History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 200

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 200

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3 c. ; Martin Keeler, 200 a., 1 h., 3 c. ; Frederick Bingerman, 1 c. ; Peter Acker, 200 a., 2 h., 3 c. ; Jacob Winey, 40 a., 1 h., I c. ; Samuel Stetler, 66 a., 1 h., 1 c. ; Mathew Brooke, 350 a .. 3 negroes, 4 h., > c. an idiot son; Peter Aichner. inn-keeper, 150 a., 2 h., 2 c .; John Sheef, smith ; Valentine Kuntz, 100 a., 2 h., 3c .; John Keeley, 1h., 1c. ; sebastian Keeley's estate, 100 a. : Anthony Bitting, 60 a., 1 b., 1 c. ; Jacob Bern- hart, 100 a., 1 h., 2 c. ; Baltzer Maurer, 1 c. ; Michael Nenteenheltzer. 78 a., 1 h., 2 c .; Peter Saler, 50 a., 2 h., 2 c. ; Godfrey Longhane, 100 a., 1 h., 2 c. ; Ann Mary Miller, 100 a. ; John Kull, Ir. ; Godfrey saler, 1c. ; John Yawn, 100 a., 1 h., 2 c. : Conrad Teesenbacher, 100 a., 1 b., 2 c. : Jacob Peltz, 118 a., 1 h .. 2 c. ; Daniel Kraus : Conrad Acker, I c. : Adain Kulb, 150 a., 1 h., 1c .; James Evans, joinar, 170 H., 1 h., 2 c. ; Matthias Koplin, I c. ; George Evans, Jr., 230 a., 1 negro, 2 h., 5 c., maintains his mother ; Hartman Haas, HM) a., 2 h., 3 c., 9 children ; David Paul, JO a., 2 h., 3 c. : Abraham Paul, 80 a .. 2 h., 3 c. ; Michael Moyer, 1001 a., 2 h., 3 c ; Jeremiah Weiser, 100 a., 1 b., 1 c .; John Heffelfinger, 117 a., 2 h., 2c. : Frederick Koons. 100 a., 1 h., 2 c .; John Diteer ; John f'ole. 20 a., 1 c. Single Men .- Barnabas ledinger, Chris- topher Rinhy, Mosts Banho, William Coulston, John ConIston. Abraham Poley, Henry Hooven, Benjamin Brnoke, Moses Hobson. Adam Henry, Thomas Brooke, Heury Longbane, Peter smith, Samuel Evans, Garret Ringaman, Henry Neiman, Adam Harris, Conrad Sheetz, William Jones.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

THOMAS B. EVANS.

The Evans family settled in Limerick township about the year 1716. William Evans, who emigrated from Wales in 1698 and located in Gwynedd town- ship, according to family tradition, removed to Limer- ick about 1715, though the deed for the lands of his family was made to his widow, Ann Evans, (or Evan), is dated January 16, 1716, and was executed by Tobias Collett, Daniel Quare and Henry Gouldney, of Lon- don, conveying four hundred acres of land in Limer- ick township. A large part of this land has been continuously in the possession of the Evans family since that date.

William Evans had three sons,-Owen, George and William. Owen Evans, of this number, had three sons,-David, Thomas and Benjamin, of whom David Evans had one son, Owen, and daughters,-Sarah, wife of James Garrett, of Robison township, Berks Co., and Mary, wite of Amos Evans, of Limerick. By his will, probated in 1800, he devised the above traet of land to his son Owen, who married Rachel, daughter of John Brooke, and had five sons,-John, David, Matthew, Robert and Thomas. He divided his farm into four parts, and gave one part each to David, Matthew and Thomas, and the children of Robert, then deceased.

