History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 11

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1320

USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 11

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The youngest son, Samuel, remained in Pequea Valley, Lancaster Co., during his life.

Dr. John Houston, the second son, was born at Pequea in 1743. Ile finished his studies at the Uni- versity of Edinburgh, Scotland, graduating in 1766; studied medicine with Dr. Shippen, of Philadelphia ; commeneed the practice of medicine at York, Pa., then a frontier town ; married Susannah Wright, of Colum- bia, June 17, 1773. Ile entered the army as a sur- geon. Gen. James Ewing married Patience Wright, Mrs. Dr. Houston's sister. They were the only chil- dren of John Wright, the holder of large properties on both sides of the Susquehanna River, at Columbia and Wrightsville. After the war, Dr. Houston spent the remainder of his life at his winter home in Co- lumbia or on his farm, on the west side of the Sus- quehanna, in York County, now a part of Wrights- ville. His wife, Susanna Houston, survived him many years, and died in 1829. Their children were James, John, Martha, Eleanor Wright, Anna S., Wil- liam Frederick, Robert Wright, and Samuel Nelson.

James married Nancy Wright. He erected the flouring-mill and first saw-mills near the mouth of Kreitz Creek, at Wrightsville. Their children were Susan E. and John W. Susan married James E. Mifflin. James E. Mitilin, now of Columbia, is their son. John W. married Mary B. Martin, of Lycon- ing County, Pa. They had sons and daughters,- George, now living in Missouri, and William, at Cin- cinnati, Ohio. Ilis daughter Annie married Col. Lewis Merrill, of the United States army ; Emily married Col. Alexander, of the United States army ; and Eliza married Capt. Warner, United States army.

Martha married Joseph Mifflin, a prominent scholar, and for a part of his life a bank-officer in Philadelphia. Their children were Deby Ann, John Houston, James H., and Joseph. Deby Ann died in Columbia in 1829. James H. died at Eatonton, Ga., in 1838. J. Houston married Elizabeth B. Heise, of Columbia. He is still with us, a hale, hearty artist-poet-farmer. Though past the allotted space of threescore and ten, long may he live to enjoy the comfort and companionship of his four bright sons ! Joseph married Julia Duncan

Stewart, and is living on his farm in Cumberland County, enjoying the comfort of a well-spent life.

John and William F. both studied medicine. John died. just after graduating.

William, having abandoned the practice of medicine for the pulpit, lived for many years a devoted minister of the Presbyterian Church. He married in early life Amy MeCorkle, of Philadelphia. They had two chil- dren,-Christiana M. and John Frederick. Chris- tiana married Rev. James L. Scott, of the Presbyterian Church, in 1837, and immediately sailed for India. After remaining ten years there, Mrs. Scott's health became impaired and she was ordered home. She died on shipboard just after passing the Cape of Good Hope. They had three children,-two (Amy and Edward H.) died after reaching man and womanhood. Anna E., the surviving daughter, is now and has been for many years in the mission-field in India.

John Frederick married Catharine J. Fisher, of Pine Ford, Dauphin Co., Pa. He was one of the brightest young men of our country .. He was born ia Columbia, and lived there all his life. He graduated at an early age at Amherst College with high honor; adopted the profession of a civil engineer ; was ea- gaged on the construction of the Baltimore and Sus- quehanna Railroad, Gettysburg Railroad, the State works of Pennsylvania, in progress between 1834 and 1839. Ile abandoned the engineer service and stud- ied law with his brother-in-law, Judge Robert J. Fisher, of York, Pa. He commeneed the practice of law in the counties of York and Laneaster, continu- ing his home in Columbia, and was fast gaining prominence, when at the early age of thirty-five he was stricken with paralysis, after which he lived nearly thirty years, respected by all who knew him. He has three surviving children,-Georgianna F., at Harrisburg ; William F., at San Francisco, Cal. ; aad Harry, at Denver, Col.1

Robert W. lived in Columbia all his life. He was an enterprising and highly respected citizen. For many years a merchant, and afterwards a contractor in the Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad and Pennsylvania Canal. He married Sarah Ann Jones, of Great Valley, Chester Co. She died in Columbia in 1834. They had two daughters,-Mary and Susan W. Mary died young. Susan married the Rev. Robert Gamble, of the Presbyterian Church; they are now living in Chanceford, York Co., Pa.

