History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 201

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches > Part 201

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BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.

him to send some of the regimental surgeoos, inasmuch as his duty did not require him to go. Dr. Williamson re- plied that such of the regimental surgeons as he had seen refused to go, afraid of the consequences. " But," said he, "if I have lived until a flag will not protect me, I have outlived my country, and in that case have lived a day too long." He went, and remained two months in the enemy's camp, rendering good service to the sick of both armies, where his skill was highly esteemed. At the close of the war Dr. Williamson served as a representative of Edenton in the House of Commons of North Carolina.

He was next sent to Congress from the "old North State," where he continued for three years. Writing to President Dickinson, of Pennsylvania, from New York, while in Congress, Jan. 14, 1785, about John Franklin and the other Connecticut intruders at Wyoming, Dr. Wil- liamson says, in the conclusion of a letter, "I have taken the liberty of giving you the above information, as I ean- not cease to feel myself interested in the peace and reputa- tion of a State which gave me birth." In the year 1786 he was one of the few delegates sent to Annapolis to revise and amend the Articles of Confederation of the Union ; and in 1787 he was a delegate from North Carolina to the Con- vention which formed the Constitution of the United States. Dr. Williamson was a zealous advocate of the new Constitution, and was a member of the State Convention, in 1789, which adopted it. He served in the First and Second Congresses, and then declined a re-election.

In January, 1789, he married Miss Maria Apthorpe, of New York, where he came to reside, and had two sons, who both died young. He continued industriously to write on various philosophical subjects ; was an early advo- cate of the great New York Canal system ; an active pro- moter of philanthropic, literary, and scientific institutions ; and in 1812 gave to the world his " History of North Carolina." After a long life, devoted to the best interests of humanity, Dr. Hugh Williamson died suddenly at New York on May 22, 1819, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. Of him it may be safely predicated that he was an ornament of our common country, and one of the most eminent and useful men which the ancient county of Ches- ter has yet produced. For an interesting account of Dr. Williamson, see Dr. Hosack's memoir, in the Transactions of the New York Historical Society.

WILLS, MICHAEL, from Rathdrum, county of Wick- low, Ireland, came to Chester County in 1728, and settled in Whiteland at first, but appears to have lived afterwards in Lower Merion, (now) Montgomery County, his will, dated 1748, devising personal property to heirs in that lo- cality. His son Michael married Jane Mather, ten years his junior, whose family emigrated at the same time. They had three sons-Jeremiah, Michael, and John-and three daughters, who married respectively Michael Mather, Jacob Whiteman, and John Mather. The father died 1794, aged eighty-six, and his widow ten years later,-both buried at Radnor.

Michael Wills (3), born 1755, married Ann, daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Keyser Wood, who owned a valua- ble estate in Roxborough, Philadelphia, and to them were born fourteen children, nine of whom-Elizabeth, Andrew

Jane, William, Mary, And, Allen, Rebecca, and Sarah --- lived to maturity. Michael died Jan. 15, 1829, and his widow April 29, 1832.

Their son Andrew, born June 18, 1798, studied medi- cine, graduated at University of Pennsylvania in 1825, and married, Nov. 12, 1826, Sarah Hannum, born May 2, 1807, daughter of James Hannum and Sarah (Edge) Reese, who were married Dec. 13, 1803. He practiced medicine in Chester County forty-six years, and died July 7, 1871, at Lionville,-buried in cemetery of St. John's Church, Norristown.

Elizabeth Wills m. Levi Evans ; Jane m. John B. Hahn ; William m. Elizabeth Marple, and had six children ; Mary m. John Hunter and (second) Francis Parke, and is now a widow, residing in West Chester ; Ann m. John Gorgas, and left one daughter, Susanna, now of West Chester; Rc- becca died in her minority, and Sarah never married; Al- len m. Elizabeth H. Evans, and resided at Downingtown, where he died Oct. 23, 1873. They had six children,- Rebecca, m. Dr. Samuel Ringwalt ; Anna, m. Daniel Baugh ; George, m. Thomazine Zook ; J. Hunter, a store-keeper in Downingtown ; Abner E., of Philadelphia ; and Allen W., of Downingtown.

Dr. Andrew Wills had fourteen children,-Sarah, d. in minority ; Mary, m. Washington T. Koplin, of Norristown ; Morgan R., m. Sept. 6, 1860, Mary Hitner, daughter of Daniel H. Dager, now deceased, of Whitemarsh ; Edward S., m. Fannie Homiston and (second) Annie Isbell; Clara, m. Hunter E. Van Leer; Rebecca, m. D. Smith Talbot, Esq., of West Chester; Andrew was killed at Fort Donelson ; Horace and Francis died young; Ann, m. T. Lewis Vick- ers ; Elizabeth, m. D. Webster Evans ; Florence, m. George R. Hoopes, now sheriff of Chester County ; Susan died in infancy.

