History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 117

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 117

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Jobn Rieter.

Jacob Riefl.

William MeCalle.

Thomas Fletcher.

Joseph Webster.

John Mitchner.

Daniel Panl.

Daniel St. Clair.

CHELTENHAM.

John Thomas.

Thomas Shoemaker.

Isaac Shoemaker.

Richard Martin.

John Davis.

Benjamin Roland.

Peter Mather.

Sebastian Miller.

Dr. Isaac Huddleson.

Isaac Loech.

PLYMOUTH.

GUINET.

Andrew Norney.

Christian Dull.

George Pearce.

Jacob Heisler, Jr.

Robert Kennedy.

William Mearis.

Elward Wells.

Joseph Lewis.

Benjamin Levering.

William Foulke.

Joseph Courson.

LOWER MERION.

Algernon Roberts.

Joseph Rice.

Jolin Kerwin.

Hugh Knox.

Lloyd Jones.

Samuel Ashmead.

Daniel Levering.

Morgan Morgan.

Mordecai Jones,

James Bartle.

UPPER MERION.

William Nanny.

Isaac Dehaven.

John Elliot.

Jesse Roberts.

Abijah Stevens.

John Bean.

Jacob Smith.

Peter Rambo.

Melchor Shultz.

Jonas Rambo.

John Moore.

Jacob Custard.

Peter Johnston.

Peregiene H. Wharton. WHITEMARSII.

Daniel Hitner.

John Brooke.

Thomas Lancaster.

WORCESTER.

Christopher Zimmerman.

John Hughes.

John Merredith.

Samuel Thomas.

John White.

WHITEPAINE.

Samuel Evane.

William Thomas,

Samuel Jervis.

John Wilson.

NORRITON.

James Shannon.

Ezekiel Rhoad.

David Supplee.

Jacob Moyer.

Christopher Ileibner.

Jesse Rex.

Joseph Pryon.

NEW HANOVER.

Thomas Brooke.

505

TIIE PAST AND PRESENT POLITICS.

Benjamin Markley. Robert E. Ilobart. James McCleuloch. John Betz. Henry Kreps.

DOUGLASS.

Joseph Potta, juo. Bartholomew Wambach. Amos Jones. Christian Lisig. George Mock. Abraham Ishbach.

LIMERICK.

Moses Hobsou. Amtos Evans. Owen Evans. Nicholas Cressmao.

UPPER SALFORD.

Jarob Groft. Michael Zigler. Philip Habn. Michael Sholl.

UPPER HANOVER.

Abraham Shaltz. Jacob Welcher. Wendal Wiand. John Shliffer. Jarob Gery, jun.

PERKIOMEN.

John Tyson.

IIngh Cousty. Jacob Markley. Michael Ziegler.

Benjamin Pawling. George Reiff.

George Reiff, senior. Joseph Allderfer. Jolin Allderfer. Jeremiah Kreeble. Henry Harley.

MARLBOROUGH.

Willoughby Maybury. Christian Sud. Jacob Zeiber. Philip Gressenger.

MONTGOMERY.

James Hammer. Jacob lopple. John Jones, jun. Charles Humphreys. Lewis Stegner. George Gordon. .John Heston. Walter Evans.

HORSHAM.

Seneca Lokens.

Nathan Ilolt. Joseph Jarrett. John Iredell.

Azor Lukens, Jonathan Iredell.

Juha Shay. Thomas Nixon. James Paul.

MORELAND.

David Cumming.

John Thomas.

George Selmire.

John Jarrett, jun.

Jonathan Clayton. George Newell.

PROVIDENCE.

John Jacobs.

Jolin Shannon.

David Schrack.

James Beao.

Anthony Vanderslice. Israel Bringhurst. John Umstat.

TOWAMENCIN.

Jehu Evans, Esq.

Henry Smith.

Abraham Kreeble.

Morderai Davis.

Joel Luken.

Gerret Guishalks.

