History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 145

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 145

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had been held from the time of William Penn. The deed hears date 1746.

CHARLES BOSLER1 was of German origin, his father, Joseph Bosler, emigrating from Germany about the middle of the last century and locating in Philadelphia, When yet a young man Joseph moved to what is now Shoemakertown, and engaged in hauling grain and flonr to and from Shoemakertown and Philadelphia. He married Hannah McBride, of Paoli, Chester Coun- ty, Pa., June 23, 1828. They were buried in Friends' burial-ground, Cheltenham. They were the parents of five children, viz .: Joseph, Charles, Ann, married

John A Ervier

grinding rye and feed. The second floor contains the flour and other bins. The third floor contains two five-reel bolting-chests. The, fourth floor con- tains the elevator-heads, six scalping-reels and one Silver Creek centrifugal ree).

The power is obtained from a seventy horse-power engine and a twenty-one inch turbine wheel. The capacity of the mill is one hundred and fifty barrels of flour in twenty-four hours.

The mill was built jointly by Dorothy Shocmaker, Richard Mathers and John Tyson, on the property of Dorothy Shoemaker, in whose family the grounds

| Frederick A. Brouse ; Emma, married Joseph Fisher ; and Ellen, who married Nathan Harper.

Charles, the second son of Joseph and Hannah Bosler, was boru Eighth Month 27, 1810. His early education was such only as could be obtained at the pay schools of the period covered by his school age. He being one of those upon whom na- ture showered her gifts, soon became possessed of what was then termed a good common-school edu- cation, which served him in future years as a hasis

1 Compiled from Auge's "Men of Montgomery County," and other sources

Charles 1 Foster

Thomas Rowland

635

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

for business transactions. Like other children of that period, who assisted their parents in whatever labor was assigned them, so he assisted his father in hauling grain, flour and other products from the mill to the city, and among the neighbors, and par- ticularly to Charles Shoemaker, the owner of the mills, was he known for his truthfulness and industry as a lad of promise. Having thus assisted his father, he familiarized himself with the business, and at his father's death, in 1828, was encouraged by Mr. Shoe- maker to purchase the teams, wagons and fixtures and continue the business his father had established, offer- ing at the same time to furnish him the money, or become security for the payment of it, which Mr. Bosler gladly accepted, thus beginning a life of much usefulness with no capital beyond good health, an honest heart and a determination to make life a success. By persvering industry he was soon enabled to liquidate his obligations, and when his father's real estate was offered for sale, he purchased that also, and still continued hauling flour purchased from Mr. Shoemaker till March, 1847, when his employer encouraged him to purchase the flouring-mills at Shoemakertown, thus relieving Mr. Shoemaker of all responsibility of the mills, other than receiving the money on payments as they became due.

From that time to the date of his death, covering a period of twenty-six years, he carried on the mill- ing business with a tact and energy possessed by but few men in the country, and made of it a grand financial success, paying off all incumbrances and amassing what many would consider a large fortune, notwith- standing a kind and generous spirit subjected him to many losses in trusting the honest but unfortunate poor, whom he never pressed beyond their ability to pay, and often not up to that point. This kindly, benevo- lent trait of character, which made him sympathize with worthy persons struggling against the adversities of life and never allowed him to forget his early friends, is one of the golden memories that clings to the | spirit, and when the Southern spirit of disloyalty and name of Charles Bosler. He always felt in his later life a warm regard for the Shoemaker family, and when he had become possessed of a sufficiency of this world's goods, reciprocated many times their former favors.

Mr. Bosler was one of those men who always looked upon the bright side of everything, and whose dispo- sition was ever a ray of sunshine, attracting to him- self the love and good-will of all with whom he came in contaet, especially in business matters. He was justly spoken of by his neighbors as an honest, up- right, successful business man, starting out in life with nothing but good health, industrious habits, an honest purpose and a determination to win whatever property he might possess in an honorable way, which he did, and left at his death a large estate, and, above all, an untarnished name and an example that every young man in the land should be proud to emulate.

