USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 208
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The Revolution did not pass away without some excitement attending it, even in this small township. General MeDougal was encamped with his command, for a brief period, near the present Montgomeryville a short time before the battle of Germantown. A raid was made by some British mercenaries on the property of Jacob Reed and Isaac Wisler, in the
were afterwards allowed seventy pounds for damages. But the capture at or near Montgomery Square of a drove of one hundred and thirty cattle, collected in New York and the Eastern States, and then on the way to our starving soldiers at Valley Forge, by a detachment of British troops from Philadelphia, on the morning of February 24, 1778, was a pretty serious inatter at the time, one which Washington, in his correspondence, greatly deplored, though kept very quiet. It is presumed that as soon as the cattle had crossed the Delaware River and their destination was ascertained, spies informed the British; hence their sudden dash out here and return in safety with their prize and several prisoners to the city. From an advertisement of December 10, 1778, we ascertain that Hugh Evans, of this township, offered a reward of thirty dollars for the arrest of an English deserter calling himself William Newton, who had been in his employ, as a journeyman shoemaker, four days, and leaving had stolen a watch and a lot of clothing from the premises.
Montgomery Square contains seven or eight houses, two stores, post-office, and a wheelwright and black- smith-shop. The post-office has been a movable one, having been originally established here before 1827 and after an interval was removed about three-fourths of a mile to Montgomeryville, and in 1869 again brought back to its present place. The Methodist Episcopal Church at the place was built of stone, in 1842, on a lot of ground containing two acres, which is also used for burial purposes. It is situated on the west side of the turnpike. The first mention of regular pastors is found in 1856. The appointee in that year was the Rev. J. Carlisle. The pastors from that time are as follows : Levi B. Hughes, J. N. King, George D. Miles, Samuel T. Kemble, J. Brandeth, N. B. Durell, J. C. Gregg, D. W. Gordon, J. S. Taft, L. Dobson, H. F. Isett, Philip P. Reese, H. U. Sebring, J. W. Bradley, J. Bawdin, O. E. Stogden and G. E. Kleinhenn. Gordon mentions here, in 1832, a " post-
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
office, four dwellings, one store, two taverns and a boarding-school for boys, in which the classics are taught." This place in the long past has been famous for its inns, but with the great diminution of travel they, several years since, ceased business; yet a few facts concerning their history survive. At this point there was an intersection of two important roads in 1735 and, no doubt, not a great while after this date an inn was established here. John Bartholomew kept one here before his death, in 1756, which his widow, Mary Bartholomew, sold, with one hundred and fifty acres, in 1760, to Blaize Weaver, who we know in 1774 had a license for the same. About this time he died, and was succeeded by his widow, Mary Weaver, who kept it through the Revolutionary war, and in 1785, sold it to her son, George Weaver, who continued the stand for perhaps half a century. At this house books were opened, in 1805-6, to receive subscrip- tions for stock for making the turnpike. The post- office here was called Montgomery. John Weaver was postmaster in 1819 and Henry Slight in 1830. Theophilus Shannon was licensed to keep an inn here on the opposite corner in 1774, and we find him taxed in 1776 for two negroes. William Collum, an accomplished scholar, who resided at this place and taught school from 1805 to 1819, if not longer, calcu- lated the almanacs printed by Asher Miner, at Doyles- town. John Selser, residing in the vicinity, aged up- wards of ninety, was one of his pupils. A flourishing debating society was maintained here during this period.
There is in the lower part of Montgomery Square, on the east side of the pike, a two-story stone school- house, with a dwelling attached, (which was enlarged in 1876), that possesses an interest. The late Benja- min F. Hancock, Esq., of Norristown, kept school in it during his married life with Elizabeth, dangh- ter of Edward and Mary Hoxworth, of Hatfield township, and while residing in the dwelling part his twin-sons, Winfield Scott and Hilary, were born February 14, 1824, the former being now Major- General Hancock, of the United States army, and late Democratic candidate for the Presidency. In the spring of the following year the father removed from here to Norristown, where he soon after entered on the study of the law, to which he was admitted to practice in September, 1828. In the list of 1734, Ar- nold Hancock is taxed for one hundred aeres in Per- kiomen township, and William Haneock, in More- land, for a house and lot of one aere. Among the pupils attending here were Samuel Medary, a native of the vicinity, afterwards Governor of Ohio, and Samuel Aaron, subsequently of Norristown.