John Lukens.

HATFIELD.

Jolın Funck.

Jacob Root.

Joel Tryon.

Nathaniel Johnson.

Joseph Wilson.

FRANCONIA.

Jacob Oberholzer.

John Wilson.

Michael Shoemaker.

John Althouse.

Jacob Gearhart.

Captn. John Com.

UPPER DUBLIN.

John JJarret.

George Presher.

Jonathan Thomas.

Andrew Gilkinson.

Jolını Weis.

John Burke.

Jacob Ulrick.

SPRINGFIELD.

John White.

Nicholas Klein.

William Smith.

Adam Weaver.

Abraham Wyderick.

FREDERICK.

Abraham Groff.

Abraham Swenck.

Jarob Hawk.

John Hildebeitel.

John Nice.

John Zieber.

"Sir,-As Chairman of the meeting, at which the preceding Address was agreed on, I was directed by a Resolution thereof, to cause printed copies of the same to be circulated through this County, and particularly to be forwarded to the members of the Township Committees. If in pro. moting the election of the within proposed candidate, any communication should by you be deemed necessary, direct your letters to William R. Atlee Chairman of the Montgomery County Committee, which will be promptly attended to.

"THOMAS W. PRYOR, Chatrwan."

During the twenty-four years from 1800 to 1824 the power of Thomas Jefferson was acknowledged to be almost supreme in national politics. The Con- gressional caueus system of nominating candidates for President prevailed, and hence the succession of his two Virginia friends and neighbors, Madison and Monroe; or, in the words of those days, " the Virginia dynasty ruled until it was broken by the election of John Quincy Adams, by the House of Representatives, in 1825." It is impossible, within the scope of this work, to follow the details of local politics in Mont- gomery County through all these years. The war of 1812 quickened public interest, and upon its termina- tion party lines were well marked. From 1812 to 1822 Montgomery and Chester Counties were one Congressional district. Both parties had full tickets in the field, one of which we note, with election returns, as follows :

NORRISTOWN DISTRICT ELECTION RETURNS.

GOVERNOR.

: Jacob Drinkhouse . 629

Joseph Hiester . . 575

William Findley . 631

David Styer . 577

Aodrew Gilkeson 628

ASSEMBLY.

Sumuel Buird 598

DIRECTOR.

William Hagy 580

John Heebner 5GI

John Hughes 581

Titus Yerkes. 633

Jacob Lesher 580

William M. White

1:28

AUDITOR.

Tobias Sellers .

Zulok Thamas 557

Joel K. Mann

632

Thomas Lowry

646

NOTE .- The Federal and Independent Republican candidates are in italics.

In the foregoing election there were three parties in the field,-the Democratic Republican, the Federal Republican and the Independent Republican. The last-named party ran but one candidate, Colonel Boyer, who was defeated, the following campaign document being issued against him :

" Communication to the Herald, October 2, 1816 :

" As Col. Boyer, one of the candidates for the sheriff's office, claims some merit for his services in camp during the late war (1812) and as he is said to be a very modest gentleman, I presume that his modesty lius prevented him from making his friends acquainted with the following circumstance: Some time during the encampment of the Rifle Regi- ment below -, Marcus Hook, Doctor spencer purchased, at a farmer's cost, a pair of fine fowls. Colonel Boyer purchased one of the smallest at the cost of three five-penny bits. The colonel politely offered to send the doctor's fowls to his marquee. The doctor consented. The colonel, however, was determined to be remunerated for his servant's wrvices and directed him to exchange his small fowl for one of the doctor's large ones. When the doctor discovered the mistake he called at the colonel's marquee and was informed by the servant (the colonel being absent) that it was done by his master's directions.

" N. B .- If the circumstance has escaped the cologel's memory, Doctor Spencer and other persons may serve to refresh it."