Thomas Brooke Evans was born on the old Evans homestead, in Limerick township, in the house now owned by Charles W. Reid, April 21, 1809. He re- ceived ordinary advantages of education, and after- wards taught school for a brief period. He then learned the trade of a tanner, with William Snyder, at Falconer's Swamp, and soon after concluding his apprenticeship, engaged in the tanning business on his own account in Limerick township, removing to Knauertown, Chester Co., April 1, 1834, where he

920

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

embarked in the same business. He married Mary justice of the peace, living on the farm in Limerick ; Ann, daughter of Daniel and Mary (née Kendall) Mary Elizabeth, who married Frank Saylor, and re- sides in St. Louis, Mo .; Charlotte Evans, who lives with her mother in Limerick; Emma, who married Garret E. Brownback, and resides near Limerick Station ; Montgomery Evans, lawyer at Norristown ; and Zella, whose death occurred a few weeks after her father's. Two other children, Frank and Mont- gomery, died in youth. Schwenk, on the 9th of November, 1834, and April 1, 1838, returned to Limerick township, and the next vear erected the farm buildings on land allotted to him by his father, and now owned by R. Brooke Evans. In the fall of that year he removed to the farın, remaining until March 28, 1856, when he removed to a house built by him near Davis's school-house, and there remained until his death, December 13, 1863, after an illness of more than two years. Mr. Evans DAVID EVANS. was a public-spirited citizen. He held the office of The grandfather of the subject of this biographical school director for many years, was justice of the ! sketch was David Evans, his parents being Owen and

Shorts. Evans

peace from 1841 to 1861, clerk for the county com- missioners for twenty years, and for the directors of the poor for about the same period. He was a skillful accountant, a careful business man, and held many positions of pecuniary trust.

He was a man of excellent judgment, very firm in his conclusions and accurate and concise in speech. Influential in his neighborhood, his opinions were regarded with deterence both in business and politics.

The surviving members of Mr. Evans' family are his widow, and children,-R. Brooke Evans, a farmer and

Rachel Evans, all of whom were born and spent their lives in Limerick township on the farm part of which is occupied by John Evans. David Evans was born in 1802 in Limerick township, where, with the excep- tion of a brief period, his whole life was spent. He received in youth such advantages of education as the primitive schools of the day afforded, after which his services were required upon the farm, where he became proficient in all departments of labor. His father having become the owner of a tract of produc- tive land in Limerick township embracing four hun-

921

LIMERICK TOWNSHIP.

dred acres, divided it equally among his sons. David received his portion and at once began a successful career as a farmer. He added to the dimensions of this property by purchase, and continued during his lifetime to reside upon it. He was married to Phebe, daughter of Abner Barlow, of Limerick township, and their children were Amos (who died in youth) and Rebecca (who married Samuel Kulp and is still living in Iowa). He married, a second time, Mrs. Susanna Barlow, daughter of John Hollowbush, of Limerick township, whose children are Owen, John, Emily (deceased) and Anne (who married John Frey

HENRY S. WALT.

Mr. Walt is of German descent, his grandfather, Henry Walt, having emigrated with his wife, Cath- arine, from the Fatherland. Among their children was Andrew, who resided in Upper Salford township, Montgomery Co., where the major portion of his life was spent as a farmer. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Abram Schwenk, whose children were Catharine (MIrs. Jacob Smith), Elizabeth (Mrs. D. Reifsnyder), Abram, Mary (Mrs. George Brandt), Henry S., Sam- uel, Fanny (Mrs. Abram Anderson) and Jacob. Henry 8. Walt was born on the 6th of December. 1806, in

David Evans

Upper Salford township, where he remained until his removal to Limerick, at the age of fourteen years. His father's death when the lad was a school-boy rendered his educational opportunities very limited, and made his presence upon the farm invaluable, the sessions of 1848, 1849 and 1850, and being ap- ; as the chief dependence of his widowed mother.

and is now deceased). Mr. Evans, while assiduous in his attention to private interests, found time to devote to affairs involving the public good. He was, as a Democrat, chosen to represent his con- stituents in the State Legislature, serving during pointed on various important committees. He was also a member of the board of directors of the Read- ing Turnpike Company. Mr. Evans, during his active life, bore a reputation for honor and purity of character, which inspired confidence and caused him frequently to be appointed to positions of trust, which were filled not less with fidelity than with signal ability.

