USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Lives of the eminent dead and biographical notices of prominent living citizens of Montgomery County, Pa. > Part 62
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Whilst engaged in preparing and publishing practical books he became impressed with the conviction that an organized society for diffusing information useful to men in their daily work and life was not less needed than those societies in which immense sums have been invested for the dissemination of denominational doctrines and he is now engaged in organ- izing and endeavoring to establish a "Publication Society of Useful Knowledge."
In politics Mr. Freedley may be called an Independent Re- publican, though he has never taken any active part in local elections and in national on only two occasions. In the Fre- mont campaign he delivered several addresses, one of which was published and attracted the notice of Senators Seward, Charles Sumner, Josiah Quincy, Burlingame and other lead- ers in the new party, who wrote him congratulatory letters which he highly prizes. He early imbibed anti-slavery senti- ments, and the address to which we have alluded concludes with the following eloquent peroration :
·
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EDWIN T. FREEDLEY.
"Surely our country is worthy not only of being preserved, but of being carried to the highest abstract standard of per- fection. And it is no less certain that in a republic extending ... across the whole continent, washed by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, with rivers unequaled in length, flowing through val- leys of unsurpassed fertility, with forests as solemn as clois- tered temples of God, with cataracts, the wonder of the world, with annals rich in deeds of daring and especially rich in the triumphs of self-sacrificing and christian heroism, in such a country, a proud day that will be when all men, whatever may be their race, creed or complexion, once standing upon any part of her soil, whether in the everglades of Florida, or on the rock bound coast of Maine, in the gold mines of Califor- nia or the rice swamps of the Carolinas, can say, and say truly, we stand,
' With freedom's soil beneath our feet And freedom's banner waving o'er us.'"
When General Hancock was nominated for the Presidency he sent Mr. Freedley a telegram on the evening of the day when the news reached Governor's Island. This revived re- collections of the pleasant days they had spent together at Newport barracks, when both were young, and believing after reflection that no important question of governmental policy was at issue, and feeling personal friendship stronger than party ties, he entered enthusiastically into the canvass for the General, speaking night after night in the open air until the day of the election, when he retired disgusted with politics, but with a reputation established as a forcible and popular speaker.
Mr. Freedley has been twice married, his first wife having been Anna Tillinghast, of Norristown, by whom he had one son, Angelo T. Freedley, who has been associated from boy- hood with William Henry Rawle and is now a prominent member of the Philadelphia bar; and his present wife, who was Esther Burns Hough, of Quaker ancestry, being a lineal descendant of Phineas Hough, a member of the Supreme Ex- ecutive Council of William Penn, and whose marriage with Margery Clowes was the first recorded in Bucks county. The offspring of this marriage, which has been a very happy one,
675
MAHLON PRESTON, M. D.
are two children, a daughter, Mary Grace, and a son, Edwin Carver Freedley, both now at school.
It may be added that Mr. Freedley has taken considerable interest in Freemasonry and is now a life member in and Past Master of Lodge No. 296.
MAHLON PRESTON, M. D.
Dr. Mahlon Preston, now so long and favorably known as a homœopathic practitioner at Norristown, was born in East Caln, now Valley township, Chester county, January 22, 1839 His ancestors were mostly Friends, of English nationality, his father being Isaac Coates Preston, and his paternal grand- father Mahlon. His early education was obtained in the schools of the locality until well grown, when he was sent to receive an academic training in the celebrated private acad- emy of Jonathan Gause, at Greenwood Dell, on the Brandy- wine, near West Chester.
