History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 189

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 189

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

J. B. Rhouds

Elizabeth, daughter of Evan Roberts. On his death, in 1825, his remains were interred in Bethel Church burial-ground.

His son, Evan Bisson, was born in 1779, and died in 185I. He made the township of Gwynedd his resi- dence, and there plied industriously the trade of a stone-mason, in addition to which he cultivated a farm. He married Ann Reiff, of the same county, whose children were Charles, Samuel, John, Richard, Ililary, Elizabeth, Mary Ann and Malinda. Hilary was born in Montgomery County and acquired the trade of his father, which he conducted on an exten- He married Rebecca Eaton, and had sive scale both in his native town and in the adjacent | the same township. They have one child, a daughter, connties. 55

familiar with the principles of business. Returning to his father' farm, he remained a valued assistant until twenty-five years of age, and then by purchase became the owner of the homestead farm, formerly the property of his grandfather. He has since that date devoted his energies to farm employments, meanwhile gratifying his taste for horticulture by propagating rare fruit, and also engaging largely in the breeding of fine fowls, in which he has estab- lished an extended reputation and derived much profit. Mr. Bisson was married, February 20, 1868, to Miss Kate, daughter of John S. Danehower, ot Lilly May, born on the 15th of September, 1884. Mr.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Bisson is in politics a Republican, hut not actively in- terested in public measures. He is a member of Othello Lodge, No. 50, of Knights of Pythias, and of Mont- gomery Council, No. 18, of the order of United American Mechanics.

ALLEN BERKHIMER.

Mr. Berkhimer represents one of the oldest families in Montgomery County. His grandfather, who was Jacob Berkhimer, married Maria Rubican, of Dela- ware County, Pa., and had children,-George, Charles,

possible in the country at that date. He became fa- miliar with the labor of the farm, and lent a willing hand to the cultivation of his father's land until the occasion of his marriage, when, desiring to be more independent, he for two years worked it on shares, and subsequently spent a brief period at Penllyn. On his return he became the lessee of the property, and the owner on the death of his parent. He was married, on the 4th of March, 1875, to Miss Lizzie P., daughter of Samuel A. and Maria Posey Willetts, of Gwynedd township. Their children are Charles W.,

8. Dr. Bisson

William, Julia Ann, Susan. He purchased, in 1824, : born in 1867; Samuel W., born in 1877 ; Bessie W., in 1878; and Allen W. in 1880. Mr. Berkhimer is a Demo- crat in politics, but too much engaged in the absorbing duties connected with the farm to devote special atten- · tion to the political issues of the day. He was, never- theless, the incumbent of the office of postmaster while I a resident of Penllyn. He is a member of Spring the property now occupied by his grandson, and re- sided upon it until his death, when it came by in- heritance to Charles, his eldest son. The latter mar- ried Mary Ann, daughter of Jacob Fleck, of Gwynedd township, and had children, - Mary Ann (Mrs. David Dunnett), Allen and Anna (Mrs. Milton Ruch). Al- len was born on the 6th of July, 1842, in Upper Dub- : House Lodge, No. 329, of Independent Order of Odd- lin township, Montgomery Co., and at an early age Fellows; of Fort Washington Lodge, No. 308, of Free and Accepted Masons; of Fort Washington Chapter, No. 220; of Fort Washington Lodge, of Knights of removed with his parents to Gwynedd township, where his youth was devoted to acquiring a modest education under such favorable circumstances as were | Pythias, No. 148; of the Benevolent Society of Fort

GWYNEDD TOWNSHIP.

S67

Washington, of which he is a trustee ; and of the Am- bler Beneficial Society, of which he is treasurer. He is also a director of the First National Bank of Am- bler, and has heen for ten years a director of the Am- bler Building Association. Mr. Berkheimer was edu- cated in the faith of the German Lutheran Church, and worships at the church of that denomination in Upper Dublin, to the support of which he contributes, as to , son Allen was born January 20, 1827, in Gwynedd that of many other worthy causes.

ALLEN THOMAS.

William Thomas, who was the great-great-grand- father of the subject of this biographical sketch, in

gomery County, where he acquired the trade of a blacksmith, and followed it in connection with the occupations of a farmer. He married Mary, danghter of James Craig, of New Britain, Bucks Co., Pa., and had children,-Albert, Allen, Charles B., Ashbel C., Ann E. (Mrs. John Lampen) and Abel. The death of Mr. Thomas occurred on the 2d of July, 1882. His township. After a period of youth devoted to study he removed to Bucks County, Pa., and embarked in the lumber business, where the advantages of trade were sufficiently great to make him a resident for fifteen years. Mr. Thomas then returned to his native

Alan.

