History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 179

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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George, who migrated with the early settlers to Kentucky and left a large family of children, and Rachel, who mar- ried Richard Robinson, of Whiteland.

CROMWELL PEARCE, son of Edward, seems to have in- herited something of the martial spirit for which the En- niskilliners have been so long celebrated, and to have transmitted the same to his son and namesake. It will be noticed also that this family have perseveringly manifested their estimate of royalty and political proclivities by keep- ing up the baptismal name of Cromwell. In the twenty- sixth year of his age Cromwell received a military com- mission, dated May 8, 1758, appointing him lieutenant in the battalion of Pennsylvania regiment of foot. Lieut. Pearce served under Gen. Forbes, the successor of Gen. Braddock. Among other services in the French and Indian war, the company to which he belonged built a fort at Shamokin, Pa. He married Margaret, daughter of John and Margaret Boggs, who owned a large tract of land in Willistown adjoining the Wayne estate. Her parents were members of the Presbyterian Church, and several of their sons served as soldiers in the war of the Revolution, in which also Cromwell Pearce was appointed (May 6, 1777) major, and May 20, 1779, colonel of the 5th Bat- talion of Chester County militia. The extent of his ser- vices is not known, beyond the fact that he went on a tour of duty to Amboy, N. J. May 1, 1781, he was commissioned major of the 2d Battalion of Chester County militia. After his father's death he became the owner of the farm in Willistown, whereon he passed the remainder of his days, and died Aug. 4, 1794, aged sixty-two years. He had nine sons-Richard, Edward, John, George, Crom- well, Marmaduke, and Joseph, and two whose names are not known-and one daughter, Frances, who was married to Isaac Weaver, of West Chester. His wife, Margaret (Boggs), died Dec. 28, 1818, aged seventy-eight years.

COL. CROMWELL PEARCE, grandson of Edward, and . fifth son of Cromwell Pearce, was born in Willistown, Aug. 13, 1772, on the farm where, about five years afterwards, occurred the " Paoli massacre." He was brought up on the farm, and received no other education than the imper- fect and defective kind generally afforded to the youth of agricultural districts at that period, when the energies and means of the people were actively employed in the contest for independence, or left paralyzed and exhausted by the eventful struggle. In the twenty-first year of his age (July 6, 1793) he was commissioned by Governor Mifflin cap- tain of the third company of 1st Regiment of Chester County Brigade State militia. April 17, 1799, he was commissioned by President Adams first lieutenant in the 10th Regiment United States Light Infantry. In this service he continued until the regiment was disbanded, near the close of the year 1800. April 23, 1801, he married Isabella, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Gronow) Bull, of Tredyffrin, and resided for about a year in Philadelphia, where his son and only child, Lewis Gronow Pearce, was born. In the spring of 1802 he removed to West Chester, and became the popular landlord of the " Washington Ho- tel." Soon after this he was commissioned by Governor Mckean lieutenant of a light infantry company called the West Chester Volunteers. Sept. 25, 1802, he was ap-

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pointed postmaster of the borough of West Chester, which was the date of the first mail establishment at the county- seat. On Aug. 18, 1806, he was commissioned lieutenant- colonel of the 85th Regiment State militia.

His wife died March 30, 1807, in her thirty-first year. He remained at the hotel for some time after her death, and Aug. 3, 1807, was elected brigadier-general of 1st Brigade, 3d Division of the militia. He soon after removed to the Great Valley, where he engaged in mercantile pur- suits. Aug. 3, 1811, he was commissioned major-general of the 3d Division of militia by Governor Snyder.

July 23, 1812, President Madison appointed him colonel of the 16th Regiment U. S. Infantry, and in the middle of September following he marched with his command from his encampment on the banks of the Schuylkill, near Gray's Ferry, for the Canada frontier.

