John De Angeli and

624

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

John Mig

Orville Tilden. John King, some four years after his mar- riage, purchased the farm, in the southeast part of West Pikeland, on which he has sinee resided, and upon which, in 1877, he erected a new residence. Mr. King has ever been an active Democrat, and in 1866 was the nominee of his party for the Legislature, receiving the largest vote of any one on his ticket, and the almost unanimous vote of his township. He has also been honored with nominations for county treasurer and auditor, and called upon to fill nearly all the township offices. He served one term in the school board, and has been four times elected justice of the peace. He is much engaged in conveyancing and settling estates, but retired from active agricultural pursuits, his farm being carried on by his son. Fle belongs with his family to the Pikeland Lutheran Church. The King family is noted for its religious ancestry, men of culture and good business qualifications. The original King homestead, where John's grandfather, John, was born, is still in the family name. Squire King is highly esteemed in Chester County, and enjoys the confidence of the community. In January, 1881, he was elected a director of the Phoenix- ville National Bank.

KIRK, ALPHONSUS, son of Roger Kirk, of Lurgan, Ireland, took passage from Belfast 11, 11, 1688, and landed at Jamestown, Va., 1st month (March) 12th, fol- lowing. . He came to Pennsylvania 3, 29, 1689. On the 23d of 12th month (Feb.), 1692-3, he married Abigail, daughter of Adam and Mary Sharpley, of Shelpot Creek, New Castle Co., and settled near what is now Centre- ville, in that county. The meeting-house there was built

upon his land. He died 7, 7, 1745, and his wife in 1748. Their children were Roger, b. 1, 21, 1694, d. 1, 19, 1762 ; Elizabeth, b. 4, 23, 1695, m. Daniel Brown ; Jonathan, b. 11, 15, 1697, d. 9, 1, 1735; Mary, b. 8, 31, 1698, d. 1, 29, 1699 ; Deborah, b. 11 mo., 1699, d. 7, 23, 1704; Abigail, b. 7th mo., 1701, d. 7, 29, 1704; Timothy, b. 3, 6, 1704, d. 8, 19, 1704; Alphonsus, b. 8, 2, 1705, d. 1, 1, 1730-1; Adam, b. 3, 1, 1707, d. 10, 8, 1774; William, b. 1, 4, 1708, d. 3, 2, 1787 ; Timothy, b. 5, 1, 1711 ; d. 5, 2,1786.

Of these children, Roger removed to Nottingham, and William and Timothy settled in Pikeland. William was twice married, and had nineteen children. His son Isaiah was a leading citizen of that neighborhood. His daughter Rachel became the wife of Philip Price, of whom a sketch is given elsewhere.

The following family record has been furnished us, but we are not informed of the relationship to the family already mentioned. The children of Timothy Kirk, born in Ireland, were as follows: Deborah, b. 7, 5, 1677 ; Sam- uel, b. 10, 15, 1678; Jacob, b. 10, 30, 1680; Sarah, b. 8, 9, 1682 ; Joseph, b. 1, 23, 1685 ; Roger, b. 2, 31, 1686 ; John, b. 10, 31, 1687 ; Ruth, b. 7, 29, 1690 ; Jane, b. 7, 18, 1692.

Roger Kirk, who was perhaps the son of this Timothy, came to Pennsylvania as early as 1712, and about 1714 married Elizabeth Richards, of New Garden. He settled in Nottingham, and died 3, 28, 1761. His children were Mary, Timothy, William, Elizabeth, Deborah, Rebecca, and Samuel. A genealogy of this family has been published ..

DANIEL KEELEY.

The Keeley family was originally from Germany, and first settled in what is now Montgomery County, and subsequently in Chester. Con- rad Keeley, son of the emigrant, married Margaret Langbaugh, an estimable and intelligent lady. Their son John married Rebecca Chrisman, an active business woman, and greatly interested in the cause of temperance, in which she was an early pioneer. Their eldest son and second child wns Dan- iel Keeley, born Sept. 8, 1824, in the house in which he now resides and on the farm where his ances- tors settled. His father, John, who built this house in 1819 and the barn in 1820, died in 1853, and his wife in 1875. Daniel wns reared on the homestead place, where he has ever lived, and in its neighbor- hood was educated at the common schools. lle was married Jan. 1, 1850, to Catharine B., daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Benner ) Hart- man, of East Pikeland township. From this union have been born eix children, all living, viz. : Mary R., married to O. M. Philips, of East Nantmenl ; Clara V .. married to A. M. F. Stiteler, of West Vincent; Esther M., married to S. W. Todd ; Maggie May, married to Charles K. Knight, of Ponghkeepsie, N. Y .; John B .; and Francis Marion. He belongs, with his family, to Wind- sor Baptist Church. He served for

Daniel Hely

sixteen years as a sobool director, and repeatedly in other township positions of trust and honor. He has always taken great interest in politios, and is a Democrat in his views. He spent two winters on the Christian Commission in at- tending to the spiritual and tem- poral wants of the United States soldiers in Virginia in the war of the Rebellion, and his services proved of great benefit. He is a farmer, but pays special attention to dnirying, and has now com- menced the culture of tobacco on hie farm of one hundred and fifty acrea.