Markhimes

the last century emigrated from Wales to America and settled in Hilltown, Bucks Co., Pa., where he ac- quired twelve hundred and fifty acres of land and filled the double rôle of a farmer and a Baptist preacher. Among his family of seven children was Thomas, born in Wales and an infant at the time of his father's emigration.

Thomas resided on the homestead in Hilltown, where his life was spent in the cultivation of its productive acres. His son Asa succeeded his father on the estate. Abel, the second son of the latter, was born in 1799, and removed when a young man to Mont-

county and engaged in the same pursuit in Frederick township. In 1879 he became again a resident of Gwynedd township, where he conducts an extensive and successful business in hardwood lumber. Mr, Thomas was, in December, 1848, married to Anna R., daughter of John Goucher, and has children,-Emma G. (Mrs. M. K. Gilbert), born in 1849; William B., in 1851; Franklin P., in 1853, deceased ; Martha K., in 1854, deceased; Arthur K., in 1857; Lukens, in 1859; Mary, in 1861; Lizzie L., in 1862; Alfred, in 1865; and Edward K. in 1866. Mr. Thomas is in his political preferences a Democrat, though not ambi-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

tious for the distinctions of office. He is president of the West Point Turnpike Company, and actively con- nected as a Mason with Shiloh Lodge, No. 558, of Lansdale, as also with Zieglerville Lodge of Knights of Pythias. Both Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are members of the North Wales Baptist Church.

the tributaries of that stream. The surface is rolling, and has an easy drainage into the creeks named; the prevailing soil is red clay, with surface loam, the pro- ductive character of which has been greatly improved by the enterprising farmers within the last quarter of a century.

Allen Showing

CHAPTER LVII. HATFIELD TOWNSHIP.

THIS township is located on the line of Bucks County, and adjoins Montgomery on the east, Towa- mencin on the southwest, Franconia on the northwest and the borongh of Lansdale on the south. It is three and three-quarters miles long and three miles wide, with an area of eleven square miles, or seven thousand and forty acres. The area was reduced by the incorpora- tion of Lansdale as a borough, in 1872, a considerable portion of the borough being taken from this town- ship. The township is located on what is sometimes ealled the " divide," or highest point between the Del- aware and Schuylkill Rivers. Streams of water ris- ing and flowing in and through this township empty into both rivers. The head-waters of the Neshaminy rise in this township, also of the Skippack, or rather

The name of this township is thought by Wm. J. Buck to have been derived from a town and parish in Hertfordshire. He also says that a John Hatfield resided in Norriton township as early as 1734; there are circumstances that point to the possible deriva- tion of the name from a family long known to have been residents of the county. The following places of business were among the assessed property for 1785 : two grist-mills, one saw-mill, one tannery ; there was one hotel licensed in the township for the same year. The population in 1800 was 520 ; in 1830, 835; in 1850, 1135; in 1870, 1512; in 1880, 1694.

The taxables in 1828, were 211; in 1858, 346; and in 1884, 465. We are unable to state the date when the township was decreed by the Court of Quar- ter Sessions of Philadelphia County. It did not exist prior to 1741, and was known to exist at the close of the Revolution, as it appears that damages were

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HATFIELD TOWNSHIP.

assessed to Jacob Reed, forty-five pounds, and Isaac Wisler, twenty-five pounds, both of Hatfield, resulting from incursions of the enemy ; this country was open to the foraging-parties of Lord llowe while wintering his army in Philadelphia, in 1777-78, and the scat- tered farmers doubtless suffered more or less loss in consequence. Jolin Fries, of " Fries' Rebellion " no-7 toriety, was born in this township about 1750. Fries removed to Bucks County and entered the military service with the patriots. He resisted the " House and Window Tax Law," and subsequently, by his contempt for the authorities authorized to collect it, made himselfso obnoxious that he was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to be hung, April, 1799. The event was of great local interest at the time, and by the interposition of kind and influential friends, he was pardoned by President John Adams. Mr. Fries died about 1820.

The villages in the townships are Line Lexing- ton, situated on the county line, and partly in Bucks County ; Hatfield, Colmar, Hockertown.

dions hotel, a country store, a large warehouse, under the management of I. R. Rosenberger, who deals extensively in feed, flour, hay and those commodities necessarily connected with such establishments, there being extensive railroad sidings for the shipment of coal, lime, manure, lumber, live stock, etc.