The Montgomery Baptist Church .- This church is situated on the west side of the Bethlehem turn- pike, but little over half a mile above Mont- gomeryville, and nearly the same distance south of Colmar Station, on the Doylestown Branch of the North Pennsylvania Railroad. In order of time, it
was the fourth church built by the Baptists in Penn- sylvania, and the first in the county. For its origin we have to go back to 1710, when John Evans and wife, and the next year John James and wife, all members of Baptist Churches in Wales, arrived and settled in the township. Abel Morgan, the minister of Pennypack Church, near the present Holmesburg, in 1712, began to visit them, and in 1718 baptized Wil- liam James, Thomas James, Josiah James, James Lewis and David Williams. James David, or Davis, arrived in 1719, which increased their number to ten, who, on the 20th of June of this year, constituted themselves into an organization. Several more emi- grants having arrived in 1720 from Wales, and join- ing them, induced them now to build a log meeting- house on a lot of one acre, donated for this purpose by John Evans. This rude structure was torn down in 1731 and a stone edifice erected, twenty-four by forty-two feet, with a gallery.
The first pastor of the church was Benjamin Grif- fith, who was born, October 16, 1688, in Cardigan, Wales; came to this country in 1710 ; settled at Mont- gomery in 1720; called to the ministry in 1722, and was ordained October 23, 1725, continued faithfully in his charge till his death, which took place October 4, 1768, in his eightieth year, and forty-sixth in the ministry. He was buried here in the graveyard, where a stone, duly inseribed, has been erected to his memory. He was tendered the office of justice of the peace, which he declined to accept. He had a lit- erary turn, and is the author of several pamphlets on the doctrines of his faith. The successor of Mr. Grif- fith was the Rev. John Thomas, who had been for several years his assistant, a son of Rev. William Thomas, founder of the Hilltown Church. He was a native of Radnor, Chester Co .; was called to the min- istry here in 1749 ; and ordained in 1751. He married Sarah James, by whom he had four daughters. Both Mr. Griffith and Thomas preached here in English and Welsh, as best suited their hearers. The latter having resigned, the church was supplied for some time by Abel Griffith, David Loofborough and Joshua Jones. The latter had come from Wales, and was stationed at the New Britain Church.
The Rev. Abel Morgan, in his history, describes the Montgomery Church in 1770 as possessing "a stove and two fire-places," and on the lot of ground "convenient stables " had been erected "and a school-house." Two branches had now sprung from it,-first, the "Perquesey " or Hilltown Church, erected in 1737, and the New Britain Church, erected in 1754, and only four miles distant. Through a re- ligious dispute, the New Britain congregation seceded and formed a separate organization, followed by the Hilltown Church, November 10, 1781, the latter brought about in part by political feelings engendered by the war. The result was that the membership of the Montgomery Church from ninety, in 1762, di- minished to twenty-eight, in 1788 but by 1800 had
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MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP.
increased to fifty-seven, and now it is over two hun- dred, thus requiring some time before it fully recov- ered from so severe a shock.
This church was incorporated by an act of the Leg- islature passed September 26, 1783, the trustees being the pastor, Rev. David Loofborough, Isaac James, Peter Evans, Jenken Evans and George Smith. The Rev. Joshua Jones, after serving the church eight years, died December 26, 1802, aged eighty-two years. Silas Hough, M.D., was the fifth minister, and at- tended to the duties of his position, as well as those of a physician, for about eighteen years. During a period of Mr. Hough's illness the church was par- tially supplied by the Rev. Joseph Mathias, of Hill- town, Samuel Smith and Henry Nightingale. Thomas P. Robinson, after a six years' pastorate, died May 27, 1838. Rev. William M. Mathews, of England, filled the station for about nine years, and was succeeded, May 1, 1850, by Rev. George Higgins, who main- tained this relation until his death, March 9, 1869. During his ministry of nineteen years here he did much to recover and strengthen the congregation, baptizing one hundred and ninety-two persons. His successor was the present pastor, Rev. N. B. Bald- win, formerly of Philadelphia, who resides near by on a farm.
