History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 156

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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Here he has since continued the pursuits of a farmer. Mr. Blake was, in the fall of 1839, married to Elmina, daughter of William H. and Martha Ball. Their only child was Martha Jane, who died in her third year. He was a second time married, in 1854, to Hannah, daughter of Samuel Deaves, of Philadel- phia. Mr. Blake has been for three years a director of the Union Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Montgomery County. He is a Republican in politics,

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

but not active beyond the casting of his ballot. He is in religion a Friend, and worships with the Abing- ton Meeting.

JOSEPH KIRK.

John Kirk, the progenitor of the family in America, came from Alfredtown, Derbyshire, Eng- land, in 1687, and settled in Darby (now Upper

township. He married Sarah, daughter of Rynear Tyson, to whom were born eight children. John Kirk was by trade a mason, and in 1722 did the mason-work for Sir William Keith, then Governor of Pennsylvania, on what was later known as the Græme Park mansion, now in possession of Abel Penrose, of Horsham township, in Montgomery County. Jacob Kirk, the son of John and Sarah Kirk, who was born in 1735, survived until his ninety- third year, and died in the same house in which he

Joseph Heirk

Darby), Delaware Co., Pa. He was married in Darby Meeting, the following year, to Joan, daughter of Peter Elliot, to whom were born ten children. John, their second son, whose birth ocenrred January 29, 1692, purchased, in 1712, of John and Sarah Ironmonger, two hundred acres in Abington town- ship, adjoining the Upper Dublin line, for which he paid one hundred and sixty pounds, and subsequently added to this tract by a second purchase of five hun- dred acres adjoining, but situated in Upper Dublin

was born. He was married, in 1760, to Elizabeth, daughter of John Cleaver, of Bristol township, Phil- adelphia Co. Their son Jacob, born the 23d of Sep- tember, 1769, married Rebecca, daughter of Charles and Phebe Iredell, in 1792, and located on part of the original purchase of two hundred acres. Of their eleven children, the survivors are Charles Kirk, of Warminster township, Bucks Co., still active and enterprising in his eighty-fourth year; Phebe Paxson, I widow of Joseph Paxson, of the vicinity of Stanton,

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Del., in her ninety-second year ; and Abram Kirk, of and worship with the Abington Meeting. D. Jarrett Upper Dublin, in his seventy-fifth year. The latter, Kirk, brother of Joseph Kirk, married Cornelia, born March 5, 1810, married Caroline, daughter of daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Kenderdine. Their Levi and Mary Jarrett, on the 27th of December, children are two sons, Benjamin K. and Joseph. 1838. Of their five children, Joseph, the eldest son, was born on the 13th of December, 1839, in Upper JOHN SMITH. Dublin township, where he resided until thirty years William Smith, the progenitor of the branch of the Smith family represented by the subject 'of this biography, came, in 1684, from Yorkshire, England, and settled in Wrightstown, Bucks Co. of age, becoming a pupil first of the public school and later of schools in Hatboro' and Norristown. On the completion of his studies he returned to the farm and assisted in its cultivation until his | He married, on the 20th of the Ninth Month, marriage, on the 10th of March, 1870, to Miss . 1690, Mary Croasdale, and had among his children a

John Smith

Lydia, daughter of the late Renben and Elizabeth son, William Smith, who was united in marriage to Rebecca Wilson. Their son Thomas married Sarah Townsend, whose son William, representing the fourth generation, married Sarah Buckman. Among the sons of the latter was John Smith, born in 1803, who, after spending his early years upon the farm, learned the trade of blacksmith, which he prosecuted in Abington, to which township he removed for the purpose. Here he met and married Agnes Hallowell, daughter of Caleb Hallowell, their children being Williams, of Abington township. Mr. Kirk soon after rented a farm near Weldon, Abington township, and for thirteen years engaged in the employments of a farmer. At the expiration of this time he removed to Weldon, having purchased a residence, and made the latter place his home. A Republican in politics, he is not active in the political field nor ambitious for office. He is a member of the Weldon Building and Loan Association. Mr. Kirk and his wife are both members by birthright of the Society of Friends, I Caleb HI., married to Snsan V. Hallowell; Franklin,