His death, which occurred in December, 1872, was sincerely depłored.

After renting the homestead farm for two years he removed to another belonging to his grandfather Schwenk in Skippack, Montgomery Co., the land of which he cultivated for ten years. In 1842, desiring to be more independent than was possible as a renter, he purchased his present home in Limerick township. This he cultivated and improved, de- voting a period of thirty years to the employments of a farmer.

In the year 1872, having retired from the labor

922

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

and responsibility 1 .volved, his son became the owner, by purchase, of the property.

Mr. Walt was, on the 26th of March, 1829, married to Elizabeth, daughter of Abram Stauffer, of Lim- erick tow ship, and has children,-Esther Ann (Mrs. Josiah I.vans), Elizabeth (Mrs. Augustus Kehl) Matthew, Ann Jemima (Mrs. Jeremiah Kranse), Henry, Andrew, Sarah Ann, Abram, Mary M. (Mrs. B. F. Dismant) and J. Warren. Mr. Walt is a Republican in politics, and has served as school director of his township. He has for half a century,

he purchased the farm still held by his family. In 1834-35 he built the mansion to which, for a number of years, his family came out in the summer season, and now occupied by his grandson, T. Richard Hood. the only living descendant of his name. He called this place "Bessie Bell," the name of a small emi- nence near his native home.

He was married, in 1805, to Eliza Forebaugh, who was of German descent ; they had twelve children.

Mr. Hood's health was broken, in 1840, by the death of his son, Washington Hood, captain of topo-

Henry & walt

been identified with St. James' Lutheran Church of Limerick, as elder, deacon and treasurer.

JOHN M'CLELLAN HOOD.

John McClellan Hood was born at Newton Stewart, County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1778.

He came to this country in 1799, settled in Phila- delphia and was engaged in the wholesale grocery business,-the firm of Hood & Hamilton, and after- wards Hood & Wilson.

Leaving the city when the yellow fever prevailed, he was so pleased with the beauties of Limerick that

graphical engineers, who, in the prime of life, con- tracted his last illness in the service of the govern- ment while laying out the boundaries of the far Western States. 8

Mr. Hood died in 1848, an ardent Presbyterian in his religious belief. He was always strongly attached to and proud of his native land.

DANIEL KENDALL.

Joseph Kendall, the great-grandfather of Daniel Kendall, resided in Philadelphia County. His chil- dren were six in number,-John, Joseph, William,

JOHN M'CLELLAN HOOD.

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LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP.

arenry, Mrs. Bingaman and Mrs. Koons, of whom healthful pursuits of a farmer until 1873, when, after Joseph and Henry settled in Limerick township. ; a short interval, he made Norristown his residence. Henry, who was born in 1751, followed the occupa- Mr. Kendall was married, on the 10th of April, 1884, to Priscilla J. Heustis, a lady of English parentage. In politics Mr. Kendall was formerly a Republican, but has recently supported the Prohibition party. He has never been an active worker in the political field, though frequently a delegate to county conven- tions. Mr. Kendall's sympathies are with the Pres- byterian Church, of which Mrs. Kendall is a member. tions of a farmer in the latter township, and was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary Lane Stahl, to whom was born one son, Joseph, on the 24th of April, 1789, ! at the homestead in Limerick township. The latter remained a resident of this township, where he en- gaged in farming pursuits during his active life. He married, in 1808, Miss Anna March, of the same

Daniel Kendall

township, whose children are Mary, deceased, Catha- CHAPTER LX. rine (Mrs. A. Hunsberger), Elizabeth (Mrs. David Miller), Henry, Joseph, Daniel and Anna. The LOWER MERION.1 married life of Joseph Kendall and his wife extended over a period of nearly sixty years, and all their chil- THIS township is bounded on the north and east by the Schuylkill, on the northwest by Upper Merion and the borongh of West Conshohocken, southeast by Philadelphia, and south and southwest by Delaware dren, with the exception of the eldest, still survive. Daniel was born in Limerick on the 3d of January, 1820, and during his boyhood became a pupil of the neighboring school, after which he engaged with his . County. Its greatest length is six and a half miles, with a width of four miles, embracing an area of fourteen thousand five hundred acres. In its situation it is the most southerly in the county, and the greatest in ex-

father in the labor of the farm, remaining thus oc- cupied until the death of the latter, in February, 1868. Having for some years worked the estate on shares, he ultimately became the owner of the home- stead by inheritance, and continued to follow the

