History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 204

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 204

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).

Mr. Miles was in his youth, for a number of years, a teacher of vocal music in the counties of Mont- gomery and Delaware, and in that vocation he real- ized profits amounting to a very considerable sum, which aided him materially in his later business. Energy, industry and perseverance have always been among his leading traits, and by the exercise of them,

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LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP.

together with his excellent judgment, he has amassed township, at the place now known as Ardmore, where he has lived from his birth until the present time. He was the eldest of a family of seven children,- four sons and three daughters. All the latter are still living, and two of the sons survive,-viz., William and his brother Charles, who resides in the State of Kentucky. an estate more than ample for all his needs and re- quirements. From the time of reaching his majority he was a member of the old Whig party until it ceased to exist, and from that time to the present he lias been a no less steadfast supporter of its Republican successor on all national questions and measures. He is, however, no partisan politician, and has never beld Like other boys of his age and time, William Sib- ley attended the common schools of the neighbor- hood, which furnished all his means of education, or sought office. He is an attendant of the services of the Lower Merion Baptist Church, at Bryn Mawr, and is one of its trustees, though not a member of the : except such as he found in a three years' course of

religious organization. He has been also one of the vestrymen of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, at Bryn Mawr.

In November, 1851, Mr. Miles was married to Broades, of Lower Merion township. They have had two children,-Mary, who died September 12, 1879, at the age of twenty-six years, and Meta, who died of diphtheria in childhood.

WILLIAM SIBLEY.

William Sibley, son of Jacob and Catharine (Good- man) Sibley, was born July 16, 1810, in Lower Merion

study under the Hon. Joseph Fornance, afterwards a noted lawyer of Norristown, in which he acquired a thorough knowledge of mathematics, land-surveying and such matters of law as are necessary to the suc- After the close of this study under Mr. Fornance he commenced the business of teaching, and continued in that calling about six years, his school being taught during the last half of that period in a stone house which he built for the purpose in 1833. At the close of his school-teaching this house was changed into a dwelling, and has been occupied by him as his residence for nearly fifty years.

Anna Broades, daughter of Richard and Mary | cessful prosecution of the business of a conveyancer.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

About 1836, Mr. Sibley commenced business as a land-surveyor and conveyancer, in which he has con- tinued from that time to the present,-a period of nearly half a century,-during which he has surveyed the greater part of the lands in Lower Merion, as also a large proportion of those in the other lower town- ships of Montgomery and Chester Counties and many in the city of Philadelphia, and has drawn more than three thousand conveyances, giving general satisfac- tion and gaining the entire confidence of the commu- nity by constant adherence to the principle which he determined on iu his youth,-to do exact justice to every one according to the best of his ability, without fear or favor.

ley, born August 18, 1847, and Anna Catharine Sibley, born May 25, 1849, and now the wife of James B. Law, who served as a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly for the term succeeding liis election to that office in 1876.

SAMUEL LEVIS ROBESON.

Samuel Levis Robeson, the youngest of the five children of Samuel Levis Robeson, Sr., and his wife, Margaret Wunder, was born June 28, 1829, in Lower Merion township, on his father's farm, which, a half century earlier, had been the property of his great-grand- father, John Robeson, who, on the 1st of December, 1863 purchased the tract (one hundred and fifty-two acres) of

Samuel & Polerow

Mr. Sibley held the office of justice of the peace for [ Edward and John Roberts, executors of the estate of five years (1855-60) and served as school director Robert Roberts. John Robeson conveyed it by deed, dated October 1, 1791, to his son, Jonathan Robeson, by whom it was occupied during all his lifetime. At his death the property passed by inheritance to his son, Samuel L. Robeson, Sr., who owned it nearly half a century, and on the 14th of June, 1872, sold it to James Sawyer, of Vineland, N. J., who, in turn, sold to James and Joseph Butler, the first-named of whom is its present occupant and owner. twenty-six years, being treasurer of the board during the last sixteen years,-viz., from 1853 to 1869. At the end of that long term of service he declined to hold the position longer, though solicited to do so. For several years he was one of the trustees of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and also secre- tary of the board ; and he has been a supporter of the church, though not a member of the religious organi- zation.