" A Democrat," writing for the Democratie Repub- licans, in the Herald, October 2d, says :

" Hlad your delegates, when assembled at 1. Markley's, followed their eunstitnents or acted agreeably to the wishes of three-fourths of the people, names which disgrace your tickets had not appeared. Who among you trust an assassio with your life, a tyrant with your liherty or a thief with your porse? Yet in public concerns yon trust, blindly trust, men who seek not so much the public good as private convenience and emolument."

In the same campaign Joseph Leedom, Frederick | Conrad and William Bevens issued an address, in the

COMMISSIONER.

506

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

name of the Independent Republicans of Montgomery County, saying :

" Fellow-citizens : The period has at length arrived when it is neces- sary to throw off the shackles imposed upon us by designing men, or submit to be degraded below the slaves of European despots. It cannut be unknown that this county aud the State generally has been ruled by a junto of political intrigne, whose only object has been to aggrandize themselves at the expense of the rights and interests of the people. Ilence it is that every man who has dared to think for himself has been branded by epithets of opprobrium by this junto of political jugglers."

They close their address by calling upon the Inde- pendent Republicans of Montgomery County who are determined to exercise their rights of elective fran- chise to act in concert and in "opposition to dictators and designing office-hunters." Another Independent Democrat writes to the Herald of July 16, 1817, as follows :

" Mr. Sower : Happening a few weeks ngo to stop at a tavern in this county, I was in Int a few minutes till the Governor's election became the subject of conversation. A patent Democrat asked my reasons for supporting General Hiester. I gave them in this way,-I believed him tu be a moderate but firm Republican, that his Revolutionary services entitled him to the confidence of every true American, and I was always disposed to give such men the preference. This patent fellow replied, ' Findley has been taken up by the Democrats and we ought to support him if he was the d-dest rascal in the world.' This expression dis- gusted me ; I wheeled about and left him. Such, fellow-citizens, is the sentiments of the supporters of William Findley."

"A Republican" writes in the same paper as follows :

" Mr. Sowers : I was much sorprised to hear one of our county com- missioners a short time ago say he would vote for the devil, if he was taken up by the Democrats, in preference to voting for a good man taken up by any other political party."

Communication in the Herald, July 23, 1817 :

" Mr. Sower : I read in your last paper a communication charging one of our county commissioners with making a declaration that he would rather vote for the devil, if nominated for an office by the Deme- cratic Committee, than the best citizen in the State, nominated in any other way. I must confess I doubted whether this county contained a mau so lost to principle, so ignorant to what constitutes Democracy as to utter such a sentiment. However, it appears that Casper Schlater has had the hardibood to come forward and acknowledge himself the author of the sentiment, and even goes further to say that no man can be a good Democrat who would not do the same. If these are the sentiments of the ruling Democrats of the county, how can auy moral or religions man give them his support ?"

The following, from a supplement to the Norristown Herald of October Sth, is characteristic of the Hiester- Findley canvass in Montgomery County ;

" CALUMNY REFUTED .- Fellow-citizens : From the manner the friends of Mr. Findley commenced electioneering after the promulgation of the infamous Brandywine story, it was expected as the election approached falsehoods would be daily fabricated and promulgated against the charac- ter of the people's candidate. But it could not be anticipated that men who had some pretention to character, who had received on many occasions the countenance and support of the citizens of this county, sbould so forget and degrade themselves as to become, if not the instrument, the prominlgators of as base and ungenerous a calumny against the character of General Joseph Hiester as couhl have been devised by the most black-hearted, deliberate assasin. Itis contained in the following communication as published in the Register of that week, in these words : 'The following is taken from the orderly book kept by Captain Joseph Hivster's orderly sergeant, Isaac Feather, of New llanover township, Montgomery Co .: "Captain Hiester arrived in Amboy, 28th of July, 1776, with a company of ninety-five men ; on the 14th, left Amboy and marched for New York; 22nd of August, left New York and went to Long Island; on the 26th of August sixteen

hundred American troops advanced to the liues. Captain Hiester, on the 27th, with ten of his men, were taken by the enemy, to wit : one corporal and nine privates. Report said at that that they ran to the enemy. His men never saw Hiester after until they were discharged ; they then saw him at Reading."'