His philanthropy was of that broad kind that shone

the brightest where least expected, and usually bene- fited those who had the least reason to expect charity from his ever-open hand. An incident will fully show the character of the man. His wife had been sorely afflicted, and by some new or experimental treatment of the physician she was cured. One of his customers living in Philadelphia was similarly afflicted with disease, and the facts coming to the ears of Mr. Bosler, he ordered the physician to call upon his customer, take charge of and treat the case, and to say to the afflicted man that "Charles Bosler would pay the bill." The physician obeyed orders, cured the patient, and Mr. Bosler paid the fee, although the man owed Mr. Bosler a large sum, which, in con- sequence of large losses by fire, he was unable to pay.

Mr. Bosler, although not a member of the Society of Friends, was, with his wife (who was a member of the Abington Friends' Meeting), a regular attendant upon that meeting down to the day of his death, which occurred suddenly, of apoplexy, Eighth Month 11, 1873. Politically he was a Republican, and at a time when his party was largely in the minority accepted the nomination for the office of county treas- urer, and although defeated, he ran far ahead of his associates on the ticket.

Mr. Bosler married, First Month 26, 1837, Mary Watson, daughter of William and Hannah Gilling- ham, of Buckingham, Bucks Co., Pa. Mrs. Gilling- ham was born in Buckingham, Eleventh Month 14, 1785; married, Tenth Month 18, 1809, to William Gillingham, and died Eighth Month 12, 1822. Mr. Gillingham was born in Buckingham, Bucks Co., Pa., Ninth Month 20, 1786, and died Seventh Month 27, 1850. Mrs. Bosler was born First Month 5, 1811. and is still living.

Mr. and Mrs. Bosler were the parents of four chil- dren, as follows: William Gillingham Bosler, born Twelfth Month 2, 1840. He was well educated, and became a man of patriotism and of enlarged public disunion culminated in the volcanic eruptions of open treason against the constituted laws of the land he at ouce offered his services in defense of his country, and early in 1852 became a private soldier in Com- pany C, One Hundred and Thirtieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served the full term of his enlistment, and was appointed sergeant-major of the regiment and afterwards commissioned a lieu- tenant of his company. He was wounded at the bat- tle of Fredericksburg, Va.

In 1863, when the Governor of the State called for "emergency men" to repel Lee's invasion of the State, he again enlisted, this time in Captain Samuel W. Comly's company of cavalry, serving about two months, or until the emergency period was ended. From the time he left the army to the time of his death he was an enthusiastic and influential Repub- lican, and assisted in planting the seed that has brought forth Republican victory in Montgomery

636

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

County. For his eminent fitness for the position he was chosen, in 1868, as transcribing clerk of the State Senate, serving till January, 1871, when he returned home, and died March 19th of that year. At the time of his death, and for several years previous, he had been in partnership with his father in the milling business, a trade he had learned in his youth.

Charles and Joseph (twins) were born February 24, 1846. Charles died in infaney, and Joseph is still living. The earlier years of Joseph were spent in school, and the later years in assisting in the mill and learning the trade of miller, and soon after the death of his brother, in 1871, became a partner with his father, continuing the firm-name of Charles Bos- ler & Son, and at the death of his father, in 1873, as- sumed full control of the milling business, but still under the firm-name of Charles Bosler & Son, which is continued to the present time. Joseph married, October 8, 1869, Cynthia G., daughter of Watson and Mary L. Comly, of Byberry, Philadelphia. They oc- cupy the old homestead, and are the parents of four children, as follows: Mary W., born Second Month 21, 1871; Carrie C., born Ninth Month 11, 1873; Charles W., born Third Month 31, 1879; and Lester C., born Fourth Month 29, 1884.

Hannah, the fourth child and only daughter of Charles and Mary Bosler, was born First Month 22, 1848; married, Fourth Month, 20, 1882, to William H. Birchall. They have one child, Catherine H., born Eleventh Month 27, 1884.