Morgan Reese Wills, editor and proprietor of the Nor- ristown Herald, was born in West Whiteland, Oct. 21, 1831, and in his sixteenth year went to learn printing with Caleb N. Thornbury, who started a temperance shect about that time in the office of the Jeffersonian, at West Chester. This enterprise not succeeding, he entered the office of the Regis- ter, at Norristown, and remained till 1853. After a brief residence at Springfield, Ill., he returned to Norristown, where he has become a prominent journalist. In 1875 he and his wife made a tour of Europe, and were absent about four months, during which time their letters of travel, prin- cipally written by Mrs. Wills, appeared almost weekly in the Herald, and on their return were issued in book form by J. B. Lippincott & Co., bearing the title " A Summer in Europe.'

WILSON, REV. MATTHEW, D.D., was born in East Nottingham township, Chester Co., Pa., Jan. 15, 1731. He was the son of James Wilson, who migrated to Penn- sylvania from the north of Ireland. He received his aca- demical education in the academy of Dr. Francis Alison, at New London. He was licensed as a Presbyterian min- ister in April, 1754, and had charge of the congregations of Lewes, Cool Spring, and Indian River, in Delaware. He was regularly bred to the medical profession, and few phy- sicians of his day had more learning, skill, or success in the healing art. His medical practice occupied much of his

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time, but such were his perseverance and industry that he acceptably fulfilled the duties of both his professions. He was also considerably skilled in jurisprudence, and highly esteemed for his counsel. He was ingenious, patriotic, and benevolent in an eminent degree, and held a high place in public estimation. In the Revolutionary contest he took the side of his country with great decision, and was zealous in the cause of American independence. He inscribed the word "Liberty" on his cocked hat, that no one might doubt his sentiments. His patriotic efforts were unremitted, and exerted much influence wherever he was known. He was a diligent student to a late period of his life, and seems to have had a habit of reading with pen in hand. The mar- gins of his book were generally filled, sometimes to crowd- ing, with manuscript notes, some of them graphic and interesting. It was common, about the middle of the last century, in printed volumes, to print emphatic words, espe- cially in conspicuous positions, in red ink. Dr. Wilson was fond of introducing this practice into his letters. He was said to have had two inkstands, one of black and the other of red ink, in every room in his house. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania in 1786. He died March 30, 1790. He was the father of Rev. James P. Wilson, D.D., who was even more distinguished than his father, and who in learning had few equals.

REV. BIRD WILSON, D.D., LL.D., was born Jan. 8, 1777. He was a son of Hon. James Wilson, one of the leading advocates of the Philadelphia bar, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a member of the Convention which framed the Constitution of the United States, and one of the committee that reported the draft. In 1789 he was appointed by Washington a judge of the Supreme Court of the United States, and held the office until his death, in 1798.

Bird Wilson graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1792, at the early age of fifteen. He studied law under the direction of Joseph Thomas, of Philadelphia, and soon after his admission to the bar obtained a place in the office of commissioner of bankrupt law.

In 1806, when only about twenty-nine years of age, he was appointed by Governor McKcan president judge of the judicial district composed of the counties of Chester, Dela- ware, Bucks, and Montgomery, then known as the Seventh Circuit, which office he held until 1818, when he laid aside the ermine and became a clergyman of the Episcopal Church. He was ordained deacon by Bishop White, March 12, 1819, and priest about a year afterwards.

He became rector of the Episcopal Church in Norristown, where he remained until towards the close of 1821, when he was appointed a professor in the Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church, in New York. In this position he continued for twenty-nine years. He resigned June 25, 1850, and as a token of respect the trustees of the semi- nary appointed him Emeritus Professor in his department. He died in New York, on the 14th of April, 1859, at the age of eighty-two years.

When he presided over the courts of this county he re- sided at Norristown.

He was a man of talent, learning, of remarkable mildness

of manner and amiability of character, united with inflex- ible firmness and decision. As a judge he was distinguished for the soundness of his decisions, and it is said that only one was ever reversed by a superior court. He was held in high respect and esteem for his virtues as a man, and his integrity, uprightness, and ability as a presiding officer of the judiciary department. He is still remembered by many of the older citizens of Chester County. In 1813 he edited an edition of " Bacon's Abridgment of the Law," a stand- ard English work.