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

whose wife was Caroline E. Kinsey ; Hutchinson, married to M. Elizabeth Comly ; Mary; and Anna. Mr. Smith, on his marriage, settled at Huntington Valley, Moreland township, where he for years carried on his trade. He was for an extended period justice of the peace of his township, and elected county com- missioner for the unexpired term of Samnel Shoe- maker. On retiring from this office he embarked in the real estate business. His excellent judgment and thorough familiarity with property and its value in Montgomery and Bucks Counties, and also in the city of Philadelphia, enabled him to establish a lucra-

liam Penn from England to America in 1682, and . settled in Bucks County, Pa., where he conducted a successful business as a blacksmith. Among his children was Thomas, who succeeded to his father's trade, and located in Newtown, Bucks Co. His children were Thomas, Jesse, Phebe (Mrs. Kelly), and Hannah (Mrs. Leedom). Thomas and Jesse both followed the blacksmith's trade, the former having married Mary, daughter of Abram and Rachel Hard- ing, of Bucks County, whose children were Abram, Priscilla (Mrs. Jacob Twining), Rachel (Mrs. Chillian Cooper), Hannah (deceased), Harding (deceased),

Thos Buckman Sv

tive business, which he managed with great success until his death. He was president of the Indepen- dent Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Philadel- phia, and identified with the leading projects in his township and county. Mr. Smith was a Friend by birthright, and worshiped with the Abington Meet- ing. His death oceurred in July, 1867, in his sixty- fifth year.

THOMAS BUCKMAN.

Thomas Buckman, the great-grandfather of the subjeet of this biographical sketch, accompanied Wil-

Mary (Mrs. William Bailey), Phebe (Mrs. John Jones), Thomas, Sarah Ann (Mrs. John Jones), Wil- liam and Benjamin. Thomas was born on the 11th of December, 1802, in Falls township, Bucks Co., and after a period of early youth spent at home, be- came a member of the family of his brother Harding. Moreland township, in the same county, next beeame his home, where, for three years, he rented and culti- vated a farm, moving, at the expiration of that time to Abington, upon a farm situated in the vicinity of Jenkintown. Mr. Buckman continued his vocation as a farmer in various portions of the connty until an

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP.

703

advantageous opportunity occurred to engage in lime-burning, to which he gave his attention for six years, after which he purchased a farm in Delaware. Three years later he became a resident of Cheltenham township, and the owner of land on which he resided for eight years. In 1851 his present home was pur- chased, to which he removed the following year, having since been assiduous in his labors as a farmer. Mr. Buckman was married in 1828 to Anne, daughter of Clement and Rebecca Comly, and has children,-

reference to the offices dispensed by the party. He is a Friend by birthright, and worships with the Abington Meeting.

ANDREW J. RICE.

Mr. Rice is of German descent, his great-grand- father, Daniel, having been a resident of Frankford, Pa., where he was a miller prior to the Revolution-

After

Amos, Alfred, Mary (Mrs Charles Harper), Jacob, William, Thomas and Joseph. Mrs. Buckman died in 1861, and he was again married, in 1864, to Mary Ann, daughter of Thomas Brooke, who served in the war of 1812, and granddaughter of Major William Brooke, a soldier of the war of the Revolution. Their children are Linford and Jesse. Mrs. Buek- man's mother died in November, 1883, in her ninety- first year. Mr. Buckman has no political aspirations, and is content to vote the Republican ticket without

ary war. His sons were Daniel, Peter and another not mentioned. Daniel resided near Philadelphia, and fol- lowed his trade as a journeyman miller, having married a Miss Dungen, to whom were born children, -Daniel, George, Isaac, Phebe and Elizabeth. Daniel of this number, whose birth occurred in 1816, at Germantown, early removed to Montgomery County where he purchased the mill property now operated by his son, the subject of this biographical sketch. He married Sarah Weiss, of Holmesburg, Pa., and

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

had children,-Phehe, Cornelia, Caroline, deceased; Sarah, deceased; Mary, deceased; Susannah, de- ceased ; and Andrew J.