1 The daughters, Eleanor W. aud Anna S., who lived respectively eighty-two and eighty-four years, romalned unmarried, during all thoss years living together and keeping house that was always a home for their nephews oud nieces and their children. All their means and all their personal attention devoted to hospitality to their relatives and to their friends,-long lives of unselfishness and affectionnto cate. of Anna S., but for the constraint of this duty of her heart, ber fouduess for reading and her talents as a poetess would have distinguished ber in literature. Both were zealous members of the Presty terian Church. Even in her age, until physient Infirmity forbaito it, Eleanor especially visited the poor and the needy in their humble homes, prescribing food and medicine and Christian courfort, " going about dolug good."

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BOROUGH OF COLUMBIA.

Samuel Nelson was born in 1791; finished his edu- cation at Burlington College, New Jersey; studied medicine and pharmacy in Philadelphia in 1811 and 1812; returned to Columbia on account of ill health ; spent his time in the field and saddle for two or three · years (we cannot refer to the exercise which restored the health of Mr. Samuel N. Houston without re- marking that he was of uncommonly handsome per- sonal appearance; that in those days before fox-hunt- ing was one of the lost arts, while he was distinguished for all manly and athletic exercises, he was especially noted as a magnificent rider) ; was an active member of Capt. Shippen's troop of horse of Lancaster County, in the war of 1812; entirely regained his health, and in 1816 married Susan Strickler, daughter of Col. Jacob Striekler; they had five children, -John James, Henry Howard, Emily Strickler, Eleanor Wright, Martha Mifflin. He died November, 1878, aged eighty-seven years. John James married Ann Blakiston, of Philadelphia. He was for many years engaged in transportation in Pennsylvania and West- ern States; lived the most of his life in Columbia, a few years in Pittsburgh, and died in Philadelphia in 1869. His wife survives him. They had no children. He was a wonderful man, and though with a slight frame and delicate constitution, he by determination and pure grit accomplished great results, and of him we can say he died as he always lived,-ready."

Henry H., the second son of Samuel N. Houston, was early at work in a mercantile house, and soon left it for that of transportation.

Emily Strickler died in Columbia, aged seven years. Eleanor W. died at fifty-five years of age, in 1881.

Martha Mifflin, the youngest daughter, married Stephen Greene, in Columbia, in 1855. They weut to Philadelphia in 1860, where they now reside with & family of six children.

The only other branch of the original John Hous- ton, first referred to, that remained and grew up in Lancaster County, was Esquire Samuel Houston, of Pequea Valley, of which family we regret we cannot give a full account. He married Miss Hopkins, of Lancaster, and had children-John, James H., Frank- lin, William, Samuel, Horatio, Sarah Jane, Martha, and Louise.

John married Gertrude Truxton, daughter of Com- modore Truxton, and had sons and daughters. Sev- eral of the boys were in the navy, and daughters married officers in the United States army. One of the sons, James Buchanan Ilouston, is president of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.

James H. married Miss Henderson, and had sons and daughters. One of the sons, J. Hopkins Houston, was rapidly becoming prominent as a railroad officer, but died young at Prairie du Chien, Wis., while oc- cupying an important position.

Franklin lived and died in Lancaster County, was married, and most of his children are settled in this county.

Gen. William married Miss Jacobs, of Lancaster County. He was engaged for many years in the manu- facture of iron in Centre County. He had several sons. . Part of the family went to California, and part to Missouri. He died in California.

Dr. Samuel married Agnes Humes, of Lancaster. They had sons and daughters. The doctor died in Washington, where his family now resides. One of his sons, a prominent army officer, died young of yellow fever in Havana.

Horatio was an officer in the navy, and died young.

Sarah Jane married Dr. Harris, of Bellefonte, Pa., and after his death married Mr. Yardly, a prominent merchant of Cincinnati. He lived but a few years. She lived several years a widow, and died in 1881, and is buried in the family burying-ground, Pequea Valley, Lancaster Co.

Martha married Col. William Baker, of this county. They have several children. She died in 1881.

Louise is living with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Dr. Samuel Houston, in Washington, D. C.

HENRY HOWARD HOUSTON.