R. F. and J. D. WILSON .- " Shady Home" is the farm of some one hundred and seventy five acres of R. F. and J. D. Wilson, and which has been in their family over a century and a half. James Wilson and Jane, his wife, were emigrants from the north of Ireland, of the Presby- terian faith, and were the first of their family to settle in this county, about 1728. Their children were six, of whom Matthew was born Jan. 15, 1730, was devoted to God be- fore his birth, and afterwards became an eminent Presby- terian clergyman, as was his son, James Patriot, as well as his son of the same name, and all three were respectively hon- ored by colleges with the title of D.D. The second was Mary, born June 3, 1732, married to William Wilson, and left five children. Robert, the third, was born July 6, 1735. James, the fourth, born Nov. 14, 1741, was a phy- sician, married, settled in Buckingham, Worcester Co., Md., became wealthy and prominent. The fifth and sixth were John and Rachel, who died young. James, the immi- grant, died Feb. 28, 1747-8, and his wife June 29, 1749,- both buried in Louisville graveyard, in Elk township. Their son, Rev. Matthew Wilson, and his wife were riding on horseback during the Revolutionary war, when a bullet from the British or Tories pierced the horn of her saddle, and on the birth of her child they gave it the name of James Patriot, in token of the war event in which her life was jeopardized, and the child so named became a distin- guished divine and author in Philadelphia. Robert served in the Revolutionary war, and built the house (see engraving elsewhere) in 1772, and in the oven in one end of it bread was baked for the soldiers of Washington's army. He mar- ried Elizabeth Grier, of Londonderry, Ireland, who died in 1825, and he died Nov. 25, 1783. His children were James, Martha, Matthew, Jean, Seth, Mary, George, Robert, Ann, and Grier, of whom Matthew, the only one married, was born July 27, 1762. He married, Aug. 27, 1792, Jenny Fulton, who died Jan. 19, 1797. He was ap- pointed by the Executive Council of Pennsylvania, May 1, 1789, first lieutenant in 5th Battalion of Chester County militia, captain by Governor Mifflin in 1792, again in 1800 by Governor Mckean, and in 1807 paymaster, which he held until 1814, making twenty-five years in the militia service. His children were Elizabeth, died young; John, m. Ann Boon about 1820, and left one daughter; and Robert, b. July 1, 1796. The latter married Lydia Wil- son, Nov. 25, 1828. Their children were six,-1. Matthew James, b. Jan. 11, 1830; m. Dec. 18, 1855, Rebecca C. McIntire, and has had children, viz., Robert Buchanan, Ella Franklin, Mary Harvey (deceased), Lydia Jane, Ann Elizabeth, Margaret Rebecca, James Clement, Josephine (deceased), Joseph McIntyre, Francis Bayard, and Mabel

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Campbell. 2. Phebe Ella, b. Aug. 31, 1831. 3. Robert Franklin, b. Sept. 28, 1833; d. Feb. 27, 1836. 4. Ta- mer Jane, b. Feb. 8, 1836; m. March 23, 1875, Wil- liam K. Warden ; d. leaving two children,-Robert and George. 5. Robert Franklin, b. June 23, 1839; m. Jan. 19, 1870, Agnes E. Thomson, by whom he has two chil- dren living,-Robert Thomson, b. Dec. 6, 1872, and Wil- liam Jeffers, b. Feb. 15, 1879,-and one deceased in in- fancy,-Lydia Margaret, b. June 13, 1871. 6. John Davis, b. Jan. 11, 1842; m. Feb. 22, 1877, Sarah Eliza- beth Thomson. Robert Wilson died April 3, 1862, and his wife, Lydia, Sept. 7, 1865. Robert's eldest son, Mat- thew James, served in the war of the Rebellion, in the 175th Pennsylvania Regiment. James, the emigrant, about 1730, entered 309 acres of land in East Nottingham township, all owned now by Matthew J., R. F., and J. D. Wilson.

lars for that purpose. When his visit in Ireland was over, and having realized a handsome profit out of his flaxseed, liberal and kind, he loaned his money to young men anxious to emi- grate to America on the promise that as soon as they earned the money in the United States they would repay him. The ship in which he and his associates took passage was stopped in mid-ocean by a British man-of-war, and he and all the other able-bodied men on board were pressed into the British service. This involuntary service, which lasted a period of nine months, was so irksome and unpleasant that he felt at times that death by drowning would be preferable to the hopeless termination of this servitude. However, he made the best of it, and made friends among the officers wherever he could, and being a good performer on the violin, he soon worked himself into the good graces of the ship's officers. To one of these he made a small loan of money, and thus

ROBERT WILSON.