He has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd-Fel- lows for twenty-five years, and is at present a member of Pilgrime' Lodge, No. 455, at Lionville. He is also connected with the Patrons of Husbandry, Grand Lodge, No. 53, at Edgefield. He has ever been a consistent temperance man, and manifested a deep interest in this reformatory canse. Hna been a director in the Phoenixville Na- tional Bank, and is now one in the Pickering Valley Railroad. His grandfather and great-grand- father were ardent patriots in the Revolutionary war, and warmly es- poused the side of the struggling colonies, and with their spirit and love of country he is in full unison and accord.

RESIDENCE AND FARM OF DANIEL KEELEY, UPPER UWCHLAN.

John Knauer, the first of his mily in America, emigrated from ermany, settled in Warwick town- lip, and erected the first saw- ad grist-mill in Knauerton, the llage named in his honor. His in David married Catharine Kime, ad to them were born four sons ad six daughters, of whom Davis as the third son and eighth child. e was born Jan. 26, 1826, and arried, in 1857, Sarah Amanda,. aughter of John Roberts. To lem were born eleven children, iree deceased, and the following ght living, viz. : Ida Kate, Annie, [ary, David, George, Morris, Ber- ia, and Elizabeth. His father, avid, was a farmer, miller, and one-mason. Davis was raised en le farm. When he was sixteen ears old he constructed one of Le first cider-mills in which rapers were used. He was some in er twelve years largely en- aged in the manufacture of cider, aking for two years over five lousand barrels annually. He urchased the property where he ow lives and built two houses and ve barns. Since then he has een largely engaged in the lumber asiness, manufacturing thresh- ig- and mowing-machines, horse- Lkes, etc. His homestead farm

Davis Knauer

consists of one hundred and three acres. At present he is engaged extensively in the charcoal trade. He has built two forges, ong of which he operated four y cars. They are now both rented; in 1879 he furnished one of them, the Doug- lasville Forge, with one hundred and sixty thousand bushels of char- coal, and in 1880, one hundred and fifty thousand bushels. He fur- nishes this year the French Creek Forge some sixty thousand bushels. Hc owns over three thousand acres of timber lands in Warwick and Coventry townships and in Berks County. He has cut from these lands yearly about seven thousand cords of wood te burn charcoal. He is a Republican in politics, but has never sought office, preferring to attend to his large and varied busi- ness.

He attends, with his family, the St. Peter's Reformed Lutheran Church. His post-office is St. Peter's. He has engaged in build- ing to a very large extent, and has added mest largely to the material prosperity of his village (Knauer- ton) and its neighborhood. His business gives employment to over fifty hands, and makes him one of the leading men of Northern Ches- ter County.

"THE FALLS OF FRENCH CREEK."

MOC. ENG.

625

BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.

LAMBORN, ROBERT, son of Josiah and Ann, of Berk- shire, was one of the early and prominent settlers in Lon- dongrove township, where he died 11, 22, 1775. His children were Robert, b. 6, 3, 1723, d. 12th mo., 1801 ; William, b. 10, 31, 1725, m. Sarah Hayes ; Ann, b. 8, 8, 1728, m. Samuel Fisher ; Elizabeth, b. 11, 31, 1730, m. Thomas Fisher ; Francis, b. 1, 8, 1733 ; John, b. 12, 15, 1736 ; Thomas, b. 3, 9, 1738; Josiah, b. 3, 9, 1738, m. Sarah Jackson ; Sarah, b. 2, 21, 1741, m. Griffith Men- denhall.

Robert Lamborn, Jr., married Ann, daughter of Jesse and Alice Bourne, of Patuxent, Md., and had fourteen children. His son Robert married Martha, daughter of John and Joanna Townsend, of East Bradford, and had children,-Joanna, Ann, Townsend, Sarah, Jesse, Susanna, Mary, Margaret, Martha, and Robert.

