History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 148

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

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In September, 1827, he married Miss Maria, daugh- ter of Enos and Ann Lukens, of Towamencin town- ship, Montgomery Co., Pa. Mrs. Shoemaker was born March 29, 1803, and died July 27, 1870. They were the parents of Ann, born Twelfth Month 29, 1828. She is now (1885) principal of the girls' depart- ment of the Friends' Central School, in Philadelphia, with which she has been connected for the last thirty years. Martha, born Twelfth Month 29, 1829, died Ninth Month 22, 1881. Joseph Parrish, born Janu- ary 15, 1832; killed at battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 13, 1862. Sarah P., born Eleventh Month 13, 1833 ; died Ninth Month 25, 1835. William Gaul, born Fifth Month 13, 1837 ; killed at battle of Antie- tam, Md., Ninth Month 17, 1862.

DR. CHARLES FRONEFIELD was born June 14, 1809, in Evansburg. When young he enjoyed only the benefit of a common-school education, but being of a studious turn of mind. ambitious and persevering, he was sufficiently advanced at an early age to enter upon the study of medicine, which was his chosen profession, and graduated with high honors from the University of Pennsylvania in March, 1829, being then in his twenty-first year. Having worthily ob- tained a diploma, he settled at Harleysville, Lower Salford township. He had in this neighborhood several able competitors of long standing, but hix abilities were soon recognized, which, together with his energy and public spirit, quickly brought him into prominence, and for many years he enjoyed a lucra- tive practice. Dr. Fronefield was preceptor to a large number of students of medicine, among whom may be mentioned Drs. Heist, Sloanaker, Smith, Spare, Royer, Heckel, Hough, Poley, Lambert, Moyer. Isett, Geiger, Scholl and others.

In 1837 he married Rosa Linda Riker, who died in

Fronefield moved to Philadelphia and formed a co- partnership with Dr. Breinig to carry on the drug business, still devoting a portion of his time to the practice of medicine. He sought this change as a relief from the labors of a country practice, and as necessary on account of a bronchial affection. In 1850, four years after the death of his wife, he was married to Wilhelmina C. Scholl.

After leaving the university his first field of oper- ations was his native township, where he practiced for two years. He then removed to Moreland town- ship, this county, where he was in practice eight years ; then removed to Jenkintown, where for thirty years he remained in practice; and from Jenkintown he moved to Norristown, where he remained but a year or two, and then moved to Philadelphia, where Dr. Fronefield was a man of great firmness and decision of character, fixed and decided in his convic- he remained four years, when he again changed his residence, this time to Chelton Hills, where, in 1870, tions on all matters of duty, though at the same time always liberal and progressive in his views. His dis- position was social and genial towards all with whom he came in contact. He was a kind husband and father, a devoted friend and a benefactor to the unfor- tunate. Many instances could be related of his kind- ness of heart and attention to the suffering poor, where duty had called him, giving freely of his time and

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

means to relieve their sickness and destitution. His life was a busy and active one, constantly employed in what seemed present duties. He had a highly- | cultivated mind, and was a writer of no mean order. He was a frequent contributor of both poetic and prose compositions to the Norristown Herald and Free Press and other periodicals, all his writings having that peculiar freshness, vigor and love of freedom which characterize "live men." He was a prominent Odd- Fellow and Freemason, and greatly respected in both those orders. His death, which resulted from typhoid fever, occurred August 6, 1865, when he was fifty-six years old. "He was not ashamed, if it should be God's will, to live; and he was not afraid, if God should so order, to die." There were many flattering tributes paid to his memory at the time of his death.

"E. W. H.," in an obituary notice of him in the Philadelphia Ledger of August 10, 1865, says:

"Ile was a man cast in Nature's finest monld, his very countenance beaming with kindness. He was a good neighbor, an upright citizen. an ardent patriot, a sincere friend, a lover of the Bible and a believer in the doctrinee of Jesus. In hie honorable profession, the thousands whom hie skill and proficiency have benefited bear testimony that by diligent study and investigation, and from the ample store-house of his own extensive field of observation, he had made himself deservedly eminent. IIe was withal modest and unobtrusive, always deeming others better than himself. Ile led a 'quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty,' was generous to a fault, Borrowed with the sorrowing, rejoiced with tho rejoicing. Ile was, in the word's best and truest sense, a gen- tleman, not a courtier with artificial mien, hut gentle and manly, the enemy of nothing on earth save of wrong and wrong-doing. and the friend always of all that was noble and right and just and true. Other forms and facee and words and deeds may fade from our memory, but the recollection of the virtnes and excellencies of Dr. Charles Fronefield, the " beloved physician,' will remain fresh and green whilst life endures."