ROBERT WILSON .- During the emigration fever of 1798, Robert Wilson, born near Londonderry, Ireland, in 1775, was among the large number who came to America. He had spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, and learned the trade of currying and finishing leather at Waterside, a place separated by the river Foyle from Lon- donderry, with a Mr. Cathers, to whom he had been ap- prenticed. On his arrival at New York he came to this county and located near the old Grove meeting-house, where he found employment with Benjamin Swayne at his tannery. After five years' work here, in which by his in- dustry he had saved a nice sum of money, he conceived the idea of returning to Ireland on a visit to see his friends, and with a view of combining business with pleasure he invested his money in flaxseed to take with him for sale at his old home for a profit. Mr. Swayne having a desire to import a blooded horse, intrusted to him one hundred and forty dol-

secured his friendship, and who said he would remember him for it whenever an opportunity offered. . The ship put into Halifax to winter, and while there the officer he had befriended took him out of the man-of-war by night, passed him by the guard, and concealed him in an old lodging- house, in a loft or garret, where the icicles at times hung suspended from the rafters. He and three or four others remained there for a period of six weeks, having only one blanket among them all. The only means of access to their place was through an opening in the second floor, which a cupboard standing on the first floor filled up, and commu- nication with them was only had by removing some of the shelves. The officers searched in the house, but failed to find them. They suffered much from cold, and owing to a disagreement between the man and wife who kept the place, they lived in constant dread of being discov- ered. In the month of January he left his place of

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concealment, secured passage on a brig about to sail for Boston, but on the way was shipwrecked near Cranberry Island. His condition now was truly deplorable, being re- duced to want and destitution in mid-winter. He had tasted slavery under British arbitrary rule, for six weeks suffered cold and hunger and dread of arrest in that cheerless garret, and now he was shipwrecked on a desolate coast. At last, after much experience in delays and sufferings, he reached his old Chester County home, and met with a warm recep- tion from his old employer, Benjamin Swayne. He was now penniless, having lost all he had, including the money Mr. Swayne had given him to purchase a horse. Mr. Swayne again employed him, and out of his first earn- ings he repaid him the lost $140.

Frugal and industrious, he in a few years accumulated sufficient money to commence for himself; he leased a tannery in Londongrove township for five years, and when his lease expired he had cleared five thousand dollars. In 1813 he married Rachel Swayne, a relative of his old employer, and in 1815 removed to East Fallowfield, where he bought, on the Strasburg road, a property having on it a site for a tannery, which he at once erected, long known as the " Wilson tannery on the Strasburg road." He oper- ated it until 1837, when he retired from public business, and resided on his farm until his death, which occurred in 1870, at the advanced age of ninety-five years. His chil- dren arc Joel S., unmarried, and living on the old home- stead; Robert, married, and living in Philadelphia ; Sarah, who married James Wilson; near Mortonville; Jane, who became the wife of John Gilfillen, of Coatesville; and Lu- cinda, wife of William McArthur, of Philadelphia. Robert Wilson was a man of probity and honor, and universally esteemed and loved. He was appointed justice of the peace by Governor Wolf, and discharged its duties with a view to amicably settle disputes instead of making money of the office. He possessed a good practical business education, was a ready and smooth writer, and was noted for the accu- racy of his accounts. His information was general, and he was a most happy conversazionalist. His sympathetic nature went out largely towards young men of limited means strug- gling to get under way in business for themselves, and many a one of these hold his name in grateful remem- brance for the timely aid received from him when first starting out in business.

WISTAR, CASPAR, son of Hans Casper Wister, was born at Hilsbach, Germany, in 1696. Although pros- pective heir to a competency, he determined to come to America and seek his own fortune, leaving the paternal estate to younger members of the family. He arrived at Philadelphia Sept. 17, 1717. He married Katherine Johnson, May 25, 1726, and had seven children,-Richard, Margaret, Katherine, Joshua, Rebecca, Sarah, and Caspar. He brought to this country a revolving double-barreled gun, which is preserved by his descendants. Not under- standing the English language or pronunciation, he changed the terminal letters of his names from er to ar. A younger brother, who followed him to this country, retained the original spelling of Wister, and their respective descendants are distinguished by this peculiarity.

Caspar Wistar, Jr., born Feb. 3, 1740, married, Nov. 7,

1765, Maria Franklin, and had five children,-Thomas, Catharine, Sarah, Mary, and John, probably all born in New York.

