History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 177

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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810

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

dent of Merineth, in Wales. While yet in his mi- nority he associated himself with a land company, where, by warrant dated 13th of Tenth Month, 1690, William Markham, Robert Turner and John Good- son surveyed five thousand acres of "Welsh Tract," part of Merion, of liberty lands, to John Thomas, John Williams and others. He also invested at later periods largely in lands in Cheltenham and Bristol townships, as well as in other sections of the new country. The same John Williams married Ellen Klincken on the 3d of Sixth Month, 1696, at the place of religious meetings of Friends in Germantown. Ellen was the daughter of Arents Klincken, who came from Dalem, near Creyfelt, in Holland, to this country in 1683, having known William Penn in Holland. He built the first two-story. house ever raised in Germantown, Penn having been present and partaken of the raising-dinner. It stood near the southwest corner of Main and Tulpehocken Streets. Arents Klineken served several years as burgess of Germantown, but finally, in 1691, declined longer service for conscience' sake. He died at the age of eighty, leaving a son, Anthony, a noted hunter, who . spent a long life in such exercises in the vicinity, and from whom the traditional name of Anthony has since been perpetuated in the Williams family.

John Williams and Ellen, his wife, had six ehil- dren,-Mary, born 7th of Fourth Month, 1697, mar- ried to Anthony Dennis; Hannah, born 29th Ninth Month, 1702, married to Lewis Roberts; John, born the 4th of Second Month, 1705, married to Katherine Marl in 1732, who left a son, Joseph, and died the 14th of Tenth Month, 1737; Arrett, born 13th of Twelfth Month, 1707-8, died young ; Ann, married Joseph Ambler ; Anthony, the youngest and only son surviving his parents, was born the 13th of Sixth Month, 1711, and to him was bequeathed all his father's lands and messuages. He married Sarah Shoemaker, daughter of George Shoemaker and granddaughter of Richard Wall, who bought land and settled in Cheltenham previous to Seventh Month 1, 1683. Richard came from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.

Anthony and Sarah were married at Abington Friends' Meeting-house the 17th of First Month, 1736. They settled in Bristol township, adjoining the homestead farm in Cheltenham ; had a family of eighteen children, many of whom died in youth. Sarah, the mother, died Twelfth Month 13, 1758, aged forty-one years, six months, leaving the father with a very responsible charge. Among their chil- dren who grew to man's estate and married was George Williams, who lived opposite Abington Meeting and served as elerk of that meeting for many years ; Isaac, who settled in Whitemarsh on a large farm, and died in his eighty-ninth year; and Anthony Williams, Jr., who was born the 30th day of Ninth Month, 1743, and married Rachel Jarrett.

It will here be necessary to review two generations

to obtain the correct genealogy of the Jarrett family, the ancestors of the mother of John J. Williams,- John Jarrett, the grandfather of said Rachel Jarrett, came from Scotland in the early days of the province and settled in Horsham township. His name appears in 1714 as a land-holder in Germantown. He mar- ried Mary Lucken, born 18th of Eleventh Month, 1693, daughter of Jan Lucken, who came from Hol- land, in company with many other Friends, and landed at Chester the 3d of Ninth Month, 1683. They later settled in Germantown, and were closely associated with Francis Daniel Pastorious in their allegiance to the principles of William Penn. John and Mary Jarrett had a son, John, born to them the 3d of Third Month, 1718. He married Alce Conrad, born 9th of Eighth Month, 1718, at Abington Meet- ing, Third Month, 1740. Their twelve children were John, Mary, Elizabeth, Hannah, Rachel, William, Alice, Jonathan, David, Jesse, Tacy and Joseph, many of whom lived to be very aged people, and were remarkable for their healthful and vigorous constitutions and industrious habits. Anthony Wil- liams and Rachel Jarrett were married at Abington Meeting the 25th of Eleventh Month, 1772.

They settled and lived on the old homestead farm, on the Limekiln road, in Cheltenham, where was raised a family of three brothers,-Joseph, John J. and Anthony-and one sister, Alice, who died a young woman, unmarried. Joseph, the oldest, was born the 2d of Seventh Month, 1777; married Ann Hallowell, daughter of John and Martha Hallowell, the 15th of Fifth Month, 1800, at Abington. About this time they removed to a farm in Whitemarsh township, where six children were born to them Charles (first), died young, Alice, Anthony, Martha, Charles (second), and Ann. Martha and Ann lived to be young women, but died unmarried and the parents resided here until the other children had grown to mature years, when they removed to Philadelphia.