DR. HENRY DE WITT PAWLING, son of Levi Pawling, at one time a lawyer of considerable dis- tinction in Norristown, was born in the year 1810. ; in Virginia. The latter married Sarah Hamer, whose He studied medicine, graduated in 1831 at the Uni- children were John, David, Martha, Elizabeth, Hannah and Mary. John Schrack, born in Montgomery County versity of Pennsylvania, and soon after entered upon the frigate "Potomac," as assistant surgeon in the in 1781, married Mary Elizabeth Norris, granddaugh- United States navy, serving three or four years on a cruise in the waters of South America. Upon retiring from the United States service, in 1834, he was the recipient of a very appropriate testimonial,- a set of surgical instruments. The report of the event, as found in the Norristown Register of August 13, 1834, says, ---

" There are seven cases, besides several attached instruments, and judging from the number of and various forms of the articles, we should suppose that the set included everything of the kind a surgeon could wish. The cases are made of rose-wood, beantifully finished, each bear- ing a silver plate with the following inscription :

" ' Presented to DR. HIENAY DE WITT P'AWLING, Assistant Surgeon U. S. Navy, by the crew of the (". S. Frigate " Potomac," as a testimonial of their esteem.'"

The Pennsylvanian, in noticing Dr. Pawling's retire- ment from the public service says,-

" We learn that Dr. l'awling has settled in Upper Merion, a few miles from this city, with a view to the practice of his profession. If he holds ou as he has begun, and if his riper years do not belie the promise of his

spring, he may expect to reap a rich harvest, not only of pecuniary profit, but of those sentimente of love and gratitude and eatire confidence so peculiarly the reward of the ' good physician.'"

Returning home, Dr. Pawling located at King of Prussia, where he has been engaged in a very exten- sive practice over parts of three or four counties since 1835 or 1836. He married Anna B., daughter of Levi Bull, of Chester County. His two sons, Nathan and Harry, studied medicine with their father, and for a time assisted him in his profession. In 1871, Ilarry opened an office in Norristown, and by the time of his death, which occurred in 1882, he had secured a large practice. His brother Nathan, who remained to assist his father, was accidentally killed in 1872.

Dr. Pawling, though now in his seventy-fifth year, is still actively engaged in practice, and during the fifty years of his professional career many hundreds of patients have and still continue to bear testimony to his skill and ability as a physician.

Among other prominent physicians who practiced cotemporaneously with those whose lives have been briefly noticed in the foregoing sketches may he men- tioned Drs. William Harris, Charles Bolton, Jonathan Clarke, Henry Geiger, Morris McClennaghan, William McEwen, Washington G. Nugent, Mark G. Kerr, Henry Tyson, Andrew Wille, and George Wimley.1

JOHN SCHRACK, M.D., is doubtless a descendant of Jacob Schrack, who arrived in this country from Germany in 1717, settled upon two hundred and fifty acres of land at the Trappe, in Montgomery County, and died in 1742, aged sixty-three years. He left a son, David, who resided during his life in the above vicinity, with the exception of a brief interval spent

ter of Isaac Norris and daughter of Charles Norris, of the family who settled Norristown. Their children were, respectively, Eunice (wife of Col. Augustus W. Shearer), David, Charles Norris and John. The last- named son was born December 8, 1821, and passed his boyhood at "Norris Hall," in Norriton.2 The subject of this sketch received meanwhile a substan- tial English education, after which, in 1839, he began the study of medicine under Dr. Benjamin Johnson, of Norristown. He entered the Jefferson Medical College and graduated from that institution in 1842, his thesis, which won high commendation from the

1 The writer here tenders his thanks to Dr. Iliram Corson for nseful information furnished by him ; also makee acknowledgments to Mr. Moses Auge for the use of his work, " Biographies of Men of Montgom- ery County."

2 The old mansion, long koowo as " Norris HIall," occupies the bean- tiful site on the west side of the Schuylkill River, above Norristown, and is a part of a large tract of land originally called the Norris manor, which once comprised the whole of Norriton township, and came by direct conveyance from William Penn to his son, William Penn, Jr., in October, 1704. In 1712 Isaac Norris purchased the entire property.