William Sibley was married, in 1839, to Catharine, daughter of Baltus Whiteman, of Athensville (now Ardmore). Their children are Thomas Jefferson Sib-

Of John Robeson, the ancestor, no record has been found. Jonathan, son of John and Ann Robeson, " was born 4th day of Ninth Month, 1745, O. S.," and died February 22, 1825, in the eightieth year of his

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LOWER SALFORD TOWNSHIP.

age. Samuel L. Robeson, the eller son of Jonathan Northeast Branch flows near its western boundary nearly four miles, receiving Indian Creek as a tribu- tary. The Skippack has a course of two miles across its eastern corner. Into that stream Little Branch empties just outside the township, but near its south- ern boundary. These streams all furnish mill-power, which, in seasons of drought, through the want of unfailing springs, become seriously impaired. It is no unusual circumstance for the Skippack, although it has its origin in Bucks County, over five miles dis- tant, to become entirely dried up a short distance above Mainland. and Hannah Robeson, was born on the 18th day of the Seventh Month, A.D. 1789, and died April 16, 1875. His wife, Margaret Wunder, was born October 24, 1796, and died February 16, 1881, in the eighty- sixth year of her age. The five children of these parents were : First, Jonathan Robeson, born Febru- ary 3, 1817 ; studied medieine and surgery in Phila- delphia, under Dr. McClellan, father of Major- General George B. MeClellan ; was graduated at Jef- ferson Medical College, March 8, 1838; died in his twenty-fifth year, in Hyde County, N. C., October 20, 1841. Second, Mary W. Robeson, born June 3, 1819, The principal public improvement in Lower Sal- ford is the Sumneytown and Spring House turnpike, died, unmarried, October 2, 1882. Third, Amanda Robeson, born December 25, 1821. Fourth, George | finished in 1848, which passes across the entire Riter Robeson, born November 8, 1824. Fifth, Samuel Levis Robeson, born in 1829, as before stated, and now (as for many years past) living on a prop- erty of twenty-six acres of land, located near the centre of Lower Merion township, on Mill Creek, and adjoining the farm of his brother, George R. Robeson, the two tracts having been originally embraced in one of about fifty-five acres, which was purchased by their father from Mary McClenachan, in April, 1844, it being part of a tract belonging to the estate of John Roberts, which was forfeited under the confiscation act of March 6, 1778. breadth of the township for a distance of nearly five miles. The turnpike from Lederachsville to Harleys- ville, one and a half miles in length, was completed in 1868, and from the latter place to Souderton, on the North Pennsylvania Railroad, in 1865. The vil- lages are Harleysville, Lederachsville and Mainland, each possessing a post-office. The population of Lower Salford, in 1800, was 524; in 1840, 1141; and in 1880, 1828. The real estate for taxable purposes, in 1882, was valued at $1,059,225, and including the personal property, $1,220,218, the aggregate per tax- able being $2711. In 1883 three hotels, four general stores, three jewelers, one boot and shoc, one hard- ware and one stove-store, one confectioner, one dealer in sewing-machines and three in flour and feed, were licensed. In 1858 the township contained only three stores. The public schools are ten in number, five months open, with an average attendance of three hundred and sixty pupils for the school year end- ing June 1, 1882. The census of 1850 returned 234 families, 234 houses and 136 farms. There are three houses of worship, belonging, respectively, to the Mennonites, Dunkards and Schwenkfelders. Three creameries have been recently established,-at Har- leysville, Skippack Creek and Willow Dale.