Henry Howard Houston, the youngest son of Sam- uel Nelson Houston, and now the oldest living grand- son of Dr. John Houston, of Columbia (bearing his name), was born at the Houston farm, Wrightsville, on the 3d day of October, 1820. He left school at fourteen to enter the mercantile house of Mr. John S. Futhey, in Wrightsville. This was probably the best house in its day in this section of the country for qualifying boys for a thorough business life. Mr. Futhey was a man of large means, great industry, strict integrity, high moral character, always on duty himself, and kept his boys at their post. Proverbially he dealt in "everything that grew, was manufactured, or consumed." This gave those with him a knowl- edge of the value of products and material rarely ob- tained in one establishment. During the five years young Houston was with him, say from 1834 to 1839, the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad ( Wrightsville to York ), the Tide- Water Canal ( Wrightsville to Haver de Grace), the dam across the Susquehanna River, and towing-path bridge were being constructed, and supplies for most of the contractors and laborers on these works were furnished by Mr. Futhey, which, with the bulk of the trade of the rich region within five miles of Wrightsville, gave him an extensive business. Houston's associates in this house were Samuel M. Smith, afterwards a successful merchant ; Samuel D. Young, who went early into the transpor- tation business at the Columbia Canal basin, and at the time of his death was superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Harrisburg; Jasper W. Boyd, son of the first superintendent of the Tide-Water Canal; and J. Smith Futhey, now Judge Futhey, of West Chester, Pa.

At twenty Houston went with Mr. Samuel M. Rey-

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.

nolds, of Lancaster, to Lucinda Furnace, in Clarion County, Pa. After remaining there three years he joined Mr. Edmund Evans in rebuilding and oper- ating Horse Creek furnace, on the Allegheny River, in Venango County, Pa. ; remained there two years, and returned to Columbia in January, 1845; re- mained at home one year, then made a tour of the Southern and Western States, reaching home in December, 1846. In February, 1847, entered the Philadelphia office of Leech & Co., canal and railway transporters, Continned with this company in Phila- delphia and New York until December, 1850. The Pennsylvania Railroad was then completed to Holli- daysburg and with the State Portage Railroad over the mountains and the canal (Johnstown to Pittsburgh) furnished a through line from Philadelphia to the Ohio River. Col. William C. Patterson, then president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, selected him to organize the freight department of the new road. The rail line was completed to Pittsburgh in 1853, and from this time until 1860 the efforts required to secure and maintain trade against rivalry in the North and South was in- cessant and laborious. He continued in charge of this department for fifteen years.

Since then he has, with associates, been largely in- terested in the construction of local railroads and roads across the continent. He is now engaged in lake and ocean transportation, being part owner of a line of nine steamships on the ocean and a fleet of twenty steamers on the northwestern lakes; was an early and successful producer and operator in petroleum, a miner of coal in Pennsylvania and Western Virginia, and interested in gold and silver mines in Montana and Colorado. He is now in the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Pittsburgh, Cin- cinnati and St. Louis Railroad, the Pennsylvania Company, the International Steamship Company, the Erie and Western Transportation Company, besides others of less importance.

He married Miss Sallie S. Bonnell, of Philadel- phia, in 1856. They have had six children. The first, a daughter, died in infancy. Henry Howard, Jr., the eldest son, who traveled during school and college vacations the entire chain of the lakes between the head of Lake Superior and Quebec, through the Southern and Western States and part of Mexico, across the Rocky Mountains and north to British Co- lumbia. He graduated from the University of l'enn- sylvania in the class of 1878. Then made a tour of Europe, the region of the Nile and Palestine, returned to Italy via Turkey in Europe, and died in Rome in June, 1879, just as he reached his twenty-first year.

Eleanor Anna, the third daughter, died at twelve years of age, in January, 1875. The remaining chil- dren are Sallie B., Samuel Frederick, and Gertrude. The family reside in Germantown, a suburb of Phila- delphia, where they have lived for twenty-five years. Mr. Houston is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, has been rector's warden and superintendent

of Sunday-school of St. Peter's Church, Germantown, since the organization of that parish.

JOHN HOUSTON MIFFLIN.