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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

faculty, being on " Vaccination." Dr. Schrack at once began practice in Norriton township, making Norris Hall his residence until 1875, when he removed to his present home, at Melrose, in Lower Providence township, which he purchased in 1852. His practice, which has extended over a lengthy period, was both large and successful, having been in later years di- vided with his nephew, David Schraek, since deceased. Dr. Schrack was, iu 1847, commissioned by Governor Shunk surgeon of the Second Pennsylvania Militia, which position he filled for several years. He is a member of the State Medical Society, as also of the National Medical Society, and was among the first to

the Royer family very little is positively known. It is reputed, however, to be of German origin, though tradition warrants the belief that its ancestors were French, driven into Germany as Protestants fleeing from persecutions which existed in their own country in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and especially during the reign of Charles IX. and the vicious and demoralizing policy of his queen-mother, Catharine de Medici.

Sebastian Royer (originally spelled Reyer) emigrated about 1718 with four sons, as it would appear, to the then province of Pennsylvania. The two elder settled on the Schuylkill, at or near Royer's Ford.

To Schrale. 1.2.

suggest and organize a county society, before which he has read valuable papers, notably one on " Puer- peral Fever." He was active in filling the quota as- signed to Norriton during the late war, and president of the club organized for that purpose. His services were freely given to the sick and wounded after the battle of Gettysburg, where his attentions at that time were, together with those of others of his professional brethren, invaluable. Dr. Schrack is a Presbyterian in his religious faith and a wor- shiper with the church of that denomination at Port Kennedy.

The next in descent was John Royer, grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch, who married Anna Catharine Apfel, to whom were born nine chil- dren. Among them was Judge Joseph Royer, whose birth occurred in February, 1784, two miles west of Trappe, in Providence township, in the then county of Philadelphia. He married, in 1818, Elizabeth, danghter of David and Mary Catharine Dewees. Their children are, Francis, J. Warren, Lewis, J. Dewees, C. John, Horace, Henry and Josephine (wife of M. L. Kohler, Esq., of Philadelphia).

Judge Royer was a man of broad intellect, earnest

J. WARREN ROYER, M.D .- Of the genealogy of purpose and of superior social endowments. Though

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

emphatically a self-made man, with limited scholastic attainments, he was an intelligent reader, possessed a retentive memory and conversed fluently on various subjects. His ability and high character caused him to be the recipient of many important offices of public trust. He was, as a Democrat, in 1821 and 1822, elected to represent Montgomery County in the lower branch of the State Legislature, and declined a third term. He was, in 1837, appointed by Governor Ritner associate judge of the county, a position unsolicited by him, which was filled with honor to himself and to the entire satisfaction of his associates and the bar.

came widely extended, and was to a remarkable degree successful. He has been for several years physician to the Montgomery County almshouse. He is a member of the Montgomery County Medical Society, though the onerous demands of his profession leave little time for frequent attendance or participation at its various discussions. He wields a ready pen, and has written more or less extensively on profes- sional and other topics. The doctor's political prin- ciples are those of the Republican party. While interested in the public issues of the day, he does not participate actively in the work of the party.

J. Starren Royer M2

His son, J. Warren Royer, M.D., was born July 21, He is identified with the Reformed Church at Trappe, 1820, in Trappe, where his early youth was spent in with which congregation he worships. Dr. Royer was, preparation for college, part of the time under a in 1863, married to Anna, daughter of Henry Herbert, private tutor. He then entered Lafayette College, at | of Frankford, Philadelphia Co., and has children,- Easton, Pa., from which, after a four years' course, he became a member of the senior class at Princeton College, Princeton, N. J., and graduated in 1842. He JOHN G. HILLEGASS, M.D .- The Hillegass family are undoubtedly of French origin, and early emigrated to the Palatinate, from whence two brothers, John Frederick and Michael, came to America in 1726. From these brothers are descended all who bear the name in the United States. Michael attained dis- May, Ralph, Carl, Joseph Warren, Jessie and Henry lIerhert. soon after began the study of medicine, and entering the Medical Department of the University of Pennsyl- , vania, received his diploma from that institution in 1845. Dr. Royer at once made Trappe the scene of his professional labors, where he has since remained. His practice, necessarily of a general character, be- ! tinction as treasurer for the government during the

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THIE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

colonial period, and held other positions of influence. Trappe. Deciding upon medicine as a profession, he He was largely identified with business interests, entered the office of Dr. Joel Y. Schelly, of Hereford, Berks Co., Pa., and remained three years under his preceptorship, graduating from the Medical Depart- ment of the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadel- phia, in 1849. The doctor at once returned to the homestead in Upper Hanover, and began his profes- sional labors, which have been unceasing from that day until the present. His practice grew rapidly in extent, his skill as a diagnostician and surgeon, the result of careful study and wide experience, making his services in demand in his own and adjacent town-

having been one of the original founders of the Lehigh Coal-Mine Company, which company was the owner of six thousand acres of valuable land now the prop- erty of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. John Frederick is buried in the cemetery of the Re- formed Church of New Goschenhoppen, and Michael in the First Reformed Church burial-ground at Frank- lin Square, Pa. From John Frederick in the direct line of descent is John Hillegass, grandfather of Dr. John G. Hillegass, who resided upon the property now owned by the latter on the Perkiomen stream, in ships. Desiring, after a lengthened period of labor,

