USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 10
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Col. Thomas Boude, at the close of the Revolution, removed to IIempfield township, and lived upon the farm belonging to his first wife, and now owned by B. Musser. When his brother-in-law, Samuel Wright, laid out the town of Columbia, he purchased a num- ber of lots, among which were several fronting the river above Walnut Street. He erected the briek mansion now owned by Michael S. Shumau. He embarked in the lumber business, and was one of the first persons who bought lumber and piled it along the shore to resell. He was a Federalist, and took a prominent part in building up that party. He was elected a member of the State Legislature for the years 1794, 1795, and 1796. He also represented the county in Congress from 1801 to 1803. He was again a candidate for Congress on the Federal ticket, but was defeated by John Whitehill. The Federal party was losing ground rapidly, and when the par- ties were nearly equal in numbers the political cam- paigns were carried on with great bitterness. William Hamilton published the Federal newspaper, and William and Robert Dixon published the Jefferson paper which opposed the Federalists. After the de- feat of Major Boude, in 1804, Hamilton charged the opposition with cheating at the election-poll hell in Elizabethtown, where a number of Irish laborers, who were working on the new turnpike at that place, were induced to vote more than once, when they had no legal right to vote at all. In reply to this charge the Dixons charged Maj. Boude with voting twice in
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
Lancaster borough, to which place the voters in Columbia and Hempfield had to go to vote.
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Maj. Boude had the Dixons arrested for libel. They gave bail, and before the case was tried the pro- ceedings were removed from the County Court by certiorari to the Circuit Court. This was probably the last of the case.
Maj. Boude became totally blind some years before his decease, which took place Oct. 24, 1822, in the seventieth year of his age.
Samuel, son of S. Bethel, son of Samuel and Susan (Taylor) Bethel, married Sarah Hand, a daughter of Gen. Edward Hand, of Lancaster. He was educated in the city of Philadelphia, with the expectation that he would enter the medical profession. But he pre- ferred that of the law. He studied law in Philadel- phia, and was admitted to practice at the bar in that place. In the year 1795 he was admitted to the bar in Lancaster on certificate. He did not remain there, but came to Columbia and settled upon his estate, which was very large, and required his whole at- tention. (This estate was inherited by his grand- mother, Sarah Bethel, and Hannah Pearson, from their brother, Samuel Blunston. Mrs. Pearson sold her interest to the Bethels, who became the sole own- ers of nearly nine hundred acres.) He was elected to a seat in the State Legislature for the years 1808 and 1809. He was fond of literature, and had a large and select library. He was considered one of the best mathematicians in the State. He was one of the fore- most and most liberal patrons of the schools and li- braries in Columbia, of which mention is made else- where. He built an addition to the Blunston mansion, now owned by his nephew, Samuel Bethel Heise, at the northern terminus of Second Street. Here he resided and here he died in the year 1819.
William P. Beatty was born at Neshaminy, Bucks Co., March 31, 1766. His parents were Rev. Charles Beatty (of Log College memory) and Ann Reading, daughter of Governor Reading, of New Jersey. Both of his parents died before he was six years of age. He was apprenticed to the tailoring business. While thus engaged he devoted his leisure moments to the study of books, and when he attained his ma- jority he wrote an elegant hand and displayed an aptitude for figures.
These qualifications prompted him to go to Phila- delphia, and obtain a clerkship, with the expectation of making himself familiar with mercantile pursuits, which these attainmenty seemed to indicate that he was best qualified for.
In 1793 we find him engaged in the office of Mr. Nicholson, the Comptroller of the State.
In 1798 he removed to Columbia, and opened a store on Front, between Locust and Walnut Streets, in connection with Richard S. Leech. He married in 1799. In 1802 he was appointed postmaster under John Adams' administration, and retained this posi- tion until 1807. In 1808 he was appointed a justice of
the peace by Governor Thomas Mckean. In 1810 he was appointed secretary and treasurer of the "Susque- hanna Lottery Improvement Company," and in the fol- lowing year treasurer of the " Susquehanna and York Turnpike Road Company," and two or three years sub- sequent to this time he was appointed treasurer of the "Columbia Bridge Company." In the year 1813 this company was given power by an act of Assembly to do a banking business, and he was chosen their cashier, a position he retained until the year 1821. He held the position of chief burgess and also treasurer of the water company for several years. In the year 1825 he was reappointed postmaster by John Quincy Adams, President of the United States, a position he retained until the year 1837. He was a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church for many years. There were many minor offices of trust which he held, not mentioned in the above list. In personal appear- ance he was tall, stately, and dignified in his carriage, and always wore a queue.