" The author of this communication intended (as the writing itself imports) to make it appear as if it was entered in Mr. Feather's orderly bouk that General Iliester cowardly deserted his post at the battle of Long Island and ran to the enemy as a traitor, or to make the public believe Mr. Feather said so. The following certificate will show how far the author or anthors of that communication are warranted in treating Mr. Feather and the public in the manuer they have done :

"' To the Committee of Correspondence for the County of Montgomery in Favor of the Election of General Joseph Hiester.

" 'GENTLEMEN : At your request we waited upon Mr. Isaac Feather, the person alluded to iu the communication in the Register of last week. The following is the result of our communication with him on the sub- ject of that publication : )Ir. Feather stated to us that some few days ago William Henderson, Thomas Humphrey and Isaac Wells called upon him for the purpose of examining his orderly-sergeant hook while he acted as sergeant in Captain Joseph Hiester's company in 1776. He produced the book, from which they took extracts, as appears in the first part of the communication in the Register; after that was doue they made some inquiry about the battle. He then stated that "I told them I was not in the engagement ; I was then on other duty. I said that after the battle it was reported that our regiment, commanded by Colonel Lotz, was surrounded by the British, and in attempting to make their escape some of them ran into the British lines without knowing where they were going. I never said that Joseph Hiester ran to the enemy ; I could not have said so, for he was as firm a Whig as ever stepped in shoe- leather, and the man who states that ever I said Joseph Hiester rau to the enemy tells a falsehood, for I never said so, never thought so.""

(Sigued), "'JOHN HENDERSON, "'LEVI PAWLING. " " 1

1 HON. LEVI PAWLING .- The Pawling family, according to tradition, came from New York State during the last century, settling ou the Schuylkill, between Trappe and Fatland Ford, at the crossing of the Ridge turnpike road. It is doubtless of the same generic bead as the Pauldings of that State, the orthography being changed, as is quite common iu a new country. Our earliest authentic information of the Pennsylvania family is in the record that " Henry Pawling, Jr., Jonathan Roberts, Sr .. George Smith, Robert Shannon and Henry Conrad were appointed by Act of Assembly in 1784 to purchase ground near Stony Creek, and thereon erect a court-house and prison for the use of Montgomery County." This Henry Pawling was also one of the first associate judges uf the county, and doubtless resided in Providence township. He had three sons and one daughter. The sons were Henry, William and Levi, the latter the subject of this memoir. William lived on the farm at l'awling's Bridge, in Lower Providence, till abont 1835, the time of his death, leaving three sons,-Henry, Thomas and Albert. Eleanor, the daughter of the elder Henry, married James Milnor, a lawyer practicing in the county, but re- siding in Philadelphia, who subsequently retired from that profession, tuok orders, and became rector of St. George's Episcopal Church, New York.

Levi Pawling came to Norristown, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in November, 1795, thus taking his position with William Moore Smith and Thomas Ross the eller. He soun attained considerable dis- tinction as a lawyer. On the 17th of October, 1804, he married Elizabeth, daughter of General Joseph Hiester, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Heury A. Muhlenberg. The children born to them were three sons and four daughters. The sons were Joseph H., James M. and Henry De Witt. The danghters of Levi and Elizabeth Pawling were Eliza- beth, Rebecca, Elleu and Mary.

Lovi Pawling entered his profession just after the organization of the county ; he was for many years the Nestor of the bar, enjoying a very large practice and living in the most muuificent style of any in the borough. At one time, and for many years, he owned the flouring and saw-mill at the foot of Swede Street, and ran it in partnership with James Boltou, the father of General William J. Bolton. He also owned a farm which embraced all the land north of Airy Street lying between Stony Creek and Saw-Mill Run, and extending back one-fourth of a mile. The farm-house on this land was near what is now the corner of Green and Chestnut Streets. For a number of years before it was cut into town lots it was called the " Davis Farm." Mr. Pawling, at an carly date, also erected on Main Street, a little west of Swede, perhaps the most stately

507

THE PAST AND PRESENT POLITICS.