Johne Hillegers

Upper Hanover township, which was doubtless in earlier days an Indian camping-ground. He married Catherine Hillegass, whose children were Jacob, Peter, John and two daughters. Peter, whose birth occurred on the homestead, married Mary, daughter of Jacob Gery a Revolutionary soldier, and had children,- John G., Jacob (who died in youth) E. Matilda (wife of [Dr. James G. Mensch) and Maria C., (married to Dr. Henry Bobb). John G. Hillegass was born on the 26th of October, 1828, at the family home, situated in an elbow of the Perkiomen stream, and received his earliest advantages of education at the common schools after which he became a pupil of Washington Hall, at

to withdraw from all but a consultation practice, he, in 1870 established at Pennsburg a hardware store, and in 1876 embarked still further in mercantile pur- suits by erecting a warehouse for the sale of coal, lumber and feed. These enterprises engage at present much of his time and attention. Dr. Hillegass mar- ried, in 1852, Catherine, daughter of Jesse Ziegler, of Salford Station, Upper Salford township. Their children are Eugene (of Philadelphia) John P. (a student in the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania), Jesse Z., Charles Q., Howard C., Calvin M., Ida (wife of Dr. J. G. Hersh, of Hereford, Berks Co.), Kate O. (Mrs. Oliver J. Moll, of Philadel-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

phia), Ellie M. and Mary O. Dr. Hillegass is a member of the board of directors of the Perkiomen National Bank, of East Greenville. His political con- victions are in harmony with the principles of the Democracy, and though formerly active in the work of the party, he has held no office other than that of school director. He is a member of the New Gos- chenhoppen Reformed Church, near East Greenville, as is also his wife.

JOHN K. REID, M.D., is of Scotch extraction, his father, Andrew Reid, who was a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, having emigrated to the province of New Brunswick, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits |

Alison Academy, at Sackville, and subsequently en- gaging in teaching and in other active pursuits. During the year 1846 he became a resident of Glas- gow, Scotland, and choosing medicine as a congenial profession entered the Andersonian University of Medicine were his studies were continued until 1849, the year of his return to New Brunswick and em- barkation soon after for the United States. On his arrival in Philadelphia Dr. Reid at once attended the. course of lectures at the Pennsylvania Medical Col- lege, from which he graduated in 1850. The following year he returned to Dorchester, New Brunswick, and established himself as a practitioner. His steps were,

and resided until his death. He married Margaret Keillor, daughter of John Keillor and Elizabethi Weldon, who were the parents of eight children. John Keillor, who was of English descent, emigrated to the province of New Brunswick during the latter part of the eighteenth century and prior to the war of the American Revolution. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Reid were a daughter, Elizabeth, who be- came the wife of William K. Chapman of Dorchester, New Brunswick. and John K., the subject of this biographical sketch. The latter was born on the 8th of June, 1824, in Dorchester, above mentioned, where he resided until 1846, meanwhile attending the Mount

however, speedily again turned to the United States, Conshohocken, in November, 1851, becoming his residence and the scene of an extensive and success- ful practice. His labors were so arduous as to require an assistant in 1870, when Dr. D. R. Beaver became associated with him and later was made a partner. Dr. Reid's health, requiring, in 1876, a cessation from the severe exertion incident to so wide a field, he temporarily retired from practice. In 1877 profes- sional labor was resumed, though with the purpose of rendering it subordinate to the more important con- sideration of health. The doctor is a member of the Montgomery County Medical Society, of the

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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

Pennsylvania State Medical Society, and of the

American Medical Association, to which he was a delegate from Montgomery County in 1884. He is a Republican in politics, but has invariably de- clined all proffers of offices from his party. He was educated in the faith of the I'rotestant Episcopal Church and for twenty years officiated as warden of Calvary Church, in Conshohocken. Dr. Reid was married, in 1856, to Narina, daughter of Samuel and Margaret Milnor, of Burlington, N. J. Their sur- viving children are Charles, Margaret and William.