He removed to Harrisburg in the year 1843, and died at Philadelphia at his son's (Dr. George) home, July 28, 1848, in his eighty-third year. He left sur- viving him, --
Dr. George, who is now living in Philadelphia.
William P., who died at Harrisburg in 1860. John R., who died at Harrisburg in 1866.
Ann Eliza, who married Thomas H. Pearce, who was an officer in the Mexican war of 1846. He resided for some years in Columbia, and held a clerkship in the collector's office at the canal basin. He died at Steubenville, Ohio, where his widow is living.
Ercurius, who learned the printing business in the Spy office while John L. Boswell published the paper. On the 21st day of April, 1861, he enlisted in Capt. Robert M. Henderson's company, which was connected with the Seventh Pennsylvania Reserves, and was made lieutenant. Ile was on Gen. McCall's staff at Tennallytown and Camp Pierpont, Virginia; was wounded at Charles City Cross-Roads June 30, 1862, and was promoted to first lieutenant and cap- tain Sept. 17, 1862, aud to brevet major and' brevet lieutenant-colonel.
Michael Whisler was born near the Trappe, in Montgomery County, Pa., in the year 1756. In the month of May, 1776, he enlisted for twenty months in Capt. Henry Christ's rifle company, in Col. Samuel Miles' rifle regiment. He was in the battles of Flat- bush, on Long Island, where, but one-fifth of Col. Miles' command escaped; at White Plains, at Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, and Germantown, and dis- charged at Valley Forge on the 1st day of January, 1778. He was twice wounded in these battles.
He enlisted and marched to the western part of the State with the army raised to quell the Whiskey In- surrection. When the troops lay at Wright's Ferry waiting to be taken over the river, he was impressed with the beautiful scenery all around and the location
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BOROUGH OF COLUMBIA.
of the town, and he concluded as soon as he returned from the army to bring his family to the place and locate.
One of the most pressing wants in the place was a person who understood the manufacture of bricks. He brought his family to Columbia in the same year and purchased a lot from Samuel Wright, upon which he erected a dwelling. By trade he was a shoemaker, but he also knew how to manufacture bricks. He leased a meadow along the northern boundary of Columbia from the Barbers, where he established a brick-yard, and for more than eighty years brick have been burned at this place which are esteemed the most durable of any manufactured in the State. His son, Lewis Whisler, purchased the brick- yard and farm, and they are now owned by his son Henry.
He died Sept. 14, 1824, leaving a wife, Sophia (Herbel), and children,-Lewis, John, Kitty, who married William Christy ; Magdalena, Peggy, who married Samuel May ; Sally, who married Ezra Breece ; Philip, Nancy, who married Jacob Mathiot, and Michael.
Joseph Pool was a captain in the Revolutionary army, and participated in a number of battles. He was at the battle of Brandywine, and when on duty a British soldier thrust 'a bayonet through his tent which wounded his wife, the marks of which sbe carried to her grave. They removed to Columbia eighty years ago. He rented the old "Ferry House," where he kept a store for a few years. They removed to the corner of Walnut and Third Streets. Their son, Joseph, accidentally shot Miss Susanna Cook- man and killed her.
Francis Ottomar Zeigler, a native of France, in the year 1777 joined an expedition under Baron De Steuben, and came to this country as aide-de-camp to that officer, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. The detachment of troops landed from the frigate "Le Flamand," at Portsmouth, N. II., and from , thence marched to York, Pa., where they were duly mustered into the army, and the officers commis- sioned by order of Congress. Col. Zeigler partici- pated in a number of battles. After the war was ended he settled in Lancaster, where he followed the business of whitesmithing.
While in that place he married Mary Frances Hook (or Huck, as the name was spelled at that time), and shortly thereafter removed to Baltimore, Md., where their children were born. In 1798 they returned to Lancaster, and from thence to Columbia in 1800, where be purchased a lot on Front Street, about mid- way between Walnut Street and the Pennsylvania Railroad round-house. Before getting possession of this property he occupied a log house on the same street, a short distance from Walnut, where he took malarial fever and died in the autumn of that year. He left five children, namely, Ann Mary, who after- wards married Tempest Wilson (who kept a tavern in
Martie township, from which place he removed to Wright's Ferry, and rented the tavern and ferry upon the western side of the river); John, who died in 1836; George, who died in 1838; Barbara, who mar- ried John Arms; and Andrew, who died in 1818. The widow of Col. Zeigler carried on a bakery for many years. She died Dec. 26, 1825.