Joseph Williams, an exemplary Friend, was in many respects a remarkable man, being gifted with great force of will and nerve-power, which qualified him for an active, energetic and successful business life. Kind and generous, he was ever ready to assist a worthy neighbor or friend in a substantial way, and many families now living in Montgomery County owe their present prosperous condition, in a great measure, to the propitious help given their ancestors at a critical time, when overshadowed with a cloud of adversity. As he in time became aged and infirm, it was considered expedient that he should return to the farm, that his son Charles could minister to his personal comforts, where he died 19th of Third Month, 1863, in his eighty-seventh year. He was interred at Friends' burying-ground in Plymouth.

Anthony Williams, the youngest son of Anthony and Rachel Williams, was born in 1785, and married Elizabeth, daughter of George Craft. 10th of Tenth Month, 1811. She was a consistent and devoted wife.

John & tertteams

Thus Williams Mano

811

CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP.

an affectionate and Christian mother and a useful and obliging neighbor and friend. May her good example be emulated by the present and future generations ! Anthony and his wife resided on a farm adjoining the old homestead, east of Limekiln road, and lived to the ripe old age of fourscore years and upward.

John J. Williams, the second son of Anthony Williams, Jr., and Rachel, his wife, was born the 7th of First Month, 1783, and married Lydia Knight, born 13th of Twelfth Month, 1799, daughter of Jonathan and Mary Cleaver Knight, in the autumn of 1823.

John J. Williams, as a consequence of his mar- riage to Lydia Knight, who was not in membership with the Society of Friends, and therefore not in accordance with the exacting discipline of the society in use in those times, was formally dealt with, as was the custom, by the meeting. He was urged by many Friends to make the required acknowledgment. which he considered unreasonable. Seeing the dissensions already operating in the society at that time, which, if not corrected, must inevitably lead to a dissolution of the entire membership. he coneluded to relinquish his rights as a mem- ber, whereby he was released from the grave re- sponsibility of the church, and by so doing not be compelled to compromise the feelings of his wife. He still, however, entertained a strong affection for the society, which had endeared itself to him by long association, his ancestry from the time of William Penn having affiliated with the Friends, and he, with his entire family, continued to attend the meeting. on the First-day of the week.

They resided on the old farm from the date of their marriage until the spring of 1850, when, as their son Thomas was about to marry, and as some of the family had a desire to remove to the city, the father reluc- tantly gave up the management of the property to his son and moved his family to Philadelphia. He still manifested a lively interest in the affairs o! the old neighborhood, to which he was much at- tached, and among other duties served as director of Cheltenham school district one year after he and his family had removed to the city, a position he held from the time of its adoption, in 1838.

Although not a politician, he was a great admirer of llenry Clay and Daniel Webster, and was always identified with the old Whig party.

He took great delight in encouraging enterprising persons venturing into business without sufficient cap- ital, and would aid them in many ways, lending them money even to stinting himself and indorsing their paper to such an extent as to alarm his family and friends. When remonstrated with by some of his best and most conservative friends, he would reply that he was " trying to make a man of such and such a person."

In his efforts to assist others he, in several instances, lost very heavily, and on one occasion was so reduced

financially by indorsing paper as to be in imminent peril. His friends advised him to make an assign- ment, but his manly and indomitable spirit scorned the suggestion, and he replied that if he had any friends to stand by him so that he could retain the old farm, he would eventually pay all his obligations and reenperate his fortune. He found in this crisis a true friend in his brother Joseph, who, having, like himself, a large heart and ample means, together with the aid he received from his father-in-law, Jonathan Knight, President of the old Northern Liberty Bank at that time, he was able to bridge over the financial chasm which threatened to engulf him. The old homestead, which had been in the family since 1716, was thus saved from the hands of the sheriff. This period of tribulation was about 1833 and 1835, and John J. Williams, blessed with an excellent wife, through economical management and persevering industry, was able to acquire a compe- tency in his latter years, at the same time maintain- ing the social duties of a good citizen and performing many acts of neighborly kindness. He trained up his children to habits of industry and instilled in their minds correct views of their moral responsibility, which he and his wife considered more important than any material inheritance which they could be- queath to their family. He died in Philadelphia 23d of Eleventh Mouth, 1851, and was buried at Abing- ton. His wife's death occurred 20th of Fifth Month, 1864. She was buried beside him.