He was born 4, 8, 1751, and died 12, 7, 1817. The following bit of family history was written by him :

" 20th of 3d mº 1814 .- That which hath often occupied my thought for some years past, this day opened to view with such clearness in manner & forin yt I was induced to make the first attempt to select some occurrences from the stretch of memory & otherwise as I may be enabled in order to leave for the observanee of posterity with a hope yt my intentions may be collected & understood.

" A Genealogical sketch of our family which have been collected from tradition from record and from recollection, designed for the information & satisfaction of posterity who may be inclined to en- quire who their progenitors were-with some observations, remarks & occurrences of my life for more than half a century.

" First, my Grandfather's Name was Robert Lamborn & one of the sons of Josiah Lamborn of Berkshire in Old England who in or about the seventeenth year of his age obtained the consent of his father to come to America, his mother having been friendly to his embareage with some friends who came from Europe about two years before; with whom he had contracted a friendly intercourse; And now having obtained his fathers approbation also. And he said he was accompanied to London by his parents & there they bid a final fare- well to each other-they strewing their tears up street in their return And he in a forlorn and broken maoner plentifully strewed his tears as he passed down street to the ship io which he took his passage, and arrived in Philadelphia in America in the year 1713; and for some years he lived in and about Darby, Chester, &e. with a respectable family. The man's name was Wm Horo whose patronage proved highly beneficial to him in the first adventures of life, both as a guar- dian & a father to a destitute youth, & a stranger in a strange Land; and he having arrived more fully to maturity & being disposed to make some settlement in ye world, he with the advice of his old friend Wm Horn & others purchased a Lot of Land in the then wilderness, in the township of Londongrove & about oue half mile west of that meeting house in the County ol Chester. And at that time knew him- self to be the farthest West white inhabitant in America, with one exception which was about four miles farther W. lived a man of the name of Ranthro oo the land sinee known and occupied by Joseph Pennock & Levis his sou, both men of my knowledge.

" And after having made some improvements io clearing the ground &.cultivating the soil of the Wilderness & building a hut or eabbin, antient conclusions revived in his mind that it was not good for man to be alone. Therefore he paid his addresses to a Daughter of Frao- cis Swayn the friend from Europe under whose charge his mother was want to have placed him to have come to America as noted before.

" It may be some information here to observe the situation & dispo- sition of our Society in that day. As my Grand father was born a member & Baptised as such agreeable to the usual customs & ceremo- nies of the established Episcopal Church of England & had not requested to become a member of the Society of friends, yet was admitted to & Indulged in the performance of his marriage with a member of our society in. the then usual mode in practice amongst frds. All the certificate he had (as I was informed) was the vocal tes- timony of his old patron & frd. Wm Horn who informed the meeting

that ho had been long acquainted with Robt Lamhorn & knew him to be a sobor young man, & therefore he was admitted to accomplish his marriage with Sarah the Daughter of Franeis Swayne on the fifth day of the Eighth month (at this time the 10th mº as Merch was then ye first mº) in the year 1722. And having no farther right as a member of our society until after the birth of my father, which was the eldest, and one other son was born, which must have been some years & through the whole course of this time bared of none of the privilidges of the Society. But hero it became observed by some frd that there was no record of his admission & it was thought most advisable for him to make a formal request for himself & his two minor children. This advice being comply'd with he & they then became acknowledged members of our Society as from the records of Newgarden Monthly Meeting may more fully appear. Here was his settlement early in life, early in the Cultivation of the wilds of America, and as it were on the margin of civilised society, the Indian natives being his ncar- est neighbours & his most frequent visitants, of whom my Grd father spoke high in favor of their veracity, hospitality and social inter- course; all in the greatcet harmony and confidence. Their custouis were then as have been their practice since in their native state to de- pend on the chase in the forest or wilderness for their sustenance & supply of provisions & clothing; what a toilsome mode of obtaining what to them was everything. And in these their excursions fre- quently wet cold & weary & ofttimes after night & perhaps almost all hours of the night would use the freedom to open the door, rouse up the fire, cook roast or broil of their venison, regale themselves & theu streteh dowa on ye floor, feet to the fire & in this situation they were frequently found by the old Patriarch, my grandfather, in the moro- ing, & sometimes to the number of 6 ... 8 ... or 10.

" What native socialty-No fears on either side-all friendship and a benevolent disposition cherished in the fullest confidence to eomfort and oblige one another. Now rouse up stretch their stiffened & weary litabs then relate in turn of their good or bad fortune of the preceed- ing day. All were sharers with the fortunate if one only was lucky all shared alike in the remainder of ye Game as they frequently took a part with them for present needs & left the rest suspended on the top of a saplio bent. Oft times Lobats horse must go for the venison (this was their mode of pronouncing Robert) but Lobat was sure to obtain his share with them freely given ; And sometimes ' you, Lobet, Go bring Indian vensioo, Indiao tired go briog im-up such a ron or such a Creek yonder hill or valley you find 'im.'"