Samuel L. Robeson is not a member of any church or meeting, but his affiliations are with the Society of Friends. He has never been a politieian, and instead of seeking, he has avoided the holding of public office." He has always been engaged more or less extensively in the business of farming, to which, for nearly thirty years (1853-1882), he added that of dealer in lumber, being the owner of a good saw-mill on Mill Creek near his residence. On the 24th of June, 1858, he married Louisa E., daughter of Jesse and Esther Thomas, of Lower Merion. Her father, Jesse Thomas, died March 21, 1882; his wife, Esther, died fourteen years earlier, February 14, 1868.

CHAPTER LXI.

LOWER SALFORD.1

THIS may be regarded as one of the central town- ships of the county, and is bounded on the north and northwest by Franconia ; south, by Perkiomen; northwest, by Upper Salford; and southeast, by Towamencin. In form it is nearly square, the great- est length and width being about four and a half miles, with an area of eight thousand nine hundred and thirty-six acres. The surface is rolling, and the soil red shale and loam. It is a fertile and productive township, under good cultiva- tion and abounds in excellent farm buildlings. The

Salford was formed into a township in 1727, if not earlier, and then comprised thirty thousand acres of land. The name was given to it from a town and several parishes of this name in England. By order of the Court of Quarter Sessions, in March, 1741, its terri- tory was divided into the townships of Lower Salford, Upper Salford and Marlborough. The bounds of the former are thus described, ---

" Beginning at a post in a line of Perkiomen and Skippack town- ships ; thence by the same N. W. 685 perches to a Black Oak ; thence by the same S. W. 86 perches to a Thorn Tree ; thence by the same N. W. 204 perches to a post at a corner of Upper Salford township; thence by the same N. E. 126 perches to a post ; thence by the same S. E. 2 perches to a post ; thence by the same N. E. 78 perches to a stone ; thence hy the sanie N. W. 18 perches to a post ; thence by the same N. E. 772 perches to a post ; thence by the same N. W. 89 perches to a White Oak ; thence by the same North East 165 perches to a post in a line of Franconia township ; thence by the same S. E. 886 perches to a post ; thence by the same N. E. 145 perches to a White Oak ; thence by the same S. E. 384 perches to a post at a corner of Towamencing township ; thence by the same S. W. 1233 perches to the place of beginning, containing >165 acres."

1 By Wm. J. Buck,

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

These boundaries do not quite agree with the pres- ent representations of the township on maps. The angle given about a mile north of Harleysville, on the Franconia line, in the aforesaid bounds has no exist- ence, and then again we find several on the Perkio- men and Upper Salford line that have not been no- ticed. The fact becomes more and more apparent that there should be resurveys made of the townships and draughts thereof recorded, as well as monuments, planted at all boundary angles to save future dis- putes, particularly in the duties of township officials.

There is no doubt that some settlement was made in the township prior to any actual surveys or purchase. The earliest known was a warrant granted September 10, 1717, to David Powel, of Philadelphia, for three thousand acres of land, to be located between the "Skepeck " and a branch of the " Parkyooman." This whole tract was very irregular in shape, and from it six hundred and ninety aeres, located on the Northeast Branch, were sold to Garret Clemens, February 14, 1717-18. It has been supposed that Gabriel Shuler was one of the earliest settlers; his purchase from the Powel tract was five hun- dred acres, which has now become divided into no less than eleven portions. Henry Ruth came from New Britain, Bucks Co., and purchased, August 15, 1719, two hundred acres, and John Isaac Klein's purchase comprised two hundred and fifty acres. Claus Johnson, of Bebber's township, obtained two hundred and seven acres, and Conrad Custer about the same number; Hans Reiff, two hundred and forty. three aeres; Andrew Lederach, about one hundred and twenty ; John Lederach, one hundred and fifty ; and Dillman Kulp about three hundred acres, which may have comprised the whole of Mr. Powel's original purchase. Claus Johnson and his wife, Catharine, "for the good will they bore to their son," John Johnson, granted unto him their aforesaid pur- chase.