Treewigtown, or Hatfield Square, as it is called in Scott's Atlas, is situated on the old Bethlehem road, about a mile northwest of Colmar. The village is formed of residences scattered along the road, and indicates its ancient origin by the old-time Farmers' and Drovers' Hotel, a place of local importance when market men drove to and from Philadelphia with their produce, when stages ran through from Bethlehem to Philadelphia, and dairy and stock cattle were driven through the country and nightly herded at these old-time taverns, like this one, having farm-lands connected with it for pastorage. The old-time industries are here represented by black- smiths, shoemakers, wood-workers and the toll-gath- erer. A half-mile or more northwest of this village is the Line Lexington, a portion of which is situated in this township. This is an old settlement, spoken of by the historian Gordon as early as 1832, who says it contained at that time eight or ten dwellings and a post-office. The place has grown very consid- erably since then, having upwards of fifty residences, a hotel, two stores and the usual mechanical indus- tries.

The North Pennsylvania Railroad passes in an almost direct line through the centre of this town- ship, in a northwestern direction. The Doylestown Branch of the same railroad, leaving Lansdale, passes through the northeast portion of the township, with a station at Colinar. These public improvements have been of great advantage to the inhabitants and land-owners, affording improved facilities for the transportation of farm products, and also convenient Villages have grown up with rapidity at Upper and Lower Hatfield Stations, on the North Pennsylvania Railroad. Lower Hatfield takes precedence in age. Located at the junction of the "Old Cowpath " and "Forty-Foot " roads, it was many years ago known as a village, and since the location and opening of the railroad it has become a centre of local trade and traffic for the township, finding a sharp rival in its places of business are found a hotel, a store for the sile of general merchandise, two hay-presses, coal- yard, drug-store and a number of mechanical indus- tries, all of which appear to be in a prosperous condi- tion at the time we write. depots for the shipment of hay, feed, lime, manurc, lumber and all those commodities dealt in by an enterprising agricultural community. The township is well provided with public highways intersecting every part of it, all of which are kept in good order, with substantial bridges over the streams crossing them. The main line of railroad, leaving Lansdale, passes through and near lands now or late of A. i sister village, a short distance from it. Among its Swepenhiser, J. Reed, J. Krupp, T. House, H. Ileek- man, P. Boyer, J. Steiner, W. Steiner, D. Rosenber- ger, the Evangelical Church grounds, J. Rosenberger, reaching Lower Hatfield village, thence, a short dis- tance, Upper Hatfield village, and beyond, through lands of J. H. Rosenberger, E. Kriebler, John Frick, Upper Hatfield, though of more recent origin, pre- sents the appearance of a young and promising vil- lage. It owes its existence, in some measure, to the enterprising character of Joseph Proctor, Esq., a citizen of Hatfield township, who purchased a considerable tract of land where the town and railroad station is located, and divided it into building lots, encouraged improvements and the building of residences. There is here a convenient station for passengers and freight, a hotel, store for the sale of general mer- chandise, with the post-office, coal and lumber-yard, tinsmith and other industries. II. M. Ziegler is the postmaster at the place. Both Upper and Lower Hatfield villages are of local importance to the town- ship, situated so near its centre, the former affording a convenient point of shipment for milk and general A. H. Rosenberger, S. Shellenberger, C. Gehman and H. Clemmer. The Doylestown Branch passes through lands now or late of P. S. Jenkins, H. Hoppel, J. Troyard, M. Kramer, J. M. Gilmer, A. Manuel, J. Kile, I'. Hondel, J. Allebach, G. Garmer, M. Bechtel, N. Harrar, J. M. Jenkins, A. H. Fretz and others, reaching Colmar, a station and railroad village. Everything here indicates a place of recent growth. The railroad at this point crosses an old turnpike road, first opened as a common or dirt road in 1735, then called the Bethlehem road. Along this highway are seen many fine old-time farm-houses, large and substantially built, and in striking contrast with the more modern and ornamental residences comprising the village of Colmar. There is a large and commo-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