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN DISTINGUISHED POLITICIANS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

" MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Sept. 15, 1817.

" Sir :- The committee of correspondence of Montgomery County, de- sirons of guarding against the premeditated designs of our secret political enemies, of which you may not be apprised, have considered it expedient und advisable again to address you through the medium of a private circular. On the 4th of August last we communicated with you in our official capacity, ns well as through motive- of personal friendship, owing to many sinister rumors afloat, relative to the inimical disposition of Nathaniel B. Boileau to the election of William Findley, the Democratic candidate for Governor, which, from the confidence we uniformly enter- tained of his Republican integrity, we could not imagine was entitled to the slightest credit. But in order to remove public impression, and for our indi- vidual satisfaction, we addressed him on the subject, and particularly stated in our communication the nature of the reports in circulation, and re- quested of him, as soon as convenient, an explicit denial. We received an answer dated the 20th day of August, and much to our astonishment and surprise it is fraught with falsehood and disappointment and the most malignant political turpitude imaginable. He traduces, in the most shame- ful and dastardly manner, the private and public character of William Findley, whom he charges with having obtained his nomination by fraud, peculation, intrigue and corruption, and has the bardihood and effrontery to pronounce, comparatively, that the Carlisle caucus was equally Republican with the delegation composing the Harrisburg Con- vention. No expression of opinion can be considered more authorized, coming from Mr. Boileau, than this, particularly when he made his selec- tion and suffered his name to be nominated by the Harrisburg Conven- tion under a pertert understanding that he, as well as Mr. Findley, woukl submit to the decision. But Mr. Boileau, from his letter in our possi ssion, refuses his sij post to Mr. Findley because he did not receive the preference. Such conduct is at least destitute of principle and pu- litical honesty. It is traitorously abandoning the Democratic party, through whom he secured the second station in the commonwealth. Mr. Boileau, not content with denouncing the character of Mr. Findley, we are assured that in order to gratify bis disappointed ambition and sa-

double-roomed mansion in Norristown, where he lived till he retired from business, and which, with the adjacent office, was occupied by his son, James MI., till the latter's death, in 1838. The building in which Martin Molony recently died embraces about half the okl mansion. After the death of the son just named be continued to reside with the daughters, who occupied part of the oll homestead ; but for a number of years, when he had become old and decrepit, he lived with his son, Dr. Pawling, at King of Prussiat. Ile, however, finally returned again to Norristown, and died in 1845, at the age of seventy-three years. His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1826.

Hon. Levi l'awling filled a great number of public positions during his long life. Perhaps the first was that of trustee of the land ceded by the University of Pennsylvania for a court-house yard or public square. Of this be divested hinself in favor of the Town Council on the 15th of May, 1835.

Being a Federalist in politics, while, since the time of Jefferson, the county has always been Democratic, Mr. Pawling did not reach any legislative offire except a seat in Congress, to which he was elected une term (1817-19) in company with Isaac Darlington, of Chester. There was little, however, in the nature of material improvement in town or county that did not secure his pecuniary help and personal co-operation.

Ile was chairman of a public meeting held July 22, 1897, to denounce the outrageous attack of the British frigate " Leopard " upon the " Chesn- peake" in time of peace, and one of the conunissioners in ISII appointed to sell the stock of the Reading and Perkiomen Turnpike Road Company. In April, 1814, he was one of the commissioners named in the law to sull stock in the Egypt ( Ridge) Turnpike Road Company. In pursuance of an act passed March 8, 18 16, he was also named at the head of a com- mission of nino persons to sell stock in the company organized to make a lock navigation on the Schuylkill. In 1818 he was elected burgess of the town, a post he filled several times afterwards. Shortly after the organ- ization of the Bank of Montgomery County Mr. Pawling was elected a director and made president of the board.