On the 5th of Third Month, 1719, a warrant was granted to Humphrey Morrow and John Budd direet- ing Jacob Taylor, surveyor-general, to survey for them nineteen hundred and twenty aeres, as a part of a five thousand acre purchase. They con- veyed, April 4 and 5, 1720, to Derrick Johnson or Janson, five hundred acres of the tract, and the latter sold to Dillman Kulp, of Salford, January 4, 1721, two hundred and twenty-five acres. Nicholas Scull conveyed to Andrew Lederach, April 2, 1728, one hundred and seven acres, adjoining his other land, and extending up to the northwest side of the present Lederachsville. Derrick Johnson's tract was located at or near Indian Creek, and at a subsequent date five hundred and fifty acres more were granted him, being in all ten hundred and fifty acres. The southern corner of this traet was very near the Salford Mennonite Meeting-house, extending up along both sides of that stream to the Franconia line. Of this tract three hundred acres were still in his possession

at his death, about 1755. These lands he bequeathed to his son, Richard Johnson, and the latter devised them to his sister, Catharine Wister, probably Caspar Wister's wife, whose name was Catharine. The latter afterwards bequeatbed it to her two daughters, Cath- arine Greenleaf and Rebecca, wife of Samuel Morris, who sold off portions of it as late as 1790.

In 1730, Caspar Wister and John Johnson purchased a tract of one thousand acres of Charles Reid, sheriff' of Philadelphia, which was situated in the east corner of the township, extending from the Towamencin line towards Franconia, but on the north side of the present pike. it being watered by the Skippack Creek. One of the purchasers from the aforesaid was Hans George Delp, whose tract has also since become pretty well divided into smaller portions. Samuel Powel secured a grant, in 1721, in the south corner of the township. From him Jacob Reiff' purchased five hundred and forty-six acres, and his brother, George Reiff, one hundred and sixty acres from the latter, ou which they respectively settled and made the first in- provements. Hans or John Reiff made his purchase from David Powel in 1718, and it is supposed that they, Gabriel Schuler and Henry Ruth, were among the earliest settlers in this section. Jacob Price or Preus was a purchaser, in 1720, of two hundred acres from Derrick Johnson, on Indian Creek, where he settled in 1721. The aforesaid list, though it may not be quite complete, will comprise the earliest purchases and set- tlers in the township.

To the diligent investigations of James Y. Heck- ler, near Harleysville, the writer is under great obli- gations for matters connected with this township's history, especially for locating the purchases and residences of its early settlers. Thus, from the list of 1734, the following have been assigned to Lower Sal- ford, though the township was not divided until seven years later, the whole containing sixty-three names: Garret Clemmens, 150 acres; Jacob Cleni- mens, 100; John Clemmens, 50; Christian Allebach, 150; Henry Ruth, 100; Gabriel Schuler, 150; Hans Reiff, 100; Jacob Reiff, 150; George Reiff, 100; An- drew Lederach, 150; John Lederach, 150; Jacob Hoffman, 100; Nicholas Haldeman, 100; Christian Croll, 50; Christian Moyer, Jacob Price, 150; John Henry Snyder, 100; John Johnson, 150; Dillman Kulp, 150; John Isaac Klein, 130; Henry Slingluff, 50; Hans George Boochard, 100; Andrew Swartz, 150; Christian Stauffer, 120; Jacob Landis, 150; Galy Iletilyfinger, 150; Hans Clemmer, 100; John Vincent Meyer, 100 ; Hans Meyer, 150; John Scholl, 100 acres. The descendants of the Price, Clemmens, Johnson, Clemmer, Lederach, Kulp, Reiff, Croll, Allebach, Moyer and Landis families still hold lands in the township.

Gabriel Schuler settled on his tract, nearly a mile south of Harleysville, beside the Little Branch, now the property of G. D. Alderfer. His original pur- chase is stated to have been five hundred acres. In

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LOWER SALFORD TOWNSHIP.