Besides the lot of ground mentioned, the church has also in possession about thirty acres, with a dwelling-house erected thereon and some other build ings. Dr. John N. Thomas left by will for the benefit of the society the sum of fifteen hundred dollars. In 1816 the second church was taken down, and in its place another erected of stone, fifty by fifty-five feet, also with a gallery. In the summer of 1883 the edi- fice was remodeled and somewhat enlarged, its ex- terior neatly plastered, pointed arched windows, and a slate roof being introduced, and the interior im- proved, at a cost of four thousand dollars. Its sur- roundings are shady and attractive, with ample shed- ding for horses and wagons. The graveyard extends over several acres, is neatly kept, and, as may be well expected after being used over one hundred and sixty years for this purpose, contains numerous interments. It is not likely that they will soon be restricted here in space, for the entire tract contains eight or ten acres.
In September, 1883, the writer spent several hours in this graveyard examining the various inscriptions. The earliest stone found has on it "M. P., 1719," the next that of "Walter Evans, who died Jan. 17, 1729, aged 6 years," then "I. D., 1739, 14," followed by one of 1740 and another of 1741. Four pastors of the church are buried here,-namely, Benjamin Griffith, Joshua Jones, Silas Hough and George Higgins. Mr. Hough died May 14, 1822, aged fifty-eight years. Two deacons have attained to a goodly age,-Joseph Lunn, who died May 31, 1847, in his ninety-first year, and Amos Griffiths, November 17, 1863, aged nearly ninety-three years. The following family names are
copied from the tombstones, and are inserted here for the benefit of genealogists who may desire to secure additional information in this direction : King, Reiner, Pennington, Trewig, Vansant, Cadwallader, Collum, Griffith, Jenkins, Stratton, Cozens, Walker, Sutch, Hough, Luun, Drake, Vanneman, Heaton, Otter, Evans, Morgan, Broug, Detweiler, Harrar, Rhoades, Harris, Hood, Gulick, Stagner, Halderman, Hoxworth, Mallet, Leech, Kile, Mathias, Streper, Roekafellow, Stewart, Bates, Whiteom, Lowry, Stuckert, Gordon, Slight, Barthe, Sellers, Haas, Davis, Swallow, Ken- derdine, Bartlett, Evans, Huggett, Higgins, Hartman, Pearson, Ewing, Knight, Swank, Hartel, Rentz, Da- vison, Young, Wright, Sims, Roberts, Solliday, Fry, Yothers, Todd, Hoffman, Bush, Boyd, Hughs, Wank- lin, Reaver, Banes, Lukens, Milligan, Yocum, Stag- ner, Medary, Bartleson, Beam, Guy, Brady, Howell, Rosenberger, Dunn, Owen, Humphrey, Bryan and Rees. Over one-third of these can now he safely set down as of German origin. Among the notable occurrences, we learn from the journal of the Rev. George Whitefield that he came here from the Ne- shaminy Church April 24, 1740, and "was hospita- bly entertained."
NOTE .- The Rev. Joseph Mathias, of Hilltowo, who died March 11, 1851, aged nearly seventy-three, and in the ministry over forty-four years, was long an assiduous collector of materials for a history of the Baptist Churches of the surrounding section. Through the kindness of his son, the late John N. Mathias, of Carversville, his maonscripts were Ivaned us in 1857, and from them we made copious extracts, a portion of which are incorporated in the above sketch. We must also acknowledge some aid from Edward Mathews' article on this church published in the North Wales Record of April 6, 1868.
MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP ASSESSMENT, 1776. Evans Jones, assessor, and Ezekiel Shoemaker, collector.
l'eter Evans, doctor, 200 acres, 2 negroes, 4 horses, 8 cattle ; George smith, 175 a., 2 negroes, 3 b., 4 c. ; Mathias lines, 1 servant, 4 h., 6 c. ; John Ambler, & children, 175 a., 4 h., 5 c. ; Samnel Thomas, 100 a., 2 h., + c. ; George Borland, 50 a., 2 h., 3 c. ; Mary Weber, 150 a., 1 h., 2 c. ; John Weber, 2 h., 3 c. ; Theophilus Shannon, 2 negroes, 1 h., 1 c. ; George Donaker, 1 h. ; Joseph Butler, 3 1., 6 c. ; Eldad Roberts, bed- riddlen ; John Drake, 60 a., 2 h., 2 c. ; Philip March ; Benjamin Drake, 1 h., 2 c. ; Isaac James, 200 a., 1 h., 2 c. ; Charles Humphreys, 00 a., 3 h., 5 c. ; John Gill, 2 h., 4 c .; Jacob Humphreys, 30 a. ; Edward Bartholomew, 100 a., 2 negrocs, 4 h., 3 c. ; Jenken Evans, 100 a., 4 c. ; Jolın llartle, potter, 50 a., 2 h., 2 c .; Edward Morgan, 1 h., 2 c. ; Joseph Ambler, Sr., 200 a., 1 h. ; Ezekiel Shoemaker, 3 h., 5 c .; Jacob Stoneburner, 1 h., 1 c. ; Peter Martin, 130 a., 2 h., 3 c. ; Joseph Ambler, Jr., 190 a., 3 h., Gc .; Joseph Roberts, 50 a., 2 h., 3 c. ; John Thomas, 150 a., 4 h., 5 c .; George Gordon, 50 a., 2 h., 3 c. ; Joshna Jones, 189 a., 3 h., fi c. ; Cadwallader Roberts, 50 a., 2 h., 3 c., saw-mill; Henry Stil- field, 100 a., 2 h., 4 c. ; Sammel Ilines, 3 h., 4 c. ; John Hickman, 8 children, 100 a., 3 h., 3 c. ; John Harry, 100 a., 2 l., 3 c. ; Andrew Cra- mer, 1 h., 3 c. ; John Roberts, Jr., 150 a., 2 l., 4 c. ; Daniel Jones, G children, 288 a., 2 l., 7 c. ; Isaac Jones, 200 a., 3 l., 4 c. ; llenry Johnson, 100 a., 2 h., 5 c. ; Henry Bartle, 2 h., 3 c. ; Christopher Wells, 7 children, 2 h., 3 c. ; John Ramberger, 50 a., 2 h., 1 c. ; Humphrey Bates, 110 a., 3 h., 3 c. ; Thomas Bates, 150 a., 3 h., 5 c. ; William Fry, 50 a., 1 h., 2 c. ; John Harman, 100 a., 2 h., 4 c. ; David Bruner, 7 children, 100 a., 2 h., 4 c. ; John Jones, weaver, 100 a., 2 h., 4 c. ; Fe- lix Worsinger, 3 h., 5 c. ; George Geary, 100 a., 2 l., 3 c. ; Nicholas Charles, 1 c. ; Mordecai Moore, 170 a., 3 h., 4 c. ; Mary Dickinson, sin- gle, 40 a., 1 h., 1c. ; Jacob Johnson, 1 c. ; Richard Davis, 40 a., 1 h., 2 c. ; Robert Gordon, 70 a., 1 h., 2 c .; Samuel Dunlap, 100 a., 1 l., 2 c. ; William Rea, 40 a., 1 h., 2 c. Single Men .- Richard Moore, Isaac Jones, Walter Evans, Joseph Davis, Enoch Beam, Robert Parker, Ed- ward l'enington. Mordecai Roberts, James Shields, Alexander Scott, Theophilus Williams, John Kidney.
964
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
CHARLES TODD JENKINS.
John Jenkins, the great-grandfather of Charles Todd, was a native of Wales, came to America and settled on the plantation now covered by the borough of Lansdale, Montgomery Co., Pa. He had a son, John, who inherited the landed estate, and reared sons,-Edward, Levi and John, the father of Charles Todd Jenkins, who was born April 13, 1812, on the lot now owned by Heebner & Sons, in the town of
Philadelphia market, which he continued for thirty- nine years. In the mean time the North Pennsylvania Railroad was built and a station located at Colmar, near his farm, where he established a depot for coal, flour and feed, which he carried on for fourteen years, when he retired from the produce, coal and feed business, and now devotes his time to the tilling of his beauti- fully-located and very productive farm of one hun- dred and eighty-nine acres, half a mile from Colmar Station, on the North Pennsylvania Railroad.