John Houston Mifflin, of whom the following brief sketch is given, is a Pennsylvanian of the sev- enth generation. The first John Mifflin came from England with William Penn in 1676, and took up four hundred acres of land, now included in Fair- mount Park, Philadelphia. A son of John, born in 1660, married in 1683, and from his son John de- scended Jobn (4th), whose son, Joseph Mifflin, was the grandfather of John Houston Mifflin, and a snc- cessful merchant in Philadelphia, as were also his brothers. The second Joseph Mifflin, the father of the subject of this sketch, came to Cohimbia and married Martha Houston, a daughter of John Hous- ton, whose father, John Houston, emigrated from Scotland about 1680 and settled in Pequea township, one of the finest farming regions of Lancaster County, Pa. IFis son, John Houston, J. II. Mifflin's grand- father, was sent to Edinburgh to complete his educa- tion as a physician, and there received his medical diploma. He served as a surgeon for seven years during the Revolutionary war. He married Susanna Wright (more particulars of their several children, as well as of the ancestors of the family, being given in the biographical sketch of Henry H. Houston, Esq.). John Houston, after the close of the Revolutionary war, continued the practice of medicine in Columbia, and was commissioned a justice of the peace by Gov- ernor Mifflin. Mr. Mifflin's father, Joseph Mittlin, removed to the neighborhood of Columbia and mar- . ried Martha Houston, daughter of John Honston and Susanna Wright Houston. He was occupied in teach- ing for some years in Columbia, and afterwards as a book-keeper in the first bank in that place. John Houston Mifflin-was the first of several children of Joseph and Martha Mifflin, and was born on the 7th day of February, 1807. When about six years of age his parents removed to Philadelphia, his father assist- ing his own brother, Lloyd Mitllin, in the banking- house of the Camden Bank of New Jersey, at their office in Church Street, Philadelphia. There he attended an excellent private school until the death of his mother, which occurring at an early age, he was sent to the celebrated boarding-school of the Society of Friends, or Quakers (that being the relig- ious faith of his family ), called Westtown, near to West Chester, and about twenty miles from Philadelphia. Mr. and Mrs. Mifflin both died in Philadelphia, where their remains are interred. The subject of this bio- graphical sketch having early shown fondness and facility for drawing, after abundant drawing-lessons under 1. R. Sunth, then celebrated in Philadelphia, and opportunities of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in that city, had the privilege of instruction from Thomas Sully and John Neagle, two of the most

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BOROUGH OF COLUMBIA.

distinguished portrait-painters of that day. He pur- sued his art as a portrait-painter in the city where his boyhood was passed, and where his many friends kept him moderately busy, until his old and particular friend and fellow-student at drawing-school, James DeVeaux, enticed him to the South to spend the winters. Here he found such hospitality and high appreciation of his art as to influence his return in the winter to its hospitable cities, and to protract his visits till the early summers of the sunny South at- tracted him to view the wonderful and romantic scenery of the northern part of Georgia,-in particu- lar, those localities where mountains and water-falls compressed all Switzerland within a radius of thirty miles, and which he traversed, occasionally sketching during this period. In his business as a professional portrait-painter Mr. Mittlin was amply rewarded by his friends and liberal patrons in the South, and in company with his artist-friend, De Veaux, made the tour of Europe, visiting in 1835-36 the galleries and museums in parts of England, in London, Brussels, and Paris, and nearly all the collections in every city In Italy. Later he returned to Augusta and Savan- nah, Ga., and was greeted with hospitality and success.

Upon one of his revisits to his native town, Colum- bia, Pa., he married Miss Elizabeth A. Bethel Heise, daughter of Solomon and Patience Bethel Heise, of that place. For a time Mr. Mifflin attempted to pur- sue his favorite art of portrait-painting in Columbia. Its population, however, not furnishing patient sitters to dispute the celerity of the daguerreotype or the mpidity of the photograph, the palette and pencil were laid aside. The management of the landed in- terests of the family gradually absorbed his time, and he gave much attention to the improvement of this property. Hle may justly claim to be identified with the growth and development of Columbia, having erected more than forty dwellings within its limits. He also laid out a cemetery adjoining those denom- inational burial-places which were being overcrowded, and afterwards furnished additional ground for the beautiful spot, chartered under the name of the Mount Bethel Cemetery Association of Columbia, of which he is the president. He has been honored by the confidence and trust of his fellow-citizens, when polit- ical partisanship had no influence in their selection, with many positions of importance, such as school di- rector for several terms, treasurer of the Public Grounds Company, and president of some manufacturing com- panies. He was for thirty successive years elected a trustee of the Presbyterian Church, of which Mrs. Mifflin and most of his relatives are members, although his parents were members of the Society of Friends, which entitled their children to membership in that society. In his political affiliations Mr. Mifflin was formerly a Whig, and subsequently adopted the prin- ciples of the Republican party, though he is devoid of ambition for distinctions of a political character.