In his nineteenth year, 1858, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. J. Bayard Wood, of West Chester, and graduated at the Homœopathic College of Pennsylvania (now " Hahnemann"), Philadelphia, March, 1861. Looking abroad for a location, he was induced to settle at Meadville, Pennsyl- vania, where he remained but a few months, when receiving favorable overtures from Dr. William F. Owen, "a reformed allopath," of Spring Centre, near Conneautville, he was in- duced to form a partnership with him. But not finding that arrangement satisfactory, soon after removed to Rome, New York, where he was associated a winter and summer with Dr. Samuel O. Scudder. This was late in the winter of 1861 and spring of 1862, when an uncle, living at Chester, Pennsyl- vania, falling sick, sent an urgent message for him to return home and attend him, which he did until he recovered, when soon after, August, 1862, he came to Norristown, at the invitation of Dr. Rufus Sargent, who had just accepted a sur- geon's position in the army, Dr. Preston taking the office in
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MAHLON PRESTON, M. D.
the front of the old Powell mansion, site of present Music Hall. Here he remained a year or two and acquired consid- erable practice, when he shortly after removed his office to Swede street, above Airy, his practice continuing to increase rapidly. In 1867 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary, third daughter of Catharine and Hon. David Krause. The children born of this union are Frederick, Catharine and Emily.
Not long after Dr. Preston's marriage Judge K. sold his mansion and farm, near Montgomery Cemetery, and erected a large stone cottage on Penn street, beside the Court House, where he resided until his death, 1871, when it became vacant, and so remained nearly a year. The place having some fam- ily associations, and being centrally located, Dr. Preston moved into and purchased it at the widow's valuation in the fall of 1872, and has enlarged it by erecting an office in front in a style becoming the original main building. He also built a convenient stable and carriage house back so that it is now one of the most completely furnished dwellings and offices adapted to a physician's use in Norristown or elsewhere.
Dr. Preston has enjoyed an extensive and lucrative practice for the last fifteen years, and for nearly twenty-five has held on his way practicing strictly on homœopathic principles in Norristown and surrounding country within a radius of ten miles, and he has accomplished this in the face of the preju- dice always existing against new "pathies" in the healing art. And further, he has settled himself into a wide paying prac- tice, where a number of predecessors and competitors in homœopathy failed or retired. A few of these early ones may be enumerated, such as Drs. John Ezra, Bloede, I. L. Sutton, Casselberry, Pierce and W. R. Power.
Dr. Preston assures us that from an early period his prac- tice has been conducted strictly on the Hahnemann idea, and has conformed strictly to his doctrine: "Of the totality of the symptoms constituting the sole idea which the mind is capable of conceiving of the disease; that the single remedy in a dy- namized form is the sole means of cure. The law of similars the only rule for selecting the remedy, and the infinitessimal
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JACOB M. COWDEN.
dose the only form in which it may be conscientiously and advantageously applied."
Doctor P. assumes, and with fair warrant, that his success as a physician (and he is entirely satisfied with it) is the tri- umph of homœopathy, inasmuch as he rejects and repudiates all commingling of other systems with it. The following physicians studied the homœopathic system under him and are now in successful practice: Drs. Alonzo C. Rembaugh, Samuel Long, of Norristown; Franklin Powel, of Port Ken- nedy, since settled in Chester, Pennsylvania; Horace Still, located on Cherry street, Norristown; William R. Powel, of Port Kennedy, and Dr. Preston's brother, Frederick L. Pres- ton, now settled in Chester, Pennsylvania.
In 1881, Doctor Preston decided to attend the Worlds' Homœopathic Congress, which convened at London, of that year. To this Congress he was accredited a delegate from the American Institute of Homeopathy, Pennsylvania. Sev- eral months of travel in Britain and on the Continent rein- vigorated him and returned him professionally reinforced by interchange of ideas with many of the best Homœopathists of Europe.
JACOB M. COWDEN.
"There's a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune." The well known citizen whose name stands at the head of this sketch, aptly illustrates Shakespeare's above quoted aphorism. Mr. Cowden is but little past middle life, and yet with rare judgment and prudence he has success- fully caught hold of one real estate enterprise after another usually "making a strike" at each move on the business board. He nearly always knows just where the "ripe pear is hanging" and how to have it "drop into his own lap." He does not, however, pretend to be learned or wise above others, but sim- ply watches the tide of real estate operations, and like a dis-
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JACOB M. COWDEN.