Mr. Jenkins has always been one of the wide-awake, progressive men of the age, assisting with his time
Lansdale. The early years of Charles Todd were spent upon the farm of his father, performing such work upon the farm as was usual for boys during the summer seasons and attending school in winter. His father being possessed of a good common-school education, assisted Charles in his studies, thereby keeping him in advance of his class, and at the age of eighteen years he commenced teaching school, and taught three winter terms, and afterwards for three full years in succession.
In the spring of 1840 he engaged in farming, butchering and dealing in country produce for the !
and means every progressive movement, and espe- cially in educational matters, knowing full well the value of knowledge derived from books. He has served as school director and auditor of the township in which he lives, and has been president of the Line Lexington Mutual Fire Insurance Company for twelve years, and one of the managers of the company for a much longer period. He has also been one of the managers of the Spring House and Hilltown Turn- pike Company for twenty-five years, and its treasurer for eighteen years.
He was married, March 26, 1840, to Miss Sarah,
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MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP.
daughter of George and Esther Lukens, of Towamen- cin township.
They are the parents of children as follows:
I. George L., born May 11, 1841, married Josephine Stout, of Philadelphia. He now resides in German- town, and is chief clerk in Bergen & Sons' glass- works, Philadelphia. They have four children,-Earl Wheeler, Laura, Maude Marian and G. Chapin.
II. Anna, born April 1, 1843, died when sixteen months of age.
III. Ella, born January 19, 1845, married Oliver MI. Evans, of Lansdale, where Mr. Evans is the teller in
VIII. Valeria, born April 7, 1853, married George Chapin, of Philadelphia. They have one child, Edith.
REV. NORMAN BRISTOL BALDWIN. .
In the ancestral line between Rev. Norman B. Baldwin and the progenitor of that name in this country, was Rev. Thomas Baldwin, D.D., who was born December 23, 1753, in Bozrah, Conn. The early life of Thomas developed a desire for books, and, as an indication of the regard in which he was held
NB Baldwin. -
the Lansdale National Bank. Their children are Jane, Eveline and Oliver Morris.
IV. Comly L., born March 13, 1846, now engaged in the freight department of the Lake Shore Rail- road.
V. Parker, born June 15, 1847, married Miss Catlı- arine Dungan, of Colmar Station.
VI. Naomi, born January 1, 1849, died at the age of sixteen months and twenty-eight days.
VII. John P. Hale, born January 13, 1851, married Miss Ella Sleight, of Montgomeryville, and is now one of the prominent lawyers of Norristown. Their chil- dren are Leila and Helen.
by his fellow-townsmen, it may be stated that when a young man he was chosen to represent the village of Canaan, N. H., to which he had removed, in the Leg- islature of the State. But the Master had another work for him to do, and in 1780 he was brought to see his condition as a sinner, and to accept Christ as his personal Lord and Redeemer. He then decided to spend his life in the work of winning souls to Christ, and in due time he was set apart to the work of the ministry, and for seven years performed the duties of pastor of the Baptist Church in Canaan. His next field was the Baldwin Place Church, now the Warren Avenue Church, Boston, Mass. During his life he
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
filled many highly important positions, and on the night of August 29, 1826, entered into rest.
Rev. N. B. Baldwin, a lineal descendant of Tho- mas Baldwin through the paternal branch of the family, was born in New Milford, Litchfield Co., Conn., August 23, 1824. His father, Rev. Daniel Baldwin, was an esteemed and highly useful Baptist minister. Norman was educated at Hamilton Liter- ary and Theological Institute, now Madison University, from which he graduated in 1846. It is proper to state in this connection that he was a classmate with Rev. George C. Ballwin, D.D., who graduated in 1844, and in the same year accepted the call of the First Baptist Church in Troy, N. Y., where he has, from that time to the present, been a successful and highly-honored pastor.