He has a love for literature, and a facility for 38

writing verse, of which he printed a small volume called " Rhyme of an Artist," for private distribution. He contributed e-says and poetical pieces, some of which were set to music, to Graham's Magazine and to Burton's Gentleman's Magazine in Philadelphia, and frequently wrote spicy articles for the local papers of Columbia. He was also an elocutionist as far as dra- matic recitation indicated the capacity, and frequently entertained his friends and benevoleut organizations with lectures, readings, or recitations. Mr. Mifflin has evinced during his lifetime a desire to become a nseful citizen rather than to achieve marked distinc- tion in literature or art, in both of which fields he might, doubtless, with application and study, have won renown.

He is of a cheerful social disposition, beloved by a large number of friends, and most affectionate and devoted to his family as husband and father.

Mr. and Mrs. Mitllin were blessed with several children, of whom Lloyd, Houston, James De Veaux, and Charles West survive. The eldest, Bethel, Martha Elizabeth, and Mary Bethel, rest in the Mount Bethel Cemetery, beside the grave of their mother.

WILLIAM FORDNEY LOCKARD.

The subject of this biographical sketch was born of German ancestry. His father, Charles Lockard, resided in Columbia, Lancaster Co., Pa., and during the earlier years of his life followed the occupation of pilot on the Susquehanna River. In later years lie became a contractor, and died at Peach Bottom, Pa., in 1826, at the early age of thirty years, having been at the time of his death engaged in the con- struction of a public canal. Ile married Elizabeth Fordney, daughter of William Fordney, who emi- grated from Germany to Columbia, Pa., where he died in 1825. Mrs. Lockard survived her husband fifty years, and died at Columbia, Pa., in 1876, at the ripe age of seventy-nine years. She was a devoted Christian mother through all the vicissitudes of a long and well-spent life. Her beloved and venerated character still lives in the memory of the children who survive.

To Mr. and Mrs. Lockard the following children were born: Sophia, Samuel, Charles O., Hannah, William F., and Eliza. The birth of William F. occurred Jan. 19, 1825, at Columbia, Lancaster Co., Pa., where his boyhood was passed. Soon after his father's death, and when nine years of age, William was indentured to James Moore, a farmer of Union County, Pa., who was also by occupation a bridge- builder, having erected the second bridge across the Susquehanna River, between Columbia and Wrights- ville, Pa., in the year 1834. (This bridge was de- stroyed by fire July, 1863, during the invasion of Gen. Lee's army into Pennsylvania, on the occasion of the battle of Gettysburg.) William F. lived six years in Union County, Pa., and on returning to his

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.

native town was employed in the construction of the new line of railroad then being built to avoid the in- clined plane at Columbia, Pa. This contract being finished, he engaged upon a canal-boat running be- tween Columbia and Hollidaysburg, Pa., and served his superiors faithfully for two years. He then ac- cepted the position of agent on a train of cars running over the "State Road" between Columbia and Phil- adelphia, Pa., owned by Messrs. Bingham, Dock & Stratton, one of the few transportation houses then doing business on the Columbia Basin.

At the age of eighteen he became fireman upon a locomotive, and four years later rose to the rank of a locomotive engineer in the employ of the State of Pennsylvania. He continued in that capacity until the year 1857, at which time the main line, owned and controlled by the State, from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, was sold to the Pennsylvania Central Railroad, they assuming full management of the same. William F. was, in the summer of 1858, made dis- patcher of trains at Columbia, and remained thus employed until March 1, 1867, when he was ap- pointed and confirmed by the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company to the position of superintendent of the Philadelphia Division of said road, with his office in Philadelphia. This caused the removal with his family from Columbia, Pa., and occasioned the separation from many warm personal friends, who, however, rejoiced at his promotion. He continued to fill the position of superintendent for fourteen years, when, in the summer of 1881, owing to continued ill health, contracted by the arduous duties of the office, he was compelled to tender his resignation. It was reluctantly accepted by the board of directors, who, being unwilling to lose his services, appointed him superintendent of the June- tion Railroad, a position of like responsibilities though less laborions, which office he now holds.

William Fordney Lockard is essentially a self-made man, and has not depended upon accidental good fortune to make his career one of success. His energy, industry, and inherent force have been the powerful levers which have lifted him from dependence to a position of influence and independence. In the vari- ous positions he has held the confidence and respect of his superior officers has invariably been manifested towards him, while the most flattering testimonials have evinced the affection of his subordinates.

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History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 11

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1320

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1320