Having passed the winter in that inclement region, an expedition was projected in the spring against the town of York, U. C. (now Toronto), led by the gallant Gen. Pike, with Col. Pearce second in command. During the attack, April 27th, Gen. Pike was mortally wounded. The com- mand immediately devolved on Col. Pearce, who presently advanced with the troops and took possession of the place .* The enemy, losing all hope of a successful defense, set fire to their naval store-house, also to a ship on the stocks, and then made a final retreat.

It is not deemed necessary here to trace the career of Col. Pearce's regiment in all its movements, but it is due to the memory of that officer to note his bearing in the battle of Chrystler's Field, near Williamsburg, Nov. 11, 1813. During the engagement the brave Gen. Covington was mortally wounded, when the command devolved on the colonel of the 16th Regiment. Twice in his first campaign Col. Pearce became an acting brigadier on the field of battle. Gen. Boyd thus speaks in his official report of the action, " After the fall of Gen. Covington, Col. Pearce, on whom the command of the 3d Brigade devolved, conducted with his characteristic coolness and valor."

At the close of the war, when his regiment was dis- banded, Col. Pearce retired to private life in his native county of Chester.

In 1816 he was elected sheriff, which office he filled with complete satisfaction to the public. At the dedication of the first Paoli monument, Sept. 20, 1817, he commanded the volunteers who paraded on that occasion. This was bis last appearance in a military character, though he re- ceived the complimentary appointment of aide to Governor Findlay, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, Oct. 22, 1818. At the expiration of his term as sheriff he removed to the Great Valley and engaged in farming.

April 13, 1821, he married his second wife, Mary, daugh- · ter of John Bartholomew, a descendant of one of the early settlers in the Great Valley. In 1824 he was chosen a Presidential elector of Pennsylvania, and was deputed to carry the vote of the State to Washington. Sept. 5, 1825, he was appointed by Governor Shulze an associate judge of the County Court, which position he held until 1839, when an impaired sense of hearing induced him to resign. Nov.

1, 1842, Col. Pearce was deprived by death of his second wife, and on April 2, 1852, in his eightieth year, he died suddenly, with the enviable reputation of a good citizen, a brave soldier, and an honest, Christian man. His remains were interred in the churchyard of St. Peter's,-the same church which was built by his grandfather upwards of a century before,-and a monument, appropriately inscribed, erected to his memory.

Col. Pearce was an uncommonly stout man, six feet two inches in height, erect and well proportioned. He was en- dowed with great natural sagacity, and a sound and dis- criminating judgment. With remarkably unpretending manners, he was a close observer of men and things, and possessed, withal, a shrewd perception of real character. His only son and child,

LEWIS GRONOW PEARCE, was admitted to the Chester County bar May 2, 1825, and died Nov. 14, 1855, leaving two children, Walter Sloan Pcarcc and Lewis Anna Pearce, the latter of whom is now deceased.

GEORGE W. PEARCE, a son of Joseph Pearce, and a nephew of Col. Cromwell Pearce, was born in West White- land township, Jan. 15, 1814. In January, 1824, his father was appointed register of wills of Chester County by Governor Shulze, and removed with his family to West Chester, where the subject of this sketch ever after re- sided during his life. In 1840 he entered the office of John Hickman, Esq., as a student at law, and in 1842, after the usual course of study, was admitted to the bar. In 1849 he was elected county treasurer on the Democratic ticket, a high compliment, for the opposite party-the Whig-usually gave her candidates several hundred ma- jority. This office he held for two years.

In 1853 he became editor and proprietor of the Ameri- can Republican. He was a thoroughly educated man, of scholarly tastes, and a writer of much more than ordinary ability, and the position of editor was one for which, by reason of his talents and acquirements, he was peculiarly adapted. The paper was Democratic, and his political editorial labors were so earnestly and intelligently directed that the sturdy blows he gave were severely felt by the op- posite party. He was a tower of strength in his advocacy of the election of James Buchanan to the Presidency in 1856. In the troubles in the party which arose during the administration of Mr. Buchanan, he opposed the President and affiliated with what was known as the Douglas wing, and subsequently cast in his fortunes with the rising party, at first called the National Union and subsequently the Republican party.