1734 his land was represented to be one hundred and fifty acres. He appears to have been a mechanic, and made the pulpit of the old Goshenhoppen Church, which about 1747, he presented to the congregation of which he was a member. The road through the present Harleysville which was opened in 1735 to Gwynedd, passed by his honse, which induced him, some time before 1758, to open a public-house which was kept by him for some time. The property de- scended to his son, Gabriel Schuler, Jr., who was rated in 1776 as holding one hundred and ninety acres, and keeping three horses and five head of cattle.

Jacob Price, or Preus, was a preacher among the Dunkards or German Baptists in Germany, and came from Witgenstein, in 1719, in company, it is stated, with Henry Slingluff. After a brief stay at German- town with those of their denomination, he removed, in 1721, to his purchase by Indian Creek, in this township, which, in 1734, is represented to be one hundred and fifty acres. He soon erected a saw- mill on that stream, and did an extensive business. There has since been added a chopping-mill and later a grist-mill, owned now by J. K. Shutt. His son John married and settled down here, and had two sons,-Daniel and John. The latter moved to Franklin County, Pa., in early life. Daniel had thirteen children, of whom five sons and two daughters left descendants; their names being John, George, Henry, William, Daniel, Elizabeth and Hannah. Elizabeth was married to Jacob Weidner, and Han- nah to John Clemmens. The aforesaid Daniel Price was rated in 1776 as holding three hundred and forty- five acres. The Price family has produced no less than seventeen ministers in the Dunkard Church. John Price, son of Jacob, was a poet as well as a minister, Christopher Saur, of Germantown, having published, in 1753, a small collection of his hymns. Elder William W. Price, wbo was born in 1789 on a part of the old homestead, in 1814 became a minis- ter, which position he retained until his death, in 1849. He was the author of a number of German hymns, besides translating from the English some of the most popular, which were collected and published by J. E. Pfautz, at Ephrata, in 1838.

Jacob Reiff. who was one of the founders of the Reformed Church of Lower Salford in 1727, was born November 15, 1698, and was, most probably, the son of Hans George Reiff, who purchased two hundred acres of Henry Pennepacker, in 1724, and died in 1727. His widow died January 8, 1753, aged nearly ninety-one years. The aforesaid tract was situated in the southern corner of the township, and since been divided into four or five portions, the home- stead being now owned by .I. R. Tyson, a descendant of the family.

The Jacob Reiff mentioned was an enterprising man, and did much to improve this section of the country. His purchase, made in 1727, it is supposed, comprised about three hundred and eighty-six acres, and lay

adjoining the Towamencin line. Ile erected, about. 1743, a grist-mill, thirty by sixty feet in size, near the mouth of the Little Branch, the race-way being nearly a mile in length. Jacob Reiff' died February 16, 1782, aged upwards of eighty-three years ; Anna, his wife, died October 28, 1788, aged seventy-nine. They were interred with the rest of the family in the burying-ground of the old Skippack Mennonite Meet- ing-house. He had sons, Jacob and George, and a daughter Catharine. Jacob Reiff, Jr., was born June 18, 1734, and married Catharine Schneider in August, 1756. They had seven children, -lacob, John, Cath- arine, George, Elizabeth, Anna and Benjamin. John married Elizabeth, daughter of Christian Funk, and built what was known as the Funk Meeting-house, in 1814. They had three children,-John, Elizabeth and Mary. The latter John married a Miss Price, who was a member of the Indian Creek Dunkard Meeting. Both the aforesaid John Reiffs owned and resided at the mill. The latter bequeathed the meet- ing-house near his residence, but over the Towamencin line, to the Dunkards, who still retain it as a place of worship. Ile died about 1836-37, and the mill and farm descended to his son, Henry Reiff, who, through mismanagement, was compelled to part with it after so long a possession in the family, and it was purchased by Jacob Allebach, about 1839. In 1860 the mill was rebuilt and greatly improved, and in 1877 Joseph K. Nyce, the present owner, added a steam-engine, which is, however, only used in the dryest sea- sons. In the assessment of 1776 we find Jacob Reiff, Jr., rated on two hundred and seventy-five acres, having eight children, two negroes, five horses and nine cattle, and thirty acres in Towamencin. George Reiff, brother of the aforesaid, was rated on two hun- dred acres, one servant, four horses and six cattle. The aforesaid Jacoh Reiff, Jr., was the assessor of Lower Salford in 1776, and died February 25, 1816, aged eighty-one years, eight months and seven days ; his wife, Catharine, died September 18, 1811, aged up- wards of seventy-four years. George Reiff died Jan- uary 24, 1808, and his wife, Elizabeth, June 25, 1817 aged seventy-seven years. Benjamin, son of Jacob Reiff, Jr., represented the county in the Assembly for seven years. The Reiffs have been an energetic family in Montgomery County, of whom a number have been millers.