THOMAS ROWLAND'S SONS. - One of the most ex- tensive manufacturing establishments in thelower por- tion of Montgomery County is the shovel-works of T. Rowland's Sons. The family bearing this name has been identified with the interests of the county, both as residents and manufacturers, for more than a century. John Rowland, the progenitor of the American branch of the family, was a farmer of Sus- sex, England, and came to this country in the ship " Welcome," with William Penn, in 1682. In the direet line of descent was Benjamin, born September 29, 1777, who, after receiving very limited educa- tion advantages, entered upon a career of mechanical industry, and in 1795 laid the foundation of the present shovel business at Cheltenham. At his death, which occurred September 9, 1824, Thomas Row- land, his eldest son, born January 20, 1801, suc- ceeded to the business, associating with him a few years later his brother Benjamin. Having superior water-power and being desirous of enlarging the works, Thomas suggested the making of saws. This was consummated in 1830. In 1835, William and Har- vey, his brothers, were admitted to the firm. In 1842 the manufacture of coach-springs was introduced, and three years later that of steel-making. Owing to the magnitude of the interests involved, the firm was dissolved in 1860, Thomas taking the works at Chel- tenham and continuing the production of shovels only. In the same year he associated with him as

partners two of his sons. After having passed the proverbial age of threescore years and ten, blessed with prosperity, he withdrew from active participation in mereantile pursuits, leaving the busi- ness to his sons, three of whom, Lynford, Howard and Rush, constitute the present firm, which is known as T. Rowland's Sons. When shovels were first made at Cheltenham it was difficult to find a market for them, owing to the prejudice then existing against Ameriean-made goods as compared with those of English manufacture. At the present time, however, their goods have a world- wide reputation, being exported to South America, Australia and the continent of Europe. This has largely been due to the subject of this sketch, and especially to his enterprise in introducing improved methods of manufacture. Apart from this, Mr. Row- land possessed many sterling qualities of mind and heart. As a citizen his record is worthy of imitation. He held the subject of instruction ever before him, was elected to the school board of Cheltenham in 1836, and made the first successful attempt to educate the children at public expense. The ground upon which the Methodist Episcopal Church stands in the village at Cheltenham was deeded to them for that purpose by him in 1845, and during the whole of its history he was a large contributor to its funds. With a wise forethought, he provided for its maintenance by a liberal legacy. The beautiful home where he lived was purchased in 1833 from Joseph Cresson, of Phil- adelphia. It contained one hundred and eleven aeres. From time to time this acreage was reduced by sales made to parties who built summer residences thereon, some of it being disposed of to his children, whose at- tractive homes adorn the property. A large number of comfortable houses, forming the village of Chelten- ham, were built by Thomas Rowland and also by his employés. To him more than to any man the growth and enterprise of the place is due. At the time of his death, which occurred February 24, 1881, the home- stead contained sixty-three acres, and was purchased the following year by one of his children.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

TIE MEDICAL PROFESSION-PIONEER PRACTI- TIONER-EMINENT PHYSICIANS AND SUR- GEONS-MEDICAL SOCIETY.

To obtain an abstract of what may be known con- cerning the medical profession of Montgomery County we must allow imagination to carry us back to a period when medicine, though advanced in years, was com- paratively young in scientific attainments.

What was known of the healing art among the early settlers was, for the most part, traditional. The vari- ous diseases incident to human-kind were promptly met by the virtues, supposed and otherwise, of the herbs found within the borders of every settlement.

637

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

But these simple remedies, prepared, of necessity, after the most primitive methods, were administered with that confidence in their reputed virtues that the medi- cal man of recent times wouldl desire bestowed upon his most potent, active principle.

With these early settlers the custom prevailed to repair periodically to the physician to be "blooded." This practice, performed in the spring and autumn, was believed to establish immunity from the attacks of diseases to which they might be subject at these intervals, by reason either of natural predisposition or climatie conditions. By way of parenthesis, it may be observed that the physician did not enjoy the ex- clusive privilege of performing this practice then in vogue. The barber was a competitor of no mean reputation; the red and white striped pole, which marks his shop even to the present day, is but the preserved relic of his olden-time advertisement, fash- ioned to represent the blood triekling down the arm of his willing and grateful customer.

In these days also the midwife flourished. She dared to assume the responsibilities of her calling without entertaining the remotest idea that she was trespassing in a field of labor rightfully belonging to the physician. The time had not yet come when this branch of practice was considered of sufficient import- anee to enlist the attention of the general practitioner.

Under these circumstances, therefore, when the housewife, midwife and barber possessed the qualifi- cations necessary to act as adjunct doctors, the ser- vices of the educated physician were seldom brought into requisition. It was only when life was thought to be in imminent danger that he was summoned to the bedside. When we consider that these rare visits often consumed many hours of travel through the dense wilderness, we can, in some measure, appreciate the sympathy and devotion of the early physicians for suffering humanity.