There were several other Revolutionary soldiers in Columbia, concerning whom full biographical data cannot be obtained.1
Evan Green was born near Quakertown, Bucks Co., Pa., in 1778, and learned the hatting business with his father, who. lived on a small clearing of one or two acres. During the winter months he was sent to the common schools of the neighborhood. He was fond of books, and read them with great avidity. The family being Friends, he had access only to books written and published by the. early Quakers. He committed to memory the few poetical works written by them. He came to Columbia in the year 1804 and commenced the manufacture of hats in a little shop on Front Street, and from there he re- moved it to Walnut Street. He was one of the fore- most in every enterprise calculated to benefit his fellow-men and extend and foster the best interests of his adopted town, hence we find him organizing schools, libraries, erecting public buildings, and urging internal improvements.
Hle established a lumber-yard and leased ground from Samuel Bethel at the canal basin, where he conducted that business for fifteen years. In the year 1810 he erected three two-story brick houses on Front Street, above Locust, in one of which he lived. He married Isabella Slaymaker, daughter of the Hon. Amos Slaymaker, a member of Congress in 1811.
He was a member of the Federal party while it ex- isted, and afterwards joined the Whig party. He was opposed to Southern slavery, although rather conser- vative in his views. He did not belong to or encour- age what came to be known as the " Underground Railroad," but he rendered valuable aid to the colored people and assisted a number of fugitive slaves in their efforts to obtain their freedom. Charlotte and her husband, Charles Green, were both fugitive slaves ; the one was a domestic in his family, and the other his coachman.
About the year 1832 the former was suddenly seized
1 Robert Barber, a grandson of the old ploneer settler, was a captain in the Revolutionary war, und was in the battle of Long Island and other engagements.
Joseph Boyd was a private, and served through the Revolutionary war. lle was a blacksmith, and carried on his business at the corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets He died about 1849.
James Upjohn enlisted in May, 1777, in Capt. Kom's company, In Col. Patton's regiment of the Pennsylvania Line. He was In a number of battles, and was wounded at Moumonth, N. J. Ile removed to Columbia after the war, and died here.
William Poor enlisted in June, 1779, In Cupt. Thomas Wylle's com- pany, in Col. Benjamin Flowers' regiment of artillery. Ile served four yente and two months. lle was a " fuller."
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
by her master while sweeping in front of the house, and carried to Lancaster before the judges, who re- . manded her back to slavery. Mr. Green did all in his power to save her. In that he failed, but he pre- vented two of her children from being carried and sold into slavery. Charles Green collected six hun- dred dollars, and went to Baltimore to buy his wife. When he arrived there he was seized and sold into slavery, and nothing more was ever heard from him.
His wife was sold several times, and finally got to New Orleans, where she was hired out by her master as a yellow fever nurse. She finally purchased her own freedom, and married a Creole and became very rich.
Mr. Green was for many years a director in the Co- lumbia Bank and Bridge Company, and held a num- ber of minor trusts. He always declined to hold a politieal office of any kind.
Ilis children were Amos S., who was born in 1816, became a prominent and influential citizen, and was elected to the Legislature in 1858 and 1859; Corne- lia, who married Dr. Spence and removed to Vir- ginia; Benjamin; Henry, followed a seafaring life for some years ; and Jasper.
Dr. Beaton Smith was the son of the late Jonathan Smith, president of the United States Bank. He was born in Chester County, Pa. He went to Paris and attended medical lectures, where he graduated with high honors, when he returned to Philadelphia. Ile married Miss Hiddleson, and was appointed teller in a branch of the Pennsylvania Bank, and removed to Columbia soon after the war of 1812. ITe remained in charge of the bank for several years, and until it was removed from Columbia. He remained in the place and practiced medicine, and was also appointed agent for the Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company in Columbia. He was a person of ability, and took a very active part in the temperance movement, and was one of their principal speakers. He removed to Germantown in 1831, and died in Philadelphia a few years ago at a great age.