About the time of his retirement from business his pecuniary affairs had become deranged, and he lost the extensive property he had owned, the homestead alone being retained for his use by the assistance of his wealthy father-in law, Governor Hiester, who, in his will, luft each of the children of Mr. and Mrs. rawling a patrimony of about ten thou- sand dollars.

tiate his revengeful and malignant heart, secretly supplies on op- ponents with means to destroy, with Mr. Findley, the Republican as- cendancy in the State. Mr. Boileau, since the decision of the arbitrators in the case of Kline vs. Peacock, has, we understand from respectable anthority, been industriously engaged in writing letters to his friends in Montgomery and Bucks Counties to oppose Mr. Findley. But instead of answering his desired object, it has excited the indignation of those whose political character he attempted to destroy, and renewed in them double vigilance and exertion in support of the real Democratic candi- date, Mir. Findley. We have strong grounds of apprehension, from the information we have received fron. several sunreva, and from the pusses- sion of conclusive evidence of the disappointment of Mr. Buileau and his unjustifiable animosity towards Mr. Findley, that his mind is prepared to extend his political treachery to every possible length in order to prostrate the election of the Democratic candidate. It is a matter of infinite importance that we should be on our guard, and indefatigable in our Republican brethren in the respective counties throughout the State, to meet with contempt and decided disapprobation any communi- cation Mr. Boileau may give publicity to under the sanction of bis name previous to the election, in order to secure Mr. Findley. We shall answer Mr. Boilean's letter in the course of a few days, in which we shall refute his charges against Mr. Findley as false, and as the vision- ary effusions of a disappointed man, and finally denounce him as an enemy to Democracy and unworthy the confidenre of his former po- litical friends. We should be happy to hear from you previous to the vlection, and your candid opinions as to the result in your respective counties. Our majority will not be less than five hundred. The Re- publicans are firm, vigilant and active with us, and resent, with deci- sion and promptitude, the views and overtures of disappointed men.

"PHILIP S. MARKLEY, I " HENRY SCHEETZ,

" BENJAMIN REIFF, " JOHN WENTZ, " Jons JONES, '- PHILIP REED, "P'BILIP YOST, " Committee of Correspondence appointed by the " Harrisburg Convention."

1 Philip S. Markley was the son of John and Elizabeth (Swenk) Mark- ley. Ilis father, John Markley, was one of the most prominent citizens of Norristown, and was sheriff of the county in 198. The wm, Philip S., was quite distinguished as a lawyer, being admitted to the bar in November, Isto, and had a large practice, but soon fell into the whirl of politics. His father before him had been a very influential Demorrat, and he, walking in his footsteps, became active in party matter -. So in 1×19 he was appointed deputy State's attorney, probably serving during the whole of Governor Findley's term of office, or from the spring of 1818 till 1×21, though by the record he was nominated for State Senate and elected in 1819, continuing there till 1:24. It wouhl seem, therefore, that persons were then eligible to both offices at the same time, for we have ascertained to a certainty that Mr. Markley was deputy State's attorney in 1819 and 1820, when, as appears also by a newspaper an- Dunncement which lies before us, of the date of January, 1821, that " Alexander Moore was appointed district attorney vier Philip S. Markley, removed." Soon after the conclusion of his service as State's attorney and Senator, he was taken up by the party for Congress and elerted in 1823, serving during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Congresses, from 1×24 to 1828. Ilis term in the national House of Representatives was during the famous rise of what was known as "Jacksmism," when Hon. Nathaniel B. Boilean and Hun. Jonathan Roberts, the great early lights and leaders of the party, retired from their pares in disgust at the dawn of what was called "mere military statesmanship."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 117

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534