Among the Germans who settled in Germantown may be mentioned Rudolph Harley, who had a son Rudolph, born in 1719, who married Mary, daugh- ter of Peter Becker, of Germantown. They had thirteen children,-John, born 1741; Joanna, 1743; Lena, 1745 ; Maria, 1747 ; Rudolph, 1749; Elizabeth, 1750; Jacob, 1752; Henry, 1754 ; Sarah, 1756 ; Samuel, 1758; Joseph, 1760; Margaretta, 1762; and Abraham in 1765. Rudolph married Barbara Buch ; Samnel married Catharine, daughter of Christopher Saur, of Germantown; Joseph married Catharine Reiff, and Abraham, Christiana Geisz. Samuel, the fifth son of

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Rudolph, had ten children,-Daniel, born in 1787; Samuel, 1788; Mary, mother of Abraham H. Cassel, 1789; Sarah, 1791; John, 1792; Catharine, 1793; Joseph, 1795; Elizabeth, 1797; besides Jacob and Abraham. In the assessment of 1776, Rudolph Har- ley is rated as holding two hundred and sixty acres of land, four horses and eight cattle; Rudolph Harley, Jr., three horses and six cattle ; and Jacob as a single man. Samuel Harley, the son of Rudolph of the second generation, was born in 1758, and was the founder of Harleysville, to which place he moved about 1790. The property here came into possession of his son, Abraham Harley, who kept the hotel, at which the township elections were held, and had the post-office established.

Christopher Kriebel and his wife, Maria, arrived in Pennsylvania in 1734, with their children,-George, Susanna, Christopher, Anna, Maria and Rosina. He died May 14, 1741. George Kriebel married Susanna, daughter of Balthasar and Regina Yeakel, Novem- ber 25, 1740. Their children were George and Andrew. He died September 2, 1778, aged sixty-three years. Christopher Kriebel married Maria, daughter of George Dresher, August 10, 1748. Their children were Abra- ham, Rosina, Jeremiah, Anna and Susanna. He died December 3, 1800, aged eighty years. In the assess- ment of Lower Salford for 1776, Christopher Kriebel was rated for 120 acres; George Kriebel, 125; and Andrew Kriebel, 106 aeres.

Balthasar Heydrick and wife, Rosina, eame to Penn- sylvania in 1734. They had two sons, Christopher and George. The latter was born September 22, 1737, and married Rosina, daughter of Balthasar Krause, June 17, 1760. Their children were Susanna, Bal- thasar, Eve, Rosina and George. He was rated in the assessment of 1776, as holding one hundred acres. George died January 29, 1824, aged eighty-six years, and his wife, Rosina, October 29, 1828, aged ninety-one years and six months. He owned the place now occupied by Samuel Heydrick, near the eastern corner of the township.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 204

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