William Kirkwood was an Irish Quaker. He came to Sadsbury township, in this county, about the year 1806 or 1807, where he taught school, and married Rebecca Cooper about the year 1809. He removed to Columbia, where he taught school in the brick school-house on Third Street and on Locust Strect for ten years. He abandoned teaching and became a tenant farmer. He first rented a farm at Wrights- ville, where he also burned large quantities of lime. He returned to Columbia and opened a lumber yard, and also farmed for the Wriglits near Columbia. He was a public speaker at Friends' meetings, and became an ardent temperance advocate. He was also a fine writer. He died in Columbia about the year 1833.
John MeKissick was born in. Chester County, and came to Laneaster about the year 1800, and held a position under the State government until the capital
of the State was removed to Harrisburg. He came to Columbia in 1809, and was appointed an officer in the Branch Bank of Pennsylvania, and afterwards cashier of the Columbia Bank and Bridge Company, a position he held for many years. He was a promi- nent member of the Presbyterian Church. He died in this place abont the year 1838, and left two chil- dren surviving him, -Eliza and Mrs. Laird.
John McKissie, Jr., married Capt. Clyde's sister Sarah, and came from Chester County to Columbia, and took a position in the Branch Bank of Philadel- phia ax clerk. He had one sou, James, who gradu- ated at Lafayette College with high honors, was admitted to practice law, and opened an office in Co- lumbia. He died suddenly in 1853. John McKissie and Sarah had also daughters,-Sarah and Mary. The latter married John'B. Edwards.
Dr. Hugh MeCorkle was born in Chester County. He came to Columbia about the year 1805, and eom- menced the practice of medicine. In 1812 he mar- ried Miss Strickler, daughter of Jacob Strickler, who resided near Columbia. His son, William S., mar- ried Elizabeth Heise, daughter of Samuel B. Heise. Another daughter married John L. Boswell, the editor of the Columbia Spy.
Hugh MeCorkle was clerk in the Columbia Bank and Bridge Company for several years prior to 1819.
Capt. James Clyde was born in Northampton County, Pa., in 1783, and came to Columbia in 1810 and engaged in the lumber business. He was ap- pointed a justice of the peace in 1812.
In 1814 he took command of a volunteer company of soldiers (which was recruited by Moses Montgom- ery, who was disabled the evening before he was to march ) and marched to Baltimore. He was married the first time to Miss Horner, and moved to Washing- ton County, in Ohio, in 1823.
He was married the second time to Miss Sally Downing, of Downingtown, now living in Columbia. Capt. Clyde returned to Northampton County in 1842, and died upon his farm in that county in 1866.
Capt. William Vicary was a sea-captain. He mar- ried a daughter of Philip Gossler, who kept the Ferry House and rented Wright's Ferry. He owned and lived in the first frame house below the briek Ferry House hotel, on Front Street, now occupied by Bridge Street. It is said that he was the first person in the United States who introduced the tomato in the country. He brought some seed with him from the Sandwich Islands. He did not intend to raise them for table use, but rather as something ornamental. He was one of the earliest burgesses of the town.
Thomas Welsh was born in Columbia about the year 1825, and for a number of years resided with John Cooper, late president of the Columbia National Bank. He enlisted as a private, and marched with several other Columbians to Mexico. He was wounded at the battle of Monterey in his leg, and was brought home, where by kind attention and the
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BOROUGH OF COLUMBIA.
best medical attention he was able to be out again in a few months. Having shown a talent for the military profession, many of his friends persuaded him to ac- cept a lieutenant's commission in the regular army. He was duly appointed and marched to Vera Cruz, and participated in several battles under Gen. Scott. After the war he resigned his position in the army and returned to Columbia. For some years he kept a store at the basin, and owned several canal-boats. In 1856 he was elected a justice of the peace. In the spring of 1861 he raised one of the first volunteer companies in the State and entered the three months' service.1
Capt. James Caldwell came to Columbia from the central part of the State when the public works were being built, he being one of the contractors. When the war with Mexico commenced he raised a company of volunteers and marched to Mexico. He partici- pated in all the battles between Vera Cruz and the city of Mexico. While advancing at the head of his company, after the capture of Chapultepec, to the gates of the city of Mexico, and passing along the causeway, he received a wound in the foot from the fragment of a shell, from the effects of which lockjaw set in, and he died in two weeks.