The first regularly-educated physician who set foot within our limits we infer to have been Dr. Griffith Owen. Drs. Thomas Wynne and Griffith Owen ac- companied William Penn to these shores when he settled at Philadelphia, and they are, therefore, re- garded as the pioneers of the medical profession in Pennsylvania, as well as of the county of which we were, prior to 1784, a part.

The bodily infirmities of the settlers failed to ab- sorb the whole time of these gentlemen, since we are informed that Dr. Owen spent much of his time in following the rounds of meetings in the neighboring provinces.

It will be observed that the territory soon to become incorporated as Montgomery County was not destined to remain long without a resident physician. About this time Dr. Thomas Græme established his home upon the site long known as Græme Park.

The Græmes claim deseent from William de Græme, who went to Scotland on invitation of David I., in 1128, and whose descendant in the tenth gener-

ation was one of the Scotch commissioners to treat with England in 1406 and 1411, from whom came, in undoubted succession, the Græmes of Montrose. Dr. Thomas Græme was born in 1688 at Balgowan, the hereditary estate in Perthshire. He came to Pennsylvania in 1717, along with and under the auspices of Colonel William Keith, who had been appointed Deputy Governor of the province. He was by profession a physician, and is supposed to have received his education at the University of Leyden. His practice was small in a society where, as we have seen, men who had been regularly educated in medi- cine, as well as law, were regarded with less favor than those who consulted other dictates than those to be found in books. To compensate this insufficient progress of his protégé, Governor Keith put him at the head of the naval office, much to the disgust of Logan, whose friend Assheton had been removed for this purpose, and who went so far as to intimate that Keith, without considering the question of the merits of Assheton and Græme, had appointed the latter from gratitude to his family for the security which he had enjoyed while hiding at Balgowan after the battle of Sheriff Muir. He was married to Miss Diggs, who was stepdaughter to the Governor, and this relation also enhanced his influence at the seat of power in the provinee.

The Court of Chancery was established through the influence of Governor Keith in 1720. In 1725, Dr.

DR. GRÆEME.

Græme was raised to the Council and became a master in Chancery. Itostile as the Assembly became to the Governor, the latter's subordinates came in for their share of odium and distrust. They complained of the exorbitant fees charged by the master, and even went so far as to accuse him of partiality. Notwith- standing these discouraging things, he was appointed in 1731 justice of the Supreme Court. The St. An- drew's Society, intended originally for the assistance of Scotehmen, was founded in 1749, and Dr. Græme became its first president. He died in 1772.

In the order of settlement within the county limits, the next physican of whom tradition furnishes an ac- count is Dr. Christian Frederick Martin.

638

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

" Patriarch " Christian Frederick Martin, a gradu- ate of the University of Berlin, emigrated to America in company with the patriarch of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rev. H. M. Muhlenberg, D.D., and others in 1742. It could be said of Dr. Martin that he was the progenitor of " a family of doctors." Dr. Martin practiced at the Trappe upwards of thirty years, removing thence to Macungie, Lehigh Co. He left four sons, all physicians. Of the descendants of these four sons, twenty-five have been physicians, nineteen bearing the name of Martin. The majority of the descendants still living reside in Lehigh County. As evidence of the success attained in the practice of his profession, and the fame which was, in conse- quence, stamped upon the name of Martin, the fol- lowing brief sketch of the son and the grandsons may be of interest :

Dr. George Martin, third son of Christian Fred- erick Martin, was born May 4, 1779, in Macungie township, Lehigh Co., Pa. In 1805 he removed to Whitpain township (a short distance below the village of Blue Bell), and commenced the practice of medicine. He removed to Whitemarsh in 1814, where he resided and continued the practice until 1836, having been one of the most successful practi- tioners of the county for thirty-one years. He then removed to Philadelphia, where he continued the practice of his profession until within three or four years of the time of his death, which occurred on De- cember 8, 1862. He was buried in the cemetery of the Union Church of Whitemarsh on December 16, 1862.

There were born to Dr. George Martin three sons, -Frederick A., Charles and John Adam. Dr. Freder- ick A. Martin graduated at the University of Penn- sylvania in 1830. He practiced for a short time in Whitemarsh, and then removed to Coopersburg, Le- high Co., where he resided for some time. He removed from that place to Philadelphia, then to Bethlehem and again to Philadelphia, where he now resides.