His literary ability enabled him to give to his paper an ele- vated tone, and the high character of his mind was appar- ent in all his editorials and selected matter. The most commonplace subject became in his hands invested with a romantic interest. He was also a poct of no mean preten- sions, and wrote many poems and hymns well worthy of preservation, which are to be found scattered through mag- azines and newspapers. On one occasion he read a poem, written by him, before the Chester County Cabinet of Nat- ural Science, of which Dr. William Darlington, the well- known botanist, was the president. Its closing lines, ad- dressed to Dr. Darlington, are here given :

* Col. Pearce was here wounded in the shoulder.

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HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

"On bim who wisely governs this proud hall The voice of praise most worthily may fall; We hail the auspicious moment, passing now, To bind the laurel on his bonored brow ; Flora's gay daughters all their off'rings bring, And weave a garland for their worthy king."

Mr. Pearce was one of three gentlemen-John Hickman and Washiington Townsend being the others-to whom Bayard Taylor read his poem " Ximena," in manuscript, with the view of ascertaining their opinion of its merits. They complimented him on the production and advised its publication, and thus encouraged the young poet to culti- vate the muse.

Mr. Pearce was one of the founders of the Episcopal Church in West Chester, and by his sound judgment and constant care he greatly assisted in building it up and sus- taining it. He was a Christian in the truest sense of the term, and his life gave ceaseless evidence of his faith and purity. He was a rare combination of intelligence, truth- fulness, integrity, and devotion to just principles.

He died April 13, 1864, before the close of the war of the Rebellion, and while its results were uncertain, and among his last words, uttered with energy, were, " I love my country, and God grant her triumph in this great trial."

PEART, BRYAN, whitesmith, from Haurskip, in York- shire, England, died in 1706 at Duck Creek, Del., leaving widow, Jane, and several children. Their son Benjamin married Rachel, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Rush) Collett, and among other children had a son, Bryan, married in Gloria Dei church, Nov. 30, 1752, to Elizabeth Walton, of Byberry, by whom there were Benjamin, b. 2, 1, 1753; Rebecca, b. 12, 28, 1754; and Thomas, b. 9, 28, 1756. After the death of Bryan Peart, in 1757, his widow. mar- ried (license Aug. 18, 1760) Benjamin Gilbert, the Indian captive, and in 1775 removed with him to the Mahoning Valley, Northampton Co. On April 25, 1780, Benjamin Gilbert and family, including his wife's sons, Benjamin and. Thomas Peart, were taken by the Indians, their dwellings burned, and they forced by weary marches to accompany their captors to the north west part of New York. Benjamin Peart was then married to Elizabeth Jones, and their child, Elizabeth, aged nine months, was one of the captives. A narrative of their captivity has been published. Benjamin Peart, after their return in 1782, resided several years at Byberry, but about 1814 removed with his family to Salem, Ohio. Thomas Peart was adopted in an Indian family on the Genesee River, in place of a deceased member, but at length obtained his release through the interference of Col. Johnson, a British officer at Niagara. After his return he married Mary Roberts, daughter of Lewis Roberts, of Abington, and about 1790 removed to a farm in Fallow- field, Chester Co. Subsequently he took a mill on Doe Run and made money; but going thence to William Daniel's mill at Lampeter he was unfortunate, and had to sell his farm in Fallowfield to pay his debts. Farming next for Daniel Gibbons,-he succeeded better, and in 1816 removed to a large farm near Columbia, where his hospi- tality was marked, and his house a common stopping place for persons from Chester County going thither to buy lumber. After this he bought a good farm at Lampeter, where he ended his days. His first wife died near Column-

bia, 7, 23, 1823, and he married, 4, 12, 1827, Sarah (Paxson) Cooper, widow of Calvin Cooper. He died 3, 19, 1831, in the seventy-fifth year of his age.