creet mariner knows just when "to put in his oar." It is not "luck" which some rely upon for prosperity, or to have "something turn up by chance," but patient watching of sur- rounding movements, with capacity to see opportunities that give success in nearly every case. Mr. Cowden's fortune is found in that homely quality shrewdness, which enables any earnest looker-on to see farther "into the millstone than he who is dressing it." We judge, however, Mr. C. does busi- 'ness by the same rational rule that governed John Freedley, a famous land speculator, of Norristown, fifty years ago, who was ever prepared to buy when property was selling below its value and always ready to sell when advanced prices were offered. Such men also have the gift to see in advance the ne- cessity and imminence of public improvements. In this re- spect they are often public benefactors, for it is hard at times to convince some persons that there can be any good that does not begin and end at their own doors. This remark
was illustrated in the opposition encountered by the Norris- town Passenger Railway Company, which Mr. C. was prom- inent in organizing and putting into operation, and of which he is now the efficient President. A brief detail of Mr. C.'s success in pushing this enterprise to a successful conclusion will better illustrate his business energy than anything else we could offer, so we shall state the incipient steps of the im- provement as they occurred.
In the spring of 1884 he was so impressed with the import- ance of it that he interested a number of other gentlemen in his views, and called a preliminary meeting at his office March 24. This first assemblage to consider the matter, at Main and Green streets, was organized by John J. Corson taking the chair, and Jacob M. Cowden acting as secretary. The princi- pal movers in the enterprise at that stage were the following : Jacob M. Cowden, Joseph Blackfan, Morgan Wright, Henry Freedley,Jr., Harrison M. Lutz, Norman Egbert and John J. Corson. Considerable subscriptions of stock being pledged by those present, an adjourned meeting was agreed upon to appoint a committee to canvass for more stock subscriptions and apply for a charter. The committee was composed of Jacob M. Cowden, Harrison M. Lutz, J. Cloud Smith, Nathan
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JACOB M. COWDEN.
Shultz, William R. Pechin, George F. Coleman, A. W. Geiger, Morgan R. Wills, Philip Quillman, Isaac Chism, Henry Freed- ley, Jr., and Joseph Blackfan.
There being finally $15,000 subscribed in stock and a char- ter procured, the subscribers met again at Mr. Cowden's office June 9, 1884, and elected the following officers :
President-Jacob M. Cowden.
Secretary-Isaac Chism.
Treasurer-Norman Egbert.
Directors-Jacob M. Cowden, Harrison M. Lutz, J. Cloud Smith, Nathan Shultz, William R. Pechin, Henry Freedley, Jr., George F. Coleman, A. W. Geiger, Morgan R. Wills, Philip Quillman, Isaac Chism, Joseph Blackfan.
When the corporation got organized some discussion arose as to the streets to be laid with rails, but finally DeKalb was selected; but before proceeding far in the work they were met by an injunction issued at the instance of a few property- holders who opposed the improvement. This obstacle, how- ever, being overcome by decision of court, the sum of ten per cent. was called in and a track with turn-outs laid down for over one and a half miles, starting from the railroad stations, at Mill and Lafayette streets, and extending to Brown and DeKalb, where the company have a commodious depot and stables for their horses, of which they keep eleven. The two cars start at the terminus at intervals of fifteen minutes, mak- ing eighty trips a day, starting at 6.40 a. m. and suspending at 10.30 p. m. The company has paid its way for the first year with a small margin, which has been continually increasing ever since, and it is thought new tracks will soon be laid down on other principal streets, when the stock must soon be a profitable investment. Much of the success hitherto has been owing to Mr. C.'s devotion to this now indispensable convenience for all large towns.
Mr. Cowden, who has been the leading spirit in this val- uable enterprise, commenced the real estate and scrivening business in 1852, and for some years was associated in his office, near Main and Swede, by the late Jarcd Evans. In this interval he has purchased and disposed of a large amount of property, as also improved many eligible building sites,
680
COL. EDWARD SCHALL.
generally with a single eye to immediate profit, leaving to others the erection of buildings for mere ornament. He also does a large business in placing loans of money on real estate, which is now his specialty.