His son, the Hon. Alexander Caldwell, of Kansas, who was about fourteen years of age, was by his father's side when he received his wound. Gen. Pierce appointed him commissary clerk when he landed at Vera Cruz. For gallant and meritorious conduct he received a lieutenant's commission about the close of the war.
He did not enter the regular army, but returned to Columbia, where he entered the produce-store of Joseph M. Cottrell as clerk, and thence to the Colum- bia Bank as teller. In 1858 he removed to Kansas, where he was afterwards elected to the United States Senate.
His success as a business man has been phenomenal. Richard E. Cochran, Jr., was the son of Dr. Rich- ard E. Cochran, and was born Nov. 16, 1817, in the State of Delaware. In 1838 he was appointed second lieutenant in the regular army, and at once went into active duty in Florida and along the western border of Arkansas.
When the war with Mexico commenced in 1846 he joined his regiment, and was in the battle of Palo Alto, May 8, 1846, and on the next day in the battle of Resaca de la Palma, and when entering the cap- tured intrenchments, sword in hand, he was killed. Some months later his body was brought to Colum- bia, and interred with the honors of war. The citi- zens of the place erected a marble monument over his grave. He received a collegiate education, and was rather above the standard of ability in this re- markable family. Ilis military genins gave promise of a future brilliant career .*
Capt. Theodore D. Cochran was the fourth son of Dr. Richard E. Cochran. He was born in Delaware in 1821. He was sent to the common schools in Co- lumbia. About the year 1836 he entered the Colum- bia Spy printing-office, where from the beginning of his apprenticeship he developed talent as a political writer. After the death of Preston B. Elder, the pro- prietor of the Spy, in 1839, he took charge of the Old Guard, an Anti-Masonic and Whig paper, pub- lished in Lancaster, which was established in the in- terest of the Hon. John Strohm. He was elected to the Legislature in 1844 and 1845. He understood but little of the arts of the orator, but when a mem- ber of the Legislature he made one of the most bril- liant speeches of the session in favor of the "right of way" for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad through the western part of the State.
He received a commission as lieutenant in the regular line, and marched to Mexico. He was con- spicuously brave at the battle of Molino del Rey and Chapultepec. He returned to Columbia after the war with greatly impaired health, and again entered the editorial field, for which he was so well equipped.
He resided at York when the Rebellion of 1861 broke out, when he immediately raised a company of volunteers and entered the three months' service, and after its close accepted a commission in the regular service, but was compelled from ill health to resign. He died in York at his brother's, Hon. Thomas E. Cochran, in July, 1863.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
THE HOUSTON FAMILY.
The Houstons of Lancaster County are of Scotch- Irish descent. _ The origin of the family is ancient, the name coming from Sir Hugh De Padvinan, A.D. 1160, he being possessed of the lands of Kilpeter, in Strathgrief, Scotland. In 1250 the name of Houston was adopted, and the titles follow in direct line through the oldest sons to the present time, George Ludovic Houston being in possession of the baronetey and estates at Johnstone, Renfrew County, Scotland. From existing evidence it appears that the younger sons of the original family left Scotland for the north of Ireland early in the seventeenth century. We now find them scattered through the counties of Donegal, Londonderry, Antrim, and Tyrone, from whence came the first of the lloustons of Lancaster County, Pa., be- tween 1725 and 1730. From these families came the Houstons of Virginia and Tennessee. Sam. Houston, of Texas, left Lancaster County with his father's fan- ily when a chill for Virginia, and after the death of his father went, with other children of the family and his mother, to East Tennessee. The family remain- ing in Lancaster County are the descendants of John
1 See sketch of Welsh G. A. Post.
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
Houston, who had six sons and two daughters, all born at the farm in Pequea Valley, immediately facing Gap Station, on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The sons were Daniel, Dr. John, William, James, Thomas, and Samuel. One daughter married the Rev. Dr. Proud- fit, the other Mr. John Johnson, of Mercersburg, Franklin Co., Pa. Both daughters had large fam- ilies. The Proudfits now live in New York and vicinity, and the Johnsons in Franklin County and farther west in Pennsylvania. The five elder boys (Samuel was too young) were soldiers in the Revolu- tionary army, and with the exception of James, who was killed at Paoli, fought through the war. After the war Daniel moved to Franklin, and afterwards to Washington County, Pa., William to Trumbull County, Ohio, and Thomas to Rockbridge County, Va.
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