John J. and Lydia Williams had four children,- one daughter and three sons, all born and reared on the old homestead. Mary K., whose birth occurred 17th Sixth Month, 1824, is now living in Germantown, unmarried ; Thomas, born 20th of Eleventh Month, 1826, resides at the old place; Jonathan K., born 25th Fifth Month, 1828, removed to Delaware, on a farm near Middletown, a short time previons to his father's death, and still resides in that State, owning one thousand acres of good land, which he cultivates (he married Fannie, daughter of Jacob and Margaret Shalleross) ; John Jay was born 17th of Second Month, 1838, being a young man at the time of the late Rebellion. He enlisted in the One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers ; was very se- riously wounded in the battle of the Wilderness, Fifth Month, 1864, which disabled him for several weeks. He was afterwards dangerously wounded at Appomattox Court-House, 8th of Fourth Month, 1865, the evening previous to General Lec's surrender, by a minie-ball passing entirely through his loins. It seemed impossible at the time that he could survive the terrible hurt ; but with skillful surgery, careful and incessant nursing for weeks, with a vigorous con- stitution, he was able to rally and finally recovered sufficiently to engage in business. He later purchased a farm in Cecil County, Md., where he still resides as a successful farmer. He married Laura Peach, daughter of John and Eliza Peach.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

THOMAS WILLIAMS.

The paternal genealogy of Thomas Williams' family having been already given in the preceding biography of John J. Williams, it is fitting that something should be said of the ancestry of his mother, whose maiden-name was Lydia Knight, daughter of Jonathan Knight, born Eighth Month 6, 1764, who married Mary Cleaver, daughter of Isaac and Ann Cleaver, born Sixth Month 12, 1771. This Mary Knight was one of those women destined to make the right kind of husband entirely contented with his condition. Though the family circle be in- creased by the addition of many children, still there is peace, plenty and prosperity abounding where such a wife and mother dwells. Such was the wife of Jonathan Knight, and such was their happy lot.

It is said mothers mould the nation and wield an influence for many generations. May it be the pleas- ure of a kind and merciful Creator that the good seed sown by this Christian mother may fructify and bring forth its good fruits in future generations! It is reasonable that Lydia, the mother of Thomas, was endowed with many of the gifted qualities which her mother developed.

Jonathan Knight, the grandfather of Thomas Wil- liams, was descended from two very worthy English families,-Giles and Mary Knight and John and Mary Carver. Both families came to this country with Penn, on the ship "Welcome," in 1682. Jonathan was the son of Joshua and Sarah Knight. Joshua and John Knight, his brother, sons of Isaac and grandsons of Joseph Knight, were residents of Abington township during the Revolutionary war. They had strong affiliations with the mother-country and sympathized with the English, for which acts of disloyalty to the colonial government their property, embracing two hundred and forty-one aeres in Abing- ton, was confiscated in 1779 and applied to the sup- port of the University of Pennsylvania. Their lives were threatened, which necessitated their leaving the country, taking their families to Nova Scotia with the exception of Jonathan, who was then a boy about fourteen years of age. His father desired to take him also, but his grandfather, with whom he lived, was unwilling to part with him. He therefore remained under the protection of his grandfather and a bachelor uncle then living in the same township, to whom the boy became very much attached. He requested his friends when dying "to bury him as near his Uncle Isaac as possible," at Abington burying-ground, which was accordingly done.

The birth of Thomas Williams occurred in Chel- tenham township, Montgomery Co., Pa. It was his fortune to be born in moderate circumstances. Al- though it seemed to impose on him a burden of hardships and trials, it aroused a spirit of persevering industry which built up the physical condition of the man, while it tended to establish correct views of his general moral responsibility in all business and social

intercourse. Thomas Williams, Fifth Month 1, 1850, married Elizabeth A. Comly, daughter of A. Lukens and Margaret Comly, and granddaughter on the pa- ternał side of Nathan and Elizabeth Comly. Her maternal grandfather was - Hallowell, both old and well-known families of Montgomery County. Thomas Williams and his wife had five children, two sons and three daughters, as follows: Comly, Sr., born Seventh Month 10, 1852, who died in youth; Mary K., born First Month 4, 1854, who died young; Comly, Jr., born Eighth Month 28, 1856, married, Second Month 2, 1882, to Ellen M. Walker, daughter of Thomas M. Walker; Mary K., born Eleventh Month 23, 1857, and married to Dr. William C. Powell; and Maggie, born 1860, who died when three years of age. Elizabeth, the mother, died Twelfth Month 10, 1865. She and all the deceased children are interred at Abington.