farm produce, and for the distribution of freight and the general supplies consumed and used by an agricul- tural community. The following exhibit of the mer- cantile appraiser for the year 1884 illustrates the commercial enterprise of the people of this township : Jeremiah Alderfer, produce; George Brecht, mer- chandise ; E. K. Blanck, drugs; William Bear, buteher; James Clark, Jr., stoves; Frank Cassel, agricultural implements ; William B. Fretz, stoves, etc. ; Isaac R. Hunsberger, organs; Earl Jenkins, butcher; Jacob Kindig, butcher; I. R. Kulp, hay; I. R. Kulp, coal, lumber; I. R. Kulp, flour and feed ; Henry Kile, butcher; Joseph Landis, lumber; Wil- liam B. Moyer, buteher ; B. M. Moyer, merchandise ; Joseph Proetor, live stock; I. R. Rosenberger, flour, feed; I. R. Rosenberger, hay; J. M. Romich, live stock; H. Robinson, merchandise; F. H. Souders, flour, feed ; F. H. Souders, coal ; F. H. Souders, lum- ber, hay; A. Sorver, lumber; D. Smith, sewing-ma- chines ; Philip Swartly, butcher ; George Snyder, hay; George Snyder, coal; George Snyder, flour, feed ; Isaac Tyson, live stock; John Treffinger. butcher; Ziegler & Meyers, merchandise; H. M. Ziegler, merchandise.

Educational .- The common-school system is said to have gone into operation about the year 1840. The leading citizens of the township have always taken a lively interest in the education of the young, but it is due to say that a conservative element has always opposed "long terms" and advanced salaries for teachers. This conservatism has recently found ex- pression in the township in opposing the creation of an independent school district for the better accom- modation of the progressive inhabitants of Upper and Lower Hatfield villages. The district has been created, and the advantages will doubtless be enjoyed by those seeking the benefit of longer terms and super- ior teachers, although residing beyond its limits.

At present (1884) there are six schools in the town- ship, with three hundred and fifty-nine pupils en rolled. The length of term for the present year is seven months, and the salary paid to teachers is forty dollars per month. Male and female teachers are em- ployed, and equal salaries are paid them. There is an independent school district at Line Lexington, the advantages of which are shared by a portion of the inhabitants of this township. The cost of maintain- ing it is distributed as follows among the townships out of which it was created; one-fourth from Hatfield town- ship, one-fourth from Hilltown township, and one- half from New Britain township, the two latter town ships being in Bucks County. The average attend- anee is fifty pupils.

Elections .- By act of the General Assembly, ap- proved March 24, 1818, the township of Hatfield was formed into a separate election district, and the elec- tions ordered to be held at the house of John Bucha- nan. By a similar aet, approved April 11, 1825, the place of holding the elections was changed to the

house of Peter Conver, and again, by a similar act of April 23, 1829, the elections were ordered to be held at the house of Jacob C. Bachman. The elections are now held at the public-house of Oliver Althouse, in Lower Hatfield village.

Religious Worship .- There is a Mennonite meet- ing-honse located on what is locally known as the " Plains," or township line road, between Hatfield and Towamencin, and in the latter township; another of the same denomination, known as the New Mennon- ite Church, near Hatfield village; both of these places of religious worship are plain, unpretentious structures, such as are in use by this denomination throughout this part of the country ; comforts. aud necessary conveniences are provided for, butallornate embellishments of exterior and interior are studiously avoided.

The Evangelical or German Baptists' Church is situated on the Cow Path road, a short distance south of Hatfield village ; this is a plain but substan- tial structure, corresponding with the habits and tastes of the humble people who worship there.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

HON. OLIVER G. MORRIS.

Cadwallader, the lineal aneestor of Oliver G. Mor- ris, immigrated from Wales, located in Pennsylvania and intermarried with the Thomas family, who also came from Wales to this country in the early part of the last century.

Morris Morris, son of Cadwallader Morris, married Gwently Thomas, and had seven children,-Cadwal- lader (second), Abraham, William, Benjamin, Enoch, Joseph and Morris, Jr.

Morris Morris, Sr., husband of Gwently Thomas, inherited two hundred and sixty-seven acres of land lying at Hilltown, which he possessed and bequeathed to his son, Cadwallader (second), the latter paying his brothers different sums of money. A cane which belonged to Morris Morris, was, in 1885, owned by Oliver G. Morris, of Line Lexington, and has been in the family as an heir-loom over one hundred and fifty years.

Cadwallader, the eldest son of Morris and Gwently Morris, was born in 1737. He was a man of considera- ble education for those days. He became a school teacher and surveyor, and was widely known at that early period, and was sought after for his skill and know- ledge concerning many things. He married Elizabeth Kastner, of Hilltown, and died August 23, 1812, at the age of seventy-five years. His wife survived him a few years. Their children were Alice, Abel, William, Rebecca and Hannah.

William, son of Morris and Gwently Morris, the great-grandfather of Oliver G. Morris, was born

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HATFIELD TOWNSHIP.