The children of Thomas and Mary Peart were Re- becca, b. 3, 19, 1789, m. Israel Cooper, of Columbia ; John, b. 10, 31, 1791 ; Benjamin, b. 4, 11, 1796 ; Abner, b. 7, 25, 1798; Daniel, b. 4, 10, 1801 ; Mary Ann, b. 12, 12, 1803, m. John Cooper, of Columbia; Thomas, b. 2, 22, 1806; Lewis, b. 9, 26, 1809, m. Abana Gilbert.

Lewis Peart resides in Schuylkill township, and is a farmer. He was one of the active agents of the Under- ground Railroad.

Mary Peart, daughter of Thomas Peart, Jr., married John S. Peart, from England. She is an artist of high. reputation, and as the illustrator of the splendid work on butterflies by W. H. Edwards, she stands at the head of her profession. Her residence is now in Philadelphia.

PEIRCE, GEORGE (or Pearce, as the name appears to have been written by him), of the parish of Winscom, in the county of Somerset (England), and Ann Gainer, of Thornbury, in the county of Gloucester, were married the 1st day of 12thi month, commonly called February, 1679. George, with his wife and three young children, emigrated from Bristol, the seaport nearest his residence, in 1684, and the same year had a tract of 490 acres of land surveyed to him in what is now Thornbury township. Thornbury being the name of a district of country from which he obtained his wife, and a desire on his part to keep up the old asso- ciations most dear to him, probably suggested the name of the township. He arrived at Philadelphia prior to 9th month 4, 1684, upon which day he presented two certifi- cates to a meeting of Friends held "att the Governor's house." One of these certificates was from " the Monthly. Meeting at ffrenshay, in the County of Gloucester." The other was from " Thornbury Meeting." He may have set- tled on his new purchase in 1685, but his name first appears as an active member of Chichester Friends' Meeting in 1686; shortly after which meetings were sometimes held at his house. Besides being strict in his attention to his religious duties, he gave a share of his time to civil affairs, and of his means to the improvement of the country. He represented Chester County in the Provincial Assembly in 1706, and was one of a company who erected "the Concord mill," the first mill erected in his neighborhood. He died in East Marlborough about 1734, having removed to that township two years before.

The children of George and Ann Pearce were Betty, b. 9, 18, 1680, m. Vincent Caldwell ; George, b. 2, 23, 1682; Joshua, b. 1, 5, 1684, d. 9, 15, 1752, Ann, b. 3, 8, 1786, m. James Gibbons and William Pim; Margaret, b. 4, 11, 1689 ; - Mary, b. 10, 25, 1690, m. Joseph Brin- ton ; Caleb, b. 12, 21, 1692, d. 1, 22, 1679, m. Mary Walter; Gainer, b. 2, 1, 1695, m. Sarah Walter ; Hannah, b. 2, 21, 1696, m. Edward Brinton ; John, b. 2, 15, 1704, d. before 1720.

Joshua Peirce married first, 8, 28, 1713, Ann Mercer, daughter of Thomas and Mary, of Westtown ; second mar- riage, 9, 15, 1722, to Rachel, daughter of Joseph and Hannah Gilpin, of Birmingham. He settled in the eastern part of East Marlborough. The children by the first wife

BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.

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were George, b. 5, 5, 1714, d. 10, 2, 1775, m. Lydia Roberts ; Mary, b. 3, 3, 1717, m. William Cloud ; Ann, b. 10, 20, 1718, m. Caleb Mendenhall and Adam Redd; by second wife, Joshua, b. 1, 22, 1724, m. Ann Baily ; Joseph, b. 10, 16, 1725, d. 3, 9, 1811, a physician ; Caleb, b. 12, 2, 1727, d. 10, 12, 1815; Isaac, m. to Hannah Sellers. From these have descended hundreds, if not thousands, of our citizens. In some branches tho name is written Pierce, and by others Peirce, which is thought to be the orthography of the early generations succeeding the immigrant.