Thomas Williams married a second time, First Month 26, 1871, Susanna D. Nice, born Twelfth Month 2, 1838, daughter of William and Mary Nice. William Nice is a descendant of Anthony Nice, who came to this country from Wales about 1700 and settled in Nicetown, then called De Neustown. John Nice, the father of William, married Sarah Harper, the great-great-granddaughter of Thomas Roberts, who came to this country with Penn on the "Canter- berry," arriving December 24, 1699, and took up about six hundred acres of land at York road and Fisher's Lane. Mary, the wife of William Nice, was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Haslam, who came with their family from Bolton, Lancashire, England, in 1824, the former having been a manufac- turer in Philadelphia. Susanna had six brothers,- George, Robert, Edward, Theodore, Thomas and Wil- liam. George lost his life by an accident when a child. Edward enlisted in the One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and died from a wound received in the memorable battle of the Wilderness, May, 1864. Susanna has also a half- sister living, now the wife of Joel Price.

Thomas Williams and wife and their five children, -John Thomas, Edith, Robert N., Elizabeth and Lydia-are now living on the paternal "homestead farm," on Limekiln pike, in Cheltenham township. This property has been in the possession of the family for several generations, one deed from Conrad Conrad to John Williams for one hundred and thirty- three acres being dated 16th of Twelfth Month, (called February) 1716-17; consideration, one hun- dred and fifty pounds, lawful silver money of America. This deed is written and witnessed by Francis Daniel Pastorious. Another deed is from William Howell's heirs to John Williams for ninety-three acres, and dated 16th day of June, 1724; consideration money, eighty-five pounds, showing that land was low in' price at that time in Cheltenham. This was at the period when John Williams, with his family, came from Mcrion Township to reside in Cheltenham.

David Heist

Geo. Branin

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CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP.

Thomas Williams' education was limited. The schools in the neighborhood, through the force of circumstances, did not maintain a very high standard, and much of his time was occupied with duties on the farm, the winter only being devoted to study. Later, however, for about two years, he became a pupil of a boarding-school and made satisfactory progress, especially at Hallowell's, in Alexandria, D. C. ITe has served as school director for twelve consecutive years in his district, and held many posi- tions of public and private trust, all of which have been filled with fidelity to the interests of all con- cerned.

DAVID HEIST.

Henry Heist, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, with his wife, Catharine, came from Germany to the United States about the year 1753. GEORGE BRANIN. Three children accompanied them, one of whom died on the passage and was buried on landing. Mr. Heist, soon after his arrival, settled in Goshenhoppen, Mont- gomery County. His son George was born August 3, 1754, at Goshenhoppen, Upper Hanover township. and died September 11, 1800, in his fifty-sixth year. Among his thirteen children was George Heist, father of David Heist, whose birth occurred December 29, 1781, in Upper Hanover, on the homestead farm, from whence he removed to Salsburg, in Northamp- ton County, and later to Flourtown, in Montgomery County. He was united in marriage to C'atharine Cope, of Hilltown township, on the 25th of March, 1806, and had sons,-Charles, Joseph and David, and daughters,-Mary Ann, Catharine, Elizabeth, Lavinia and Julia Ann. Mary Ann became Mrs. Henry Stout ; Catharine, Mrs. Benjamin Fisher ; Elizabeth, Mrs. Arnold Green; Lavinia, Mrs. William Coffman; and Julia Ann, Mrs. William Conover. The death of George Heist occurred May 20, 1855. David Ileist, his son, was born January 17, 1810, in Salsburg. Northhampton Co., and at the age of eighteen became a resident of Cheltenham township, where he at once engaged in the employment of a farmer, his opportunies for acquiring a thorough or even a rudi- mentary education having been exceedingly limited. He was married to Dorothea L. Ottinger, of Spring- field township, and had children,-George D., married to Eleanor, daughter of Jesse and Ann Gilbert, who has five children ; Henrietta (Mrs. Daniel H. Wentz), and Anna Cecilia (Mrs. Albert D. Wentz). Mr. Heist was a second time married to Margaret Lenhart, of Cheltenham, whose only child was Lizzie F. (deceased), wife of H. P. Appleman, of Bethlehem. Mr. Heist for twelve years after his first marriage leased a farm in Cheltenham township, and subsequently purchased property near Abington Station, to which he removed in the spring of 1847 and continued to reside upon until his death, when it became by inheritance the , John Branin died October 4, 1866. His wife died

estate of his son, George D. He received little aid in his early efforts, and by his own force and strength of character achieved a position of independence and marked influence in the community where he resided. He was for many years a director of the Limekiln Turnpike Company and active in promoting the busi- ness industries of the township. In politics he was a Democrat, but rarely participated in the active strifes of party or sought the honors of office.