LARKIN, JOHN, a resident in Chichester in 1724, was married, Oct. 29, 1731, to Esther, daughter of Roger Shel- ley, of Chichester, and in after-years was a forgeman at Sarum Iron-Works, in Thornbury. He and his wife be- came members of the Society of Friends in 1744, and many of their descendants continue to hold the same pro- fession.

Of the children of John and Esther Larkin, of Bethel, William was married, 10, 7, 1756, to Jane Smedley ; Eliz- abetli, m. 12, 30, 1761, to John Coebourn ; Prudence, m. Joseph Way ; Joseph, m. Ann Salkeld ; Isaac, b. 8, 25, 1744, m. Sarah Brinton and Rachel Way ; Phebe, m. to William Milnor.

Joseph Larkin married Ann, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Salkeld, and granddaughter of John and Agnes Salkeld, of Chester. She was born 9, 27, 1747. Joseph died 8, 13, 1826, aged 87 years. Their children were John, Elizabeth, Sarah, Joseph, Nathan, and Salkeld. Of these, John m. 3, 18, 1789, Martha Thomas, b. 2, 22, 1765, daugliter of Isaac and Mary, of Willistown. Their chil- dren were Isaae, Thomas, Joseph, Ann, Mary, Mordecai, Eliza, Townsend T., John, Martha, and Hannah.

MORDECAI LARKIN was born in Concord township, Dela- ware Co., 9th. mo. 31, 1797. He learned the milling busi- ness in Chichester, and in the spring of 1825 purchased a farm and mills in what is now Upper Uwchlan township, Chester Co. In 1820 he married Sarah Rogers, of Chi-

626

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

M. Larkin

chester, by whom he had seven children, all now living ex- cept one. His wife and companion of sixty years died 5th mo. 10, 1880. He has been a diligent reader, deeply interested in natural science, philosophy, and metaphysical inquiries. His recollections extend over all of the present century, and would form a history of themselves if written. He has written many poetical effusions, which have been published in the county press, one of which is subjoined :

REPLY TO AN ANGEL MOTHER. Frem where the blest ie joy and rapture dwell, Our angel mother comes her love to tell. A mother's love ! What language can unfold ? Mere prized than silver or refined gold. What word or title earth can boast or olaim Se sweet as Mother ? Heaven-invented name ! A thousand loves lie wrecked within the past, But thine shall live; thy truth ferever last. How recollection strengly calle to view The painful scene when thy kind shade withdraw. In hopeless grief I mourned areund thy grave, And saw the grass above thy hesom wave; Thus pale in death, and fled frem mortal eyes, I little thought te greet thes from the skies; Truth's lamp I sought, yet destined still to find Conflicting creeds; the sightless lead the blind. How vain are oreeds, while unrevealed the doom Of friends and kindred fled høyend the tomb ! When angel hands had rent death's midnight veil, Thou wert tha first thy wandering soo to hail. Thy angel form, though hidden from my view, Vaio were my deubts! Thy gentle words I knew ; With joyful heart, and freed from death's alarmo, I saw the grave pessassed ne power to harm. Next thy kind consert joined thy aid in this, To cheer my passage and enhance my bliss; Unleekad-for bliss ! The gulf of death is spanned ! Wa greet with joy the " white-robed angel band."

With rapture learn the wisdom from above, Our teachers thank with gratitude and love. Let purer praise than mortal bards can sing, From earth ascend to Heaven's Eternal King.

LATTA, REV. FRANCIS A., the oldest son of Rev. Dr. James Latta, was born April 27, 1766. He was ordained as a Presbyterian clergyman Nov. 23, 1796, and was pastor successively of Presbyterian churches in Wilmington, Del., and Lancaster and Chestnut Level, Pa., in which latter place he also maintained a classical school for many years. In the year 1826 he removed to Sadsbury township, Ches- ter Co., and established the Moscow Academy, a classical and literary institution, which flourished for some years. He was a man of remarkably well-cultivated mind, a poet of no mean order, a very superior classical and Hebrew scholar, and one of the greatest instructors of his day. He was able in debate, discriminating and decided in judgment, and a model in the pulpit. In his manners he was social and in his deportment humble and unostentatious. He died April 21, 1834.

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 166

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 1162

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162