MOSES PIERCE, son of Caleb and Hannah Pierce, was born in Chester County, June 18, 1782. His mother was a sister of Dr. Moses Marshall, and a niece of Humphry Marshall, the botanist. He studied medicine with his brother-in-law, Dr. James Gibbons, of West Chester, at- tended a course of lectures in the University of Penn- sylvania, and without graduating commenced the practice of physic in West Chester as the successor of Dr. Gibbons, whose residence be purchased in March, 1805.

Dr. Pierce was soon disabled from practice by pulmonary consumption. He died June 18, 1808. He was never married. He was a man of great energy of character and the most stoical fortitude. He contemplated his approach- ing dissolution with singular calmness, and in the spring of 1808 calculated the number of weeks which he thought he could live with surprising accuracy.

PENNELL, ROBERT, with Hannah, his wife, from Bal- derton, in Nottinghamshire, settled in Middletown as early as 1686, and the next year he was appointed constable for that township. They were both active members of the meeting. Hannah died 12, 4, 1711, aged seventy-one years, and Robert about the year 1728. Their children were Ano, m. 2, 17, 1689, Benjamin Mendenhall ; Eliza- beth, m. in 1690, Josiah Taylor; Hannah, b. 7, 23, 1673, m. 9, 23, 1692, John Sharples; Joseph, b. 10, 12, 1674; James, b. 9, 11, 1676; Jane, b. 5, 13, 1678, m. Samuel Garrett ; William, b. 8, 11, 1681, m. 8, 26, 1710, Mary Mercer, daughter of Thomas and Mary.

Joseph Pennell married, in 1701, Alice, daughter of William Garrett, of Darby, and settled in Edgmont. His children were Hannah, b. 11, 4, 1702, m. Joseph Jackson ; Robert, b. 6, 20, 1704; Joseph, b. 6. 3, 1706; Alice, b. 8, 2, 1709 ; Ann, b. 8, 2, 1711, m. Cadwalader Evans.

The children of William and Mary Pennell, of Middle- town, were Thomas, b. 9, 3, 1712, d. 2, 14, 1745; Han- Bah, b. 7, 9, 1714, m. Thomas Holcomb ; James, b. 6, 21, 1717, m. Jemima Matlack ; Phebe, b. 6, 7, 1719; Ann, b. 11, 26, 1721; Robert, b. 9, 16, 1723; William, b. 11, 27, 1725-6, d. 9, 5, 1783.

JOHN PENNELL was in the country as-early as 1689; was probably then quite a young man, and resided in the neighborhood of Darby. In 1703 he married Mary Mor- gan, of Dublin Monthly Meeting, and settled in Aston township. But little is known of John, but Mary became eminent as a minister among Friends. She was born in Radnorshire, Wales, and was educated in the Church of England, but at the early age of thirteen years was con- vinced of the truth of the doctrines of Quakerism. When sixteen she emigrated to Pennsylvania, and united herself

with Friends, and in 1722 became a minister, and subse- quently traveled much in the exercise of her calling. She visited the New England colonies, and on one occasion Great Britain and Ireland.

John's mother, Mary Pennell, a widow, was married, in 1690, to Edward Walter, and again, in 1699, to Robert Fletcher. Isabell Pennell, who married, 2, 28, 1709, James King, of Concord, was probably a daughter. She and her husband removed to West Nottingham, and afterwards to Little Britain, Lancaster Co. Of the children of John and Mary Pennell, Caleb married, 8, 26, 1727, Sarah Whitaker, and removed to the Susquehanna, near the Maryland line; Joshua removed to Newtown, and married Hannah Lewis, 2, 20, 1726; Mary married, 11, 9, 1727, Daniel Pyle, and 7, 29, 1742, to Samuel Jackson; Han- nah married Phinehas Lewis, 8, 22, 1730 ; John married, 4, 12, 1740, Martha Martin.