The latter was born on the 28th of April, 1851, at Fentonville, now a part of Philadelphia, and aecom- panied his father on his removal to Abington town- ship. Here his youth was spent, his education having been received first at the public school of the neigh- borhood and later at Jenkintown, after which he entered the mill as an apprentice to the miller's trade. He finally resumed its management and conducted the business until his father's death, on the 30th of October, 1880, when the property eame by inheritance to the surving children, Andrew J. still continuing to act in the capacity of manager of the mill. This mill is one of the oldest in the State, and a dis- tinguished landmark in the county, having heen operated long prior to the Revolutionary war. Mr. Rice, in 1883, remodeled it, introducing the roller process and otherwise adding to its advantages. An- drew J. Rice, was, in 1874, married to Mary, daughter of John Brooks, of Chester County, Pa. Their chil- dren are a son Charles Harvey, and a daughter Loretta Washburn. Mr. Rice is in politics a Democrat, as were also his ancestors, but does not participate in the active campaign work of the party. He is a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 400, of Free and Ac- cepted Masons, of Jenkintown, and of Peace and Love Lodge, No. 337, of I. O. O. F., also of Jenkintown. In religion he inelines to the New Church doctrines, though not identified by membership with any chureh.

ABNER BRADFIELD.1

The ancestry of Abner Bradfield sprang from an old English family, and came from England to this eoun- try early in the eighteenth century, and, from best information that can be gathered, at this time, settled in Bucks County, Pa., but who the pioneer was in engrafting the stock in the New World is not known to the writer. The records of Buckingham Friends' Meeting, Bucks County, furnish the best starting-point. The meeting was established as a meeting of worship in the year 1700, and as a meeting of business in 1720. By the records of this meeting it appears that one William Bradfield married Hannah Pennington, and that they had eleven children, whose births are registered, being the birth of Abner, the eldest, registered as on the 21st of the Ninth Month, 1748. There is a further registry of the marriages of five of the children, that of Abner not being among them. Abner violated the rules of the meeting in that respect, for which offense he was disowned, this being the penalty at that time among Friends for so grave an offense. He married Phobe Cadwalader, the date of which marriage is not now known. Some time after his marriage he built the old log house still standing

in Edge Hill village, Cheltenham township, into which he moved. He only lived there a short time. He moved into another house in the village, after- wards used as a store, and which was for a long time the only store in the village. He afterwards pur- chased the Dotts property, on the south side of Edge ITill, fronting on the Susquehanna Street road, in Abington township, and removed thereto and con- tinued to reside there up to the time of his death, in about the year 1810. He had several children, of whom William was next in line. William was mar- ried to Martha Minor, August 15, 1799, and moved into a house then owned by his father, on the Jenkin- town road, near Weklon, in the township of Abington. It was in this house that Abner, the subject of our history, was born, on the 18th day of May, 1802. The house was afterwards burned down, and the one now standing there was built upon the same site. The property has lately passed into the possession of Xanthus Smith, artist, he having purchased it from the heirs of John Martin, deceased. Besides Abner, William had two other children, William and Esther. The latter died in her infancy. William, the father, moved to Bucks County while Abner was yet but an infant. He did not reside there long, for his father (Abner the elder) having willed him the homestead in Abington township, before mentioned, he moved thereto after his father's death, in 1810, when Abner was eight years of age; and from this time, and from this early age, the active life of the present Abner may be dated and considered to have been entered upon. William, his father, was a man of a social and kindly disposition, lacking, however, that force and energy which is said to have charac- terized his father, Abner the elder, and of whom it is said by those who knew him that his grandson, Abner, was a true seion. William could easily be influenced to make bargains he would afterwards regret, and the difficulties entailed would sometimes strain his energies ; but fortunately the wife and mother, with the aid of her son at this time, was equal to the occasion. At this tender age of eight years Abner commenced to accompany his mother to the Philadel- phia markets, which he afterwards attended regularly, at the age of twelve years commencing to go alone. Many incidents are related of his courage and deter- mination, as also of his discretion while yet a youth.