In October, 1846, Norman B. Baldwin became pas- tor of the Baptist Church at Monticello, Sullivan Co., N. Y. After a most prosperous service he ac- cepted the unanimous call of the Bethesda Baptist Church, New York City, June 1, 1849, in which God greatly blessed him ; but disease compelled him to leave New York, and he accepted the call of the Second Southwark (now Calvary) Baptist Church, Philadel- phia, and entered on his labors February 1, 1854. From this body he went out with a colony of two hundred and twenty members, and organized the Olivet Baptist Church, October 7, 1856. They built the fine edifice at the southeast corner of Sixth and Federal Streets. Extensive revivals, in which hundreds were converted and immersed, together with the other labors of his office, so impaired his health that in Sep- tember, 1864, he closed his eleven years' pastorate in Philadelphia, and retired to his farm near Col- mar, Montgomery Co. As his health soon began to improve he gave short periods of service to New Britain Baptist Church, Bucks County, Bristol Church, and the Gwynedd Baptist Church. In November, 1869, he entered upon his labors as pastor of the Mont" gomery Baptist Church, near Colmar Station, and since that time God has also blessed his ministry among that people. He has baptized over five hundred persons during his ministry. He is now (1885) the oldest pastor, both in age and time of ser- vice, in this part of the State, in the Baptist or any other denomination.
His sister, Caroline, married Rev. E. N. Jenks, and went as a missionary to Burmah in 1846, and died on her return voyage in 1848.
Mr. Baldwin was married, September 16, 1846, to Miss Caroline Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Edward C. Ambler, of Danbury, Conn. She was born October 14, 1826. The children from this union have been as follows :
Edward Furman, born October 22, 1847, in Monti- cello, Sullivan Co., N. Y., married Ella Amelia, daughter of Rev. Abijah Collins Wheat and Priscilla Pettengill Wheat, June 4, 1865, at Gwynedd Baptist Church, the ceremony being performed by Rev.
Morris Gibson, pastor of the church. Ella Amelia was born October 24, 1843, in Clinton, Conn.
The children of Edward Furman and Ella Amelia Baldwin are Carrie Wheat, born September 4, 1866 ; Edward, born January 8, 1868, lived but twelve hours; Rebecca Leslie, born April 12, 1869; Priscilla Edna, born January 23, 1871; Gertrude Josephine, born July 13, 1873; Frank Ambler, born March 15, 1875.
Edward Furman Baldwin graduated from college, .und October 8, 1884, sailed from Philadelphia as a missionary to the Berbers, Tangiers, Morocco, Africa, where he is now very pleasantly located.
Oscar Erasmus, born November 24, 1848, died in New York, April 12, 1852.
William Flandran, born April 30, 1851, now a farmer in Michigan.
Norman Bristol, Jr., born June 3, 1853.
Eva Caroline, born Angust 30, 1854, now the wife of B. F. Moyer, of Norristown,
Spencer Cone, born July 7, 1856.
Charles Jacot, born November 5, 1858.
Frank Remington, born January 17, 1860, died January 28, 1863.
L. Hornberger, born April 30, 1865.
Almira Amelia, born June 1, 1866.
Leander Wilbur, born May 19, 1870.
RICHARD KENDERDINE ROBERTS.
The progenitor of the Roberts family in Mont- gomery County was John Roberts, a native of Penny- hlawd, Denbighshire, North Wales, who emigrated to, America in or near the year 1682, and settled in that part of the county now known as Lower Merion township. His occupation was that of a millwright, and he purchased from Thomas Wynne and John Ap John two hundred and fifty acres of land, upon which he built a mill, the third one in the province of Penn- sylvania. He was unmarried until nearly or quite sixty years of age, when he married Elizabeth Owen, aged eighteen years. She died early, leaving her hus- band two sons and a daughter. From this small beginning has grown the numerous Roberts family in this part of the State. We have been unable to trace the ancestral line direct down to Richard K. Roberts. However, his grandfather, Joseph, owned at one time the property known as "Stever's Mills." Where he was born, or which is the direct line back to John, is not known at this time. His children were Agnes, Charles, Mary and Richard.
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