LOUIS W. READ, M.D., is a grandson of William and Susan Read, who resided in Delaware County, as did their ancestors before them. His parents were Thomas Read and Sarah, daughter of Joseph Corson of Montgomery County. The children of the latter were three daughters-Sarah, Hannah and Mary-and three sons-Louis W., Joseph C. and Alan W.,-the eldest of whom, Louis W., was born in Plymouth, Montgomery Co., on the 5th of July, 1828. His early years were chiefly spent at Read's Mill, in Upper Merion township, Montgomery Co., his rudi- mentary education having been obtained at the com- mon schools of the locality, after which he pursued a course of study under the Rev. Samuel Aaron, at Treemount Seminary. At an early age he began the study of medicine with his uncle, Dr. William Corson of Norristown, and graduated from the Medical De- partment of the University of Pennsylvania in 1849. Dr. Read during the Crimean war entered the Rus- sian service in 1855 as surgeon, and remained dur- ing the war, participating in the terrible siege of Sebastopol. At the conclusion of the conflict he spent six months in the hospitals of Paris with a view to completing his medical education. In the autumn of 1857 he began practice in Norristown, his large experience and skill in critical cases of surgery, speedily winning a leading rank in the pro- fession. During the beginning of the war of the Re- bellion Dr. Read, although in possession of a lucrative field of labor, in 1861 offered his services and expe- rience to the government, and in May of that year was appointed surgeon of the First Pennsylvania Re- serves. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of surgeon of United States Volunteers, and assigned to the medical directorship of the Pennsylvana Reserve Corps, Third Division, Fifth Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, which position he filled until November, 1864, when he was relieved of duty in the field and placed in charge of McKimm United States General Hospital, at Baltimore. He continued thus engaged until after the return of peace, in March, 1866, when the institution was closed, and the officials mustered out of service. It may be related that during this period he was doubtless instrumental in saving the life of General Hancock, who, after receiving a severe wound, returned for a brief visit to his father's home in Norristown. The wound had been repeatedly probed for the ball, to no purpose, when Dr. Read, who

was enjoying a short leave of absence, called upon the general, and volunteered a search for the bullet, which had thus far not been found. By considering the attitude of General Hancock when wounded, and probing in the proper direction, the ball was at once removed, and the general rapidly recovered. In April, 1866, after an absence of nearly five years, Dr. Read returned to Norristown and resumed his pro- fessional labors, with experience still more enlarged by his extended tour in the field and hospitals of the nation. He has since that date been devoted to a large and laborious practice, which leaves little leisure for other pursuits. Dr. Read has been the incumbent of various honorable positions in connection with the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was commis- sioned major and aid-de-camp of the Second Division on the 2nd of September, 1870, and surgeon-in-chief of the same division October 4, 1870. He was made brig- adier-general and surgeon-general May 15, 1874, and reappointed April 26, 1876. He was again com- missioned to the office March 12, 1879, and at present holds the same rank on the staff of Governor Pattison, his commission bearing date February 28, 1883. Dr. Read was, in 1858, married to Georgine, daughter of Alford Hurst, of Norristown. Their children are,- a daughter, Nina Borreiche, and a son, Alfred Hurst.

MARGARET PHILLIPS RICHARDSON, M.D., is de- scended from Welsh stock, her paternal grandfather, David Phillips, having resided in Radnor township, Delaware Co., where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He married Margaret Thomas, of the same township, whose children were four sons-George, John, David and Thomas-and two daughters,- Ann (Mrs. Samuel Caley) and Margaret (Mrs. Griffith Weatherby). John, a native of Radnor, began his career as a farmer in that township, and, later, pur- chased a valuable property in Juniata County, where he remained until his decease. He married Barbara Colflesh, whose children were David, Ann (Mrs. William Webster), Margaret, Eliza (Mrs. Joseph Thompson), Clementine (Mrs. Mathias Benner), Cu- riah (Mrs. Leonard T. Riley), and Hannah (Mrs. L. J. Riley). Margaret was born in Radnor township, Delaware Co., where her youth was devoted to ac- quiring an education such as the paid schools of the day afforded. She was, on the 12th of September, 1839, married to Abraham, a son of Abraham and Mary Richardson, of Radnor. Their only son, John Phillips, studied medicine under her direction, and graduated from the Medical Department of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, after which he began the practice of his profession in Norristown. He entered the army as surgeon and served with credit until the close of the conflict, when Philadelphia became his residence. Dr. Richardson, on the death of her hus- band, August 6, 1841, remained in Juniata County, and soon after, for two years, engaged in travel, which aided materially in restoring her impaired health. At this time, many fatal cases of illness coming under

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 148

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