In 1759, John Pennell and wife, Mary, removed to East Caln with their granddaughter, Mary Jackson. Mary Pennell died 5, 10, 1764, and her husband not long before.

PENNINGTON, M.D., ISAAC, was born in September, 1789, in Londongrove township, Chester Co., Pa. At the age of twelve years he was placed at school in Philadel- phia, where he remained five years, at the end of which time he commenced the study of medicine under the in- struction of Dr. Roberts, of Londongrove, with whom he remained one year. He then entered the University of Pennsylvania, in which he attended two courses of lectures, including the clinics at the Pennsylvania Hospital. His anxiety to enter upon the active duties of life induced him to leave the university at the termination .of his second course and commence the practice of his profession, intend- ing at some future day to return and obtain his degree. He located at Jersey Shore, Lycoming Co., and soou be- came engaged in professional duties.

In 1812 he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Judge Allen, of Monmouth Co., N. J. In 1814 he received the appointment of assistant surgeon's mate in the army, and immediately afterwards he was ordered to join the army on our northern frontier, then under the command of Gen. Brown. At the battles of Bridgewater and Fort Erie he was upon active duty. Soon after the battle of Bridge- water his life was saved by Gen. Scott in a manner which reflects great honor on that veteran for the cool courage which so much distinguished him. The doctor was walk- ing with a friend, and, being in close conversation, had gone some distance beyond the American lines. A party of British sharpshooters perceiving the advantage, had gained a favorable point unseen, and with rifles leveled were on the point of "picking off" the two young officers. At this moment Gen. Scott, whose habit it was often to ride out alone for the purpose of reconnoitring, rode up, and said, in a calm and unconcerned manner, " Gentlemen, jump down that bank or you will be shot." They instantly. obeyed, the volley of balls whistled over their heads, and the general rode slowly away, though many a messenger of death was aimed at his tall and commanding figure.

The army was doubtless the school in which Dr. Pen- nington laid the foundation for that surgical knowledge which in after-life constituted one of the leading features

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HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

of his profession. He remained in the army until the close of the war. Sept. 30, 1816, he resigned his commis- sion and resumed the practice of his profession at Jersey Shore.

Soon after he returned to Chester Co., Pa., locating in Sadsbury township, where he remained about two years, removing to Honeybrook, where he resided until 1832. During this time lie devoted himself with great fidelity to the duties of his profession, and enjoyed an extensive prac- tice. Several capital operations were performed by him in that neighborhood. In the year 1832 he was induced to relinquish his profession and remove to Hampshire Co., Va., where he engaged in the iron business. This proved to be an unfortunate move, and at the end of three years he was obliged to give up the business and resume his pro- fession. With this view he removed to Moorefield, Hardy Co., Va., where he continued until 1843. During his so- journ in this place the Washington College of Baltimore conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Under the arduous duties that rested upon him in this lo- cality his health began to give way, and a constitution heretofore capable of great endurance became so enfeebled as to compel him to seek another residence. In February, 1843, he removed to St. Clairsville, Belmont Co , Ohio, where he had many relatives. He remained there but a short time. In November of the same year, through a pressing invitation from his brother-in-law, Dr. Allen, of Oakland Co., Mich., he was induced to remove to that place. In January, 1844, while visiting a patient, he experienced another threatening of apoplexy, the first occurring at the age of sixteen. After this attack his health remained fee- ble, and in April he returned to Honeybrook, Chester Co., with the hope that the air of his native county, together with the scenes and associations of his youth, would restore him, or postpone the fatal issue of his disease. He pur- chased a small property at Compassville, where he resided until his death. His change of residence was not accom- panied with any permanent improvement in his health. In the fall of 1848 he had a severe attack of pneumonia, which left him still more feeble; and during the winter following unmistakable symptoms of organic discase of the heart presented themselves.

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 179

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