Mr. Heist was a man of strong religious impulses and an active member, first, of the Lutheran Church of Germantown, and, later, of the church at White- marsh. His benevolent instincts led him to remember the latter church by a bequest, as also the Lutheran Church at Chestnut Hill. The death of Mr. Heist occurred on the 13th of June, 1881, in his seventy- second year.

Among the representative farmers of Montgomery County who have made agriculture a study and a success we find the name of George Branin. The first of his ancestors of whom anything definite is known was Francis Branin, who was born in Ireland about the year 1683, and emigrated to America some time previous to the birth of his son Michael, who was born September 9, 1708. On the 24th day of No- vember, 1730, Michael Branin was joined in marriage to Elizabeth Norcross, daughter of John and Mary (Antrim) Norcross. Their son, William, was born December 15, 1749, and married, in 1778, Abigail. daughter of Abner Rodgers. William Branin died February 14, 1813. His son, Abijah, was born in the State of New Jersey May 2, 1783. On the 18th day of October, 1804, he married Mary Houston, daughter of John Houston, of Burlington County, State above- named. Their children were John, Elizabeth, Mark, William, Almira and Richard. He learned the trade of a blacksmith, which occupation he pursued until about the year 1821, when he removed with his family to Philadelphia . County, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. Afterwards he purchased a farm in the township of Abington, Montgomery Co., Pa., upon which he resided up to the time of his death, which occurred August 18, 1855. John, the first of the family, was born in New Jersey on the 16th day of December, 1806, and with his parents came to Philadelphia County, and ultimately became a farmer. He married Ann, daughter of Samuel Jones, of Hatfield township, Montgomery Co., who married Hannah Clayton, a daughter of Richard and Margaret Clayton, whose maiden-name was Mar- garet Kenderdine, of Horsham township, in the last- named county. Their surviving children were Ann and Ruth. After his marriage John Branin lived on the farm of his father-in-law, Samuel Jones, which had been in his possession since 1797. On this farm

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

December 13, 1884. Their only child, George, was born on the above-named farm December 30, 1833. After a period spent at the neighboring school he completed his studies at Treemuont Seminary, in Nor- ristown, then under the charge of the late Rev. Samuel Aaron. On his return from school, Mr. Branin gave his entire attention to the cultivation of the farm, and on the death of his father assumed the management of the property, and still continues in | and is at present a director of the Jenkintown that relation. On the 26th day of February, 1863, he National Bank. Mr. Fenton has also acted as execu- tor, administrator, trustee and assignee in the settle- ment of estates, beside being appointed guardian and having charge of several large trust funds. was joined in marriage to Miss Ann Elizabeth, dangh- ter of John Branin (who married Abigail Ann Jones), of Burlington County, N. J. Here a very singular circumstance occurred. Their fathers being of the same name and somewhat distantly related but un- known to each other, were both married the same ALBERT J. ENGLE. day, month and year to women of almost identical Albert J. Engle, one of the most prominent business men of Shoemakertown, Cheltenham town- ship, Montgomery Co., Pa., was born on his father's farm in what was then Bristol township, Philadelphia Co. (now merged in the city), January 2, 1826, where he made his home until he was twenty-four years of age, learning, in the mean time the honorable trade of stone-mason. names, each of whose father's name was Samuel Jones, but of no relationship or knowledge of each other. The surviving children of Mr. and Mrs. Branin are a son, John W., and a daughter, Ruth Ann. Another daughter, Marietta, died in infancy. Mr. Branin's political sympathies are with the Repub- lican party, of which he is a stanch adherent, though he has never entered the arena of politics nor been diverted from the routine of duties incident to the life of a farmer. He was educated in the faith of the Society of Friends, and attends the Abington Friends' Meeting.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 177

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