About the year 1784 this family came to Chester County and settled on a farm on the Brandywine, lately owned by John Entriken, deceased. They were here members of Birmingham Friends' Meeting. The ford and bridge at this place were long known as Wistar's. Caspar died 10, 31, 1811, his son Samuel, 11, 26, 1812, and Thomas, 7, 30, 1814. Sarah was married to George Pennock, 10, 14, 1790, and Catharine F. to Abraham Sharpless, 12, 16, 1802. On the day appointed for the marriage of the daughter Sarah a violent storm raised the Brandywine so much as to prevent crossing to the meeting-house. The dwelling-house being small, a meeting was held in the barn of Caspar Wistar, and the marriage solemnized there.

WOLLERTON, CHARLES, son of Charles Wollerton, of the town of Hicklin, in the county of Nottingham, Eng- land, weaver, came to Pennsylvania, and married, 3, 18, 1726, at Concord Meeting, Jane Chilcot. They were not Friends, but were allowed to marry before the meeting, ac- cording to the rules of the society. They settled in the northern part of East Bradford township, where he died at an advanced age, and was buried, 5, 13, 1781, at Goshen Friends' Meeting. His children were John ; Sarah, m. to - Finley ; James; Mary, m. to Walter Lilley ; Jane, - m. to Thomas Spackman, of East Bradford.

James Wollerton, born Sept. 18, 1731, died July 2, 1805, married Dorcas Few, born March 5, 1738, died May 24, 1815, daughter of Isaac and Jane Few. Their chil- dren were Joseph, Charles, Hannah, Mary, Isaac, James, Dorcas, John, and Jane.

John Wollerton, son of Charles and Jane, died about 1794, and Mary, his widow, in 1795. Their children were William, Ziba, James, John, Sidney (m. to William Mer- cer), Jane (m. to Caleb Gray), and Susanna (m. to Dell Price).

William Wollerton, the eldest son of John, married, in 1789, Rebecca Harvey, a sister of Samuel Harvey, a prom- inent merchant of Philadelphia, and long time president of the Bank of Germantown. He was by trade a saddler, and carried on the business extensively in West Chester. In 1808 he purchased the Rankin farm of 100 acres, now in the south western part of this borough, and which he sold in 1829 to William Everhart. He then moved to Uwch- lan township, where he died. Of his thirteen children, but two sons and two daughters are now living. One of these, William, was elected prothonotary in 1851, associate judge in 1856, and is now president of the First National Bank of West Chester.

WINDLE, FRANCIS, of East Marlborough, married Mary Jackson, 4, 14, 1733, daughter of Isaac and Ann Jackson, of Londongrove. One Dorothy Windle, perhaps a sister, was married, 6, 6, 1728, to John Smith, of Marlborough.

The children of Francis and Mary were Thomas, Ann, William, John, David, Moses, Isaac, James, and Mary. The father died 9, 26, 1788, aged about eighty-seven years. The descendants of this family are pretty fully traced in the genealogy of the Jackson family. It is there stated that the son John died in his twenty-fifth year, but later inves-

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tigations indicate that he went to the West and lived to a great age, leaving descendants.

DR. LEWIS WINDLE .- Lewis Windle married Mary Stroude, to whom were born twelve children, of whom the fifth was Lewis. He was born Jan. 17, 1819, in West Fallowfield township. He passed his boyhood on his father's farm, educated in the common schools, and afterwards attended the Unionville Academy of Professor Jonathan Gause, where he was classically educated. He began read- ing medicine with Dr. Isaac Thurman Warld, and attended lectures at the Washington University, at Baltimore, where he graduated in high rank March 3, 1846. He imme- diately began the practice of his profession at Brandywine, where he remained one and a half years. He then removed to Cochranville, where he was engaged in a very large and successful practice uninterruptedly to his death, April 20,

WOOD, THOMAS, with Mary, his wife, and son William, came from Warwickshire, England, and settled in Chester County. A daughter was born at sea on the passage, and was named Richmonday. She married, 3, 31, 1749, Wil- liam Sheppard, of Menallen, (now) Adams County.

William Wood, born in Warwickshire, 6, 22, 1723, died 4, 20, 1775, married, 10, 6, 1749, Margaret Holland, born 5, 18, 1730, in Prince George Co., Md., died 10, 29, 1775, daughter of Thomas and Margaret Holland. They settled in Londongrove, and had children,-Thomas, m. Susanna Pusey ; George; Mary, m. to Caleb Swayne; Joseph, Cas- sandra, William, Elizabeth, Margaret, m. to Garret Garret- son ; Joshua, and Ruth.

Thomas and Susanna Wood were the parents of Joel, William, John, Lydia, Nathan, Margaret, Thomas, Su- sanna, Pusey, Caleb, and Mary. Of these, John married

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 201

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