March 5, 1739. William was married, in 1763, to Ann, daughter of Nathaniel Griffith, of llilltown, where now (1885) stands the Leidytown Hotel, which pro- perty William Morris subsequently purchased. Wil- liam and Ann both died at the house of their son Isaac, in the village of Line Lexington, the former on April 22, 1821, aged eighty-two years, and the latter on July 17, 1821, at the age of seventy-seven years. Their children were Isaac, Benjamin, Morris, Eliam, William, Jr., Griffith, Ann, Elizabeth and Huldalı.

Isaac Morris, grandfather of the subject of this

6, 1806. She was a person of much intelligence and vivacity of mind, as well as business taet and ability ; a good and estimable woman in all the relations of life. She died August 1, 1856, aged eighty-five years. Isaac died Sept. 13, 1843. By his first' wife Isaac was the father of three children,-Mathias, Justus and Wil- jiam. The two latter died young.

Mathias Morris was born Sept. 12, 1787. He pos- sessed unusual abilities, and was proficient in classical literature. He studied law with his cousin, Enoch Morris, and was admitted to the bar at New- town in 1809, where he lived some time. He mar-

sketch, was born May 5, 1764, and was twice married. [ ried Wilhelmina, danghter of Abraham and Elizabeth He purchased, in 1789, the ancestral homestead of Chapman, and sister of Hon. Henry Chapman. In 1828 he was elected to the State Senate, and re-elected for a second term, and was elected two terms to Con- gress, 1834 and 1836. He died Nov. 9, 1839, aged fifty-two years. His widow lives in Doylestown, with her daughter, Mary Ann, who married John C. Ly- man, of Vermont. The children of Isaac Morris, by his second wife, were Oliver Goldsmith and Burgess Allison (twins), and John D. The first-named died in 1826, agel nineteen years. Gwently Morris, his grandmother, adjoining the Lower Hilltown Baptist Church, which he held till about 1805, when he removed to Line Lexington, where he was for many years justice of the peace. Isaac mar- ried, October 12, 1786, for his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Mathias. She was born Sept. 12, 1765, and died Aug. 28, 1803. The second wife of Isaac was Rachel, daughter of Benjamin Mathewa, Esq. She was born Feb. 21, 1771, and married April

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

John D. Morris was born April 9, 1811, became a lawyer and practiced his profession for many years in Stroudsburg. Ile represented Monroe County in the State Legislature in 1851 and 1852, and subse- quently held responsible positions in the Philadel- phia Mint and Custom House, under the administra- tions of Pierce and Buchanan. He was an excellent man, affable and agreeable in manner, and popular among his acquaintances. ITis wife was Sally, daugh- ter of Stroud and Jeannette Hollinshead of Strouds- burg. He died in Line Lexington, at the house of his nephew, Oliver G. Morris, Jan. 5, 1868.

Burgess Allison Morris was born Dec. 23, 1806, and on Jan. 28, 1836, married Mary G., daughter of John Riale, Esq. She died June 27, 1837, leaving one son, Oliver Goldsmith Morris.

John Riale, the father of Mary G. Morris, was for many years a prominent man of New Britain, and long a justice of the peace of that township, and held in just esteem by all who knew him. He was the son of Richard Riale and grandson of John Riale, who emigrated from England about 1725. He was twice married, the second time to Elizabeth Griffith, the mother of Mary G. Morris. The second wife of Bur- gess A. Morris was Matilda Hoxworth.

Oliver Goldsmith Morris was born March 26, 1837, at Line Lexington, on the old homestead. His early life was spent upon the farm, until the death of his father, which occurred December 20, 1847. Ile was then sent to a boarding-school at New Britain, kept by Rev. John C. Hyde, for a term of three years, then to the Treemount Seminary, at Norristown, Rev. Samuel Aaron, principal, for two years ; then returned to the farm, where he has since continued to reside, engaged in farming and such other occupations as are usually con- nected with that branch of business. He needs no landations in this connection to prove the character of the man, nor to show the estimation in which he is held by the citizens of that part of the county in which he lives. His business connections and the suffrages of the people are the best tests of the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow-townsmen. When at the age of twenty-one years he was elected a school director, and in April, 1884, was re-elected for the ninth term, of three years each, to the same office, and has been secretary of the board and district superintendent from his first election to the present time.

He has been for several years one of the board of managers of the Spring House and Hilltown Turn- pike Company, also one of the managers of the Line Lexington Fire Insurance Company. He has been one of the directors of the Stony Creek Railroad Com- pany for fifteen years, secretary of the Self-Defense Horse Company " of Line Lexington for twenty-three years, a trustee of the Hilltown Baptist Church for twenty-five years, and was a member of the State Legislature for the sessions of 1871, 1872 and 1873, and also held the office of assistant assessor of inter-

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 189

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