Abner, shortly after becoming of age, on the 26th day of August, 1823, married Sarah Ann, daughter of Enoch and Elizabeth Thomas; he took eharge of the homestead, his parents making their home with him, and resided there some eight or nine years, during which time his father and mother both died. After the parents' deaths, Abner and his brother Wil- liam, who were the only heirs, agreed upon an amica- ble division of the property, consisting of the home- stead, containing fifty-four acres, and a small place, containing about seventeen acres, fronting on the northwesterly side of the Willow Grove and German-

1 By Thomas Bradfield, Attorney-at-Law, Philadelphia.

Abner Bradfield

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town plank road, north of Weldon, now owned by Russel Smith, the artist, and Xanthus, his son. They agreed upon three thousand dollars as the value of the farm, and eleven hundred and fifty dollars as the value of the lot. Abner gave William the first choice, and he took the homestead, which left the lot to Abner. There was no administration (their father having died intestate) or law proceedings whatever, excepting the necessary deeds; Abner deeding his interest in the homestead to William, and William his interest in the lot to Abner, and paying him such sum as they had agreed upon in equalizing values. Abner re- moved to the lot in the spring of 1832, and in the fall of the same year bought the farm on the north side of Edge Hill, fronting on the Susquehanna Street road, and shortly moved in and took possession, though he did not get his deed until April, 1833. He continued to reside there until the time of his death, June 14, 1875. The farm passed to his three surviving sons,-Jon- athan, Thomas and Joseph,-under provisions con- tained in his will. He and his wife lived together nearly fifty-two years, she, the wife, being still living. Whatever knowledge he possessed may be said to have been self-acquired. In his youthful days the ad- vantages for obtaining an education in the country among persons of moderate means, who were strug- gling to raise a family, were very limited, and, as has already been shown, he had very few opportunities of enjoying what there were, he, at the early age of eight years, having been forced to the front as a bread- winner and supporter of the home. The amount of his schooling, as he has often related, was seventeen

He was a farmer by occupation; carly iu life he burned lime to a limited extent, and furnished and personally hauled the lime to build the stone posts, many of which are still standing, on the farm known as the "Stone Post Farm," on the Holmesburg turnpike days one winter and nineteen another, the last being | helow Holmesburg, in the Twenty-third Ward of the when he was about sixteen years of age. Yet he city of Philadelphia ; he burned the last kiln of lime he ever burnt in the spring of 1840, and that for the purpose of furnishing lime to build a barn on his farm, which he did. could, in a short time, by natural and correct mathe- matical deductions, find the area of almost any-shaped piece of land from the line with his head alone. Ile was ready and quick at matters of interest and figures Ile had no faith in making money hastily, his motto being that a dollar earned by honest industry was worth ten made by speculation ; small gains hon- estly made would leave the surest results in time. He could never be induced to touch any of the specula- tions that sprung up in his day, such as morus multi- caulus, coal, oil, ete; none of the exciting reports of fortunes made in them had any weight with him nor turned him for one moment from his steady business pursuits, as he would say great gains to the few meant much loss to the many. generally. He was a reading man and kept himself informed in what was going on. Ile took a great inter- est in matters affecting his neighborhood, was a close observer and would retain thoroughly in his mind or memory whatever came under his observation, or in which he took a part or had an interest, ever after- wards. . His memory was wonderful in all money transactions. They seemed to be photographed upon his mind as they would be written upon a day-book and ledger. All matters as to the measurement of lands and land-marks had an attraction for him, and he could locate the place of land-marks many years after they were made, and long after their immediate evidence had been obliterated.

He took a great interest in education, and after the adoption of the free-school law was a school director for many years. The office was often pressed upon him; when, however, he accepted the trust, he per- formed his duties with all his ability. No business matters of merely personal interest would keep him from meeting the board of directors and visiting com-

mittees on which he was appointed. It was so with him in every position he was called to fill. He was many years one of the directors of the Willow Grove and Germantown Plank-Road Company, of which he was one of the original charter members and took a very great interest in trying to make it a success.

Ile was frequently called upon as an arbitrator in disputes between individuals and very generally the finding would be satisfactory to both parties ; they would have so much confidence in his ability to find the truth aud see the justice of the matter that they would accept the result without further question.

He was a man of a social turn, and liked to chat with his friends and neighbors. It made no difference to him as to the financial or family standing of a man, it was enough for him if a man properly conducted himself. It mattered not whether he was a common laborer or the landed proprietor, he could always spend a few minutes to chat with them. Strangers happening in at meal-time, black or white, if they were sufficiently decent in appearance to admit of it, were invited to partake of the meal, always seat- ing them beside himself.