Dr. Charles Martin graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1833. He also practiced for some time in Whitemarsh. In after-years he studied di- vinity, and is now a worthy and respected minister in the Lutheran Church. He resides in St. Joseph, Mo.

Dr. John Adam Martin graduated at the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania in 1836. He at once commenced the practice of his profession in Whitemarsh, succeed- ing his father, who at that time removed to Philadel- phia. He continued in active practice until 1849, when he was smitten with the epidemic which raged at that time, viz., the gold fever, which was cured only by a visit to California by way of the "Horn." Returning to Whitemarsh, he resumed his practice, and continued in it until the fall of 1858. Dr. John A. Martin was a very successful practitioner, enjoying the confidence of his patrons in a very remarkable degree. After relinquishing practice in Whitemarsh

he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in Phila- delphia and Montgomery Counties. In the latter years of his life he resided and practiced medicine near Dover, in the State of Delaware. He died March 13, 1872. Ife was buried in the cemetery of the Union Church, Whitemarsh, with full Masonic honors.

In chronological order, our attention is next directed to Dr. Jonathan Potts, a son of John Potts, of Potts- grove. In June, 1771, Dr. Jonathan Potts, with three other young men, was presented with the degree of Doctor, having received the degree of Bachelor of Physics from the university three years before.

At the outbreak of the Revolution he was practicing medicine and also owned a drug-store in Reading, which he disposed of to enter the medical department of Washington's army. He afterwards rose to a high position, becoming director-general of the Northern Department of the army. Ile rendered eminent ser- vices, and was much esteemed by Washington. Many interesting papers written by Dr. Potts, now in possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, bear testimony of his eminence as a physician and his loyalty to the cause of American independence.

Dr. Potts' life stood in strange contrast with that of his brother, John Potts, Jr., who was a Tory. His estate was confiscated in 1779, and he fled to Nova Scotia. It was sold under the Attainder Act of the Continental Congress, and the "Stowe" house and the farm, one-half mile above Pottstown, now owned by Lewis Richards, were purchased by Dr. Jonathan Potts for twenty thousand pounds, Continental money.

A name destined to become famous among those of medical men was Dr. William Potts Dewees, born at Pottsgrove, Pa., May 15, 1768. He graduated at the University in 1789, and entered upon the practice of medicine at Abington. Seeking a wider field for his labors during the prevalence of yellow fever, he re- moved to Philadelphia, where he remained per- manently. He devoted himself especially to the subject of obstetrics, at that time a novel branch of medicine in the United States. It may be said of him that, with Shippen and James, he succeeded by perse- verance in overcoming the prejudice against the right of physicians to practice midwifery, and secured a place for this branch of science in the college curric- ulum. It is claimed that he was the first physician who had ever delivered a full course of lectures upon this subject. By the year 1812 he had amassed a fortune by these lectures. He applied for the pro- fessorship in the university when it was first created, but was defeated by Dr. Shippen. He, however, be- came adjunct professor with Dr. James in 1825, and upon the retirement of the latter, in 1834, was chosen full professor of obstetrics. After holding the chair one year he resigned, in 1835. It is said that the im- portance gained for obstetrics under Dr. James was further enhanced under Dr. Dewees. He died in Philadelphia May 20, 1841, aged seventy-three years. A name still fresh in the memory of our oldest

639

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

citizens is Dr. Isaac Huddleson. His father, Henry Inddleson, was the son of William Huddleson, one of the Quakers from Yorkshire, England, who arrived here shortly after Penn's settlement. Dr. Isaac Hnddleson studied medicine with Dr. Samnel Tor- bnt, of Newtown, Bucks Co., who gave him a very flattering certificate of qualification.

He attended the Pennsylvania Hospital during the year 1792, for which service he received the follow- ing certificate :

" We, the attending managers and physicians of the Pennsylvania Hospital, do certify that Isaac Huddleson, student of medicine, of the County of Bucks, in the State of Pennsylvania, hath studied the prac- tice of the physicians of the said hospital for the season. Signed : Man- agers, William McMurtrie, Samuel Coates ; Physicians, Benjamin Rush, M.D., James Ilutchinson, M.D."

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 145

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