1 By Wm. J. Buck.

924

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

tent and population. By the erection of West Con- shohocken into a borough, in 1874, its territory was reduced about two hundred and fifty acres. The sur- face is generally rolling, the highest elevation being near West Conshohocken, rising probably three hundred and fifty feet above the Schuylkill, and at the cemetery to the rear of Pencoyd two hundred and twenty-five feet, the most level portion being in the vicinity of Ardmore. The soil is generally a produc- tive loam, approaching a stiff clay only in the vicinity of Bryn Mawr. Extending through its breadth is a belt of serpentine, accompanied by steatite or soap- stone, which is quarried on the Schuylkill, a mile above Mill Creek. In connection with the aforesaid formation, tale, dolomite and some other kinds of stone abound.

The surface of this township is agreeably diversified by a number of beautiful streams, thirteen of which empty, within its borders, into the Schuylkill. Though none are large, yet several furnish valuable water-power. So well is Lower Merion watered that scarcely a large farm can be found which does not contain one or more excellent springs of living water. Mill Creek is the largest stream, and lies wholly within the limits of the township. It has its source near the Green Tree Tavern, on the Gulf road, and is a winding, rapid stream, about six miles in length. In this distance it receives fourteen small streams, and a line of steep hills marks most of its course, but none are over one hundred feet above its surface. It was noted for its paper-mills before the Revolution. Nicholas Scull mentions on it, in 1758, " Roberts' grist and paper-mills." In 1858 it propelled the machinery of one plaster, two grist and two saw-mills, besides ; eleven manufactories. The Merion Cotton-Mill, with nine hundred and forty spindles, was propelled by it before 1822. Trout Run, a branch of Mill Creek, has a course of about two miles, and has received this name from the fish found in it from an early period. In the south part of the township the east and west branches of Indian Creek have their origin; also a branch of Cobb's Creek. Rock Hill Creek and Frog Hollow Run are rapid streams, from one to two miles long, that empty into the Schuylkill opposite Manayunk.

general stores were licensed, besides two lu. H i and two coal-yards. The villages are Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Pencoyd, Wynnewood, Academy, Merion, Rose Glen, Libertyville and West Manayunk, the first seven containing post-offices. Previous to 1830 there was not a post-office in the township. In 1851 thenumber was only two,-General Wayne and Lower Merion. The public schools are fourteen in number, open ten months, and for the school year ending June 1, 1882, had an average daily attendance of 538 pupils. The churches are ten, belonging to seven re- ligious denominations, of which the Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Methodist Episcopal have each two. The census of 1850 returned 613 families, re- siding in 588 dwelling-houses, and 195 farms. Ac- cording to the census of 1870, this was the only town- ship in Pennsylvania where the farm value rated above four million dollars.

The turnpike road leading from Philadelphia to Lancaster passes through Lower Merion a distance of four and a half miles. It is said to have been the first road of the kind constructed in America, and was commenced in 1792 and completed within two years after that date. It is kept in admirable repair, and passes through Ardmore and Bryn Mawr. The Penn- sylvania Railroad has a course of six miles and four tracks, with stations at Overbrook, on the city line, Merion, Elm, Wynnewood, Ardmore, Haverford Col- lege and Bryn Mawr. This road was opened for travel to Columbia in March, 1834, and to Pittsburgh in 1854, a distance then of three hundred and ninety-three miles. The Reading Railroad follows the Schuylkill the entire length of the township, a distance of seven and a half miles. It was incorporated in 1833, placed under contract the following year and finished in 1839. Nearly a mile above West Manyunk is Flat Rock tunnel, nine hundred and sixty feet in length, made through solid rock, at a depth of ninety-five feet below the surface. The stations of this road are Pencoyd, West Manayunk, Mill Creek (lately changed to Rose Glen) and Spring Mill Heights. The Schuyl- kill Valley Railroad was opened for travel from the city to Manayunk May 12, 1884, a distance of eight miles from Broad Street Station. The stations are Bala, on the city line, and West Laurel Hill. It crosses the river below West Manayunk on a bridge about one-third of a mile long and ninety feet above the water. The view afforded to passengers in look- ing up or down the valley is grand. The first tele-