Whatever he undertook he first made up his mind as to its utility and feasibility ; he would then under- take it and accomplish it. Whatever he did, he did thoroughly and in season.

His idea of honesty and truth was not to be honest and truthful because it was the best policy, but be- cause it was the right thing to do and to be. He could not have two faces ; he was the same at all times and to all men ; he would not profess what he conld not or would not carry ont.

He was a man that took little pride in dress ; in fact he was almost indifferent in that particular ; bnt he took considerable pride in horses, and enjoyed driving a horse that could move without whip or spur and that could move the dust.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

He seemed to have no desire for travel or secing other countries or places ; the real, living world to him was in his own immediate family. He loved his home, and when away on business, when the business was done, hastened to return. He had eleven children, all of whom could not exhaust his boundless love ; he always assisted in the care and nursing of the young children; in siekness he never seemed to tire in watch - ing and caring for them ; in health they were his so- cial companions ; he counseled with them on almost every matter. Even when yet of tender years he could handle and care for a child or for the sick as tenderly as a mother.

He had a great veneration for his mother. He would often speak of her counsels to him in youth and all the way up to manhood; they were all good, they were all wise, they were all tempered by love, they became more plain, more vivid to him as he advaneed in life ; in a word, her advice was the living counsel and guide of his whole life. She has been spoken of by others, who remember her as a woman, though of delicate constitution, possessed of great kindness, always ready to lend a helping hand ; yet, with all, having great firmness and decision of character.

In politics, he was a Whig until the rise of the Re- publican party, which he always afterwards warmly supported. Early in his life he became impressed with the enormity of American slavery, and boldly asserted and maintained his views on this subject ; yet he would not intentionally give offense to any, though they dif- fered radieally, and he always retained their respect. Early in life he saw the evils of the use of intoxica- ting drinks, and quite early in life quit furnishing liquor to his laboring men, which it was the general custom of the neighborhood to do at the time. Dur- ing the last few days of his last illness his physician tried to urge him to take liquor as a stimulant, but he most positively refused, saying his intellect might be elouded thereby, and he wanted to die in the full pos- session of his faculties, which he did.

In religion, he was a firm believer in the views maintained by Friends ; he subscribed to the views preached by Elias and Edward Hicks. Though so firm a believer in the religious views held by Friends, and as much as he felt interested in the progress and wel- fare of the society, he never felt that he had got to that condition which woukl warrant him in seeking a closer fellowship by becoming a member, though he often expressed a desire to be allowed to contribute to the support and maintenance of the meeting.

His remains were followed to the grave by a very large concourse of sincere friends, among whom were several colored people. Some two or three friends made remarks at the grave, and one of the colored men present, who had occasionally exhorted among his own people, feeling that more might be said, and should be said, more directly as to the religious views of his deceased friend, was incited to speak.

We will hastily refer to the children of our subject !

and elose. Of the eleven children six, are now de- ceased; three died in early infancy. Julianna, the second ehild, died from burns eaused by her elothing taking fire when near thirteen years of age. She was a girl of very active intelleet and gave great promise of noble womanhood. The sadness caused by this event seemed never to leave the parent. Elizabeth, his fourth ehild, died when thirty-one years of age. She had married and had a son, who died before her. She inherited largely her father's ways and disposi- tion, particularly the gentler and kindlier parts. Al- bert, the sixth son and eighth child, died at the age of thirty years. He, in early childhood, was almost as staid and earnest in the real work of life as is usual with persons of mature age. He never had to be corrected at school or at home. He cheerfully took hold of the work set for him to do, and with the same earnestness that his father had done before him. At the age of fourteen he met with an accident on the playground at school, receiving a severe bruise on the hip, which caused him great suffering for two years, and which left him badly lamed for life. After his recovery he attended Rev. Samuel Aaron's school, and so much impressed was Mr. Aaron with his schol- arship and energy that he gave him an assistant tutor- ship in his second year. He afterwards studied law with G. R. Fox, and was admitted to the bar, and two years afterwards received the nomination for district attorney. During the canvass he took a severe eold, the result of exposure, and this, with the injury re- ceived in youth, eaused his death about two years afterward.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 156

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