As may be well supposed, from its extent and loca- tion near a great city, it must possess a considerable population and valuable improvements. The census of 1800 mentions 1422 inhabitants; in 1840, 2827 ; in 1860, 4423 ; and in 1880, 6287, denoting a rapid in- crease. As the township contains abont 23 square | graph line between Philadelphia and Lancaster was miles, its present population is 270 to the square mile. established through this township in 1850. In the assessment of 1882, 1508 taxables were returned, Bryn Mawr is regarded as the most populous place in Lower Merion, and is supposed to contain about three hundred houses within a radius of a mile of its station. Except the older portion on the Lancaster pike, it presents to the stranger the appearance of a scattered collection of country-seats. That it has considerably increased in population may be judged from its containing in 1858 only twenty-one houses, and 863 horses and 1536 cattle. The real estate is valued at $4,566,499, and including the personal $4,- 848,969, being equivalent to $3212 per taxable, being in point of average wealth the ninth in the county. In 1883 nine hotels, two restaurants, two confection- ery, two dry-goods, three drug, one stove, one grocery, one provision, three flour and feed, and fourteen

925

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP.

and being then known as Humphreysville. It has an elevated situation, is nine miles from Philadelphia, and adjoins Delaware County. Lancaster and Mont- gomery Avenues and the Pennsylvania Railroad pass parallel to each other through its whole lengthi, the former containing the larger proportion of its build- ings. There are, besides, several other streets crossing in various directions. For years this vicinity has been a noted resort during the summer months for boarders from the city, at times estimated as high as two thousand. The hotel here is a spacious three- story stone building, belonging to a company, standing within handsome, inclosed grounds, and stated to possess accommodations for five hundred guests. Be- tween the hours of six A.M. and midnight twenty- seven passenger trains stop daily at the station going east and twenty-three west. The mail arrives daily three times from the east and departs for the city four times.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of St. Luke is a fine one-story Gothic building, with a steeple and stained-glass windows, situated at the corner of Mont- gomery Avenue and Penn Street, of which the Rev. J. D. Martin is pastor. The Presbyterian Church was organized in 1873, and a chapel erected of green-stone on Montgomery Avenue was dedicated April 16, 1874. A parsonage, built of hrick, was erected on the church lot, and on the 18th of December, 1884, the corner- stone of a church edifice was laid. The building is to be of stone, sixty-five by sixty-five feet. The Rev. William H. Miller was chosen pastor in 1874, and is still in charge. The church has a membership of about one hundred. Both churches have worship twice every Sunday and Sabbath-schools that meet at three o'clock P.M.

Temperance Hall is, a two-story stone building, the upper portion of which is used for society pur- poses. Here meet the American Star Council, No. 53, of O. U. A. M., Bryn Mawr Division, No. 10, of which these works are situated is denoted on Hill's S. of T., Bryn Mawr Loan and Building Association, and Bryn Mawr Cornet Band. Two weekly news- papers are issued here,-The News, by Frank A. Hower, established July 1, 1881, and the Home News by L. A. Black, originally founded by G. Frank Young, June 6, 1876. Bryn Mawr in the Welsh signifies the great hill, and was the home of Rowland Ellis, a noted scholar and minister among Friends, as well as of several other early settlers, situated near Dolgelly, the chief town of Merioneth.

Ardmore is on the Lancaster turnpike and Pennsyl- vania Railroad, seven miles from Philadelphia, sur- rounded by a level country. It contains nearly one hundred houses, two hotels, one grocery, two drug and three general stores, a Lutheran church, a steam planing-mill and shutter and door manufactory, car- ried on by Goodman & Brother, and one luniber and coal-yard. In Masonic Hall, Cassia Lodge, No. 273, F. and A. M., meets ; also Montgomery Chapter, No. 262, R. A. M. At Odd-Fellows' Hall, Banyan Tree

Lodge, No. 378, of I. O. O. F. The Lower Merion Building and Loan Association meets alternately here and at Merion Square. Haverford College, belonging to the Orthodox Friends, is only half a mile distant, in Delaware County. This village in 1858 contained only twenty-eight houses ; the census of 1880 gives it five hundred and nineteen inhabitants. The "Red Lion " tavern was established here before the Revolu- tion, and was kept by John Taylor over a quarter of a century, who disposed of it before 1840. Before the completion of the railroad it was a noted stopping- place for the large teams to the West, as many as fifty of them staying at one time overnight. This stand is still conducted as a public-house. This village was formerly called Athensville, and Cabinet post-office was established about 1852, but since changed to Ardmore. The Athens Institute and Library Associ- ation was incorporated here in 1855, but have lately sold their building and dissolved.

Pencoyd is situated a short distance above the city liue, on the Reading Railroad and Schuylkill River. The village comprises about seventy houses and con- tains a post-office, two stores and a hotel. Adjoining, to the rear, is West Laurel Hill Cemetery, comprising one hundred and ten acres, tastefully laid out into winding walks and planted with shrubbery. The railroad has a station here, and steamboats from Fair- mount ascend this far up the Schuylkill. The name was applied from the extensive rolling-mills here, belonging to A. & P. Roberts & Co., established in 1852, and contains fifteen double puddling furnaces, eleven heating furnaces, three forge-hammers, one rotary squeezer and four trains of rolls of from twelve to twenty-three inches in diameter. The products are channel-bars, beams, ties, angle-iron, hammered and rolled axles, har and bridge-iron. The annual capacity is twenty thousand net tons, and gives employment to upwards of five hundred hands. The tract of land on "Map of the Environs of Philadelphia," published in 1809, as belonging to "A. Roberts, Pencoed, 298 acres, [ settled 1684." A member of the firm stated to the writer, in September, 1883, that a portion of this land has never been out of the family since first taken up and settled upon by John Roberts, their ancestor, who arrived from Wales two centuries ago. The original płace of settlement was near by, and a part of the tract extended over the line into Philadelphia. Applica- tion was made in 1706 for a road from Merion Meet- ing-house to the present village, a distance of two and a half miles, " where a ferry was to be established." This, subsequently, was called Righter's ferry, author- ized in 1741.

West Manayunk is at the mouth of Rock Hill or Gully Creek, opposite Manayunk, with which it is connected by a bridge over the Schuylkill, built in 1833. There are here about twenty houses, several manufacturing establishments, a railroad-station and two stores. The Ashland Paper-Mills, S. A. Rudolph

926

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

& Son, proprietors, employ about ninety hands in the manufacture of printing-paper from rags, wood and straw. These works were founded in 1864, and have produced as higli as three million pounds of paper per annum. It is driven by three steam-engines, whose aggregate is two hundred and fifty horse-power, propelling Dixon's patent straw and wood digester, two pulp-dressers and seven paper-machines. Near by, up the creek, arc the woolen-mills of Mason Sebo- field and of John & James Dobson. The latter were not in operation in the fall of 1883. Ilere, in 1858, Samuel Grant, Jr., & Co., carried on the Ash- land Dye-Mills, and not far oth, at that date, were Isaac Wetherill's cotton-factory and Grimrod's grist-mill. A " Directory of 1850 " mentions in the township at that time S. Croft's brass-rolling mill, W. Chadwick's, S. L. Robeson's, J. Shaw's and J. Elliott's cotton manu- factories, W. H. Todd's woolen-mill and A. S. Nippes' rifle manufactory.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 200

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