As Mr. Cowden's family affiliations are briefly stated in the biography of his grandfather, Thomas Cowden (see page 167), it is needless to repeat them here.
COLONEL EDWARD SCHALL.
In attempting a sketch of the above worthy gentleman, it must not be forgotten that we are handling a historic name and one of a family already inscribed high up on the page of our national history. In the original book of county biog- raphy, of which the present series is a supplement, we drew the life of his excellent father, General William Schall, then living, but now deceased, as also his lamented twin brother, Colonel Edwin Schall, who laid down his life for his country at Cold Harbor, the slaughter-house of the whole war in 1864.
Our subject was the third child of Caroline, wife of General William Schall, then of Marlborough township, Montgomery county, and his natal day was February 15, 1835. He has resided at Norristown since his thirteenth year, except the time when serving in the army during the rebellion. In company with his other self, Edwin, he for several years attended school at Elmwood, in West Norristown, afterwards together attending higher seminaries in Vermont and New York, and finally studied and graduated at a Law School in Ohio. After the completion of their studies, the brothers still together, took into their hands the management of the National Defender, which was started at Norristown on the rise.of the "American party," about 1856. He was so engaged when the rebellion broke out, 1861. Although not sympathizing with the causes of the war pro or con, when the "Confederacy" trained its guns upon Fort Sumter, Edward Schall and his brothers vol- unteered to serve in Colonel Hartranft's Fourth Regiment, he
681
COL. EDWARD SCHALL.
being chosen Lieutenant Colonel, and his twin brother Major. On returning home at the expiration of three months for which they were enlisted, the men of the regiment publicly presented them with swords as a token of attachment and es- teem. Our subject was also presented by the members of his company (with whom he enlisted) with a handsome gold medal. This was in July ; by August 16 he had another company recruited for the now famous Fifty-first Regiment, and was elected Captain of the same, receiving his commission as commander of Company D.
Captain Edward Schall passed through the whole three years' tour of duty without accident of any kind, discharging his duty faithfully and being popular with his command. The following incident, illustrating his gallantry as a soldier, is narrated by Captain Thomas H. Parker, historian of the regi- ment, in a letter published in the National Defender just after the second battle of Bull Run. He says :
"On the morning of the second day's fighting at Bull Run Captain Schall, who had been on picket within a few yards of the rebel lines all the night before, sallied forth with several of his men to ascertain whether or not the "graybacks" had fallen back or retreated during the night. He had, however, but proceeded a few yards into the dense forest when he was warmly greeted with a shower of leaden rain. Fortu- nately he escaped uninjured and to him, and to him only, does the credit belong of opening the battle of that second day."
After being thus enlisted three times during the war and serving out each one with honor, he was discharged "a vet- eran" at its termination, and returned again to civil life, and soon after, 1865, was elected Burgess of Norristown and re- elected the following year.
In 1869 he organized or recruited a volunteer battalion, consisting of four companies, resident in or near Norristown, which, by 1870, had increased to thirteen companies in the county and nine in Norristown, forming, with some others, what were known as the Sixteenth Regiment of National Guards of Pennsylvania, and were called into active service over a month in quelling the railroad riots at or near Pitts- burg in 1877. Of this completely equipped and drilled regi-
682
COL. EDWARD SCHALL.
ment Edward Schall was Colonel five years, until the reor- ganization of the state volunteer militia a year or two later.
In 1870 Colonel Schall's father was Supervisor for taking the census, and appointed him as chief clerk, which kept him employed for some time. In 1881, being known as a worthy veteran soldier, the Democratic party nominated him for clerk of the courts, which he held acceptably to all three years ; and at the conclusion of his term, 1884, was taken up again for the same office and re-elected, great numbers of Republicans vot- ing for him as before.
Edward Schall is a worthy member of the Reformed Church of the Ascension, of which his father was long an elder.
Not long after the conclusion of the war, or as soon as he had opened an office for the practice of his profession, Col. Schall advertised to give special attention to prosecuting pen- sion claims; and his list of clients will show that he has se- cured great numbers covering many thousands of dollars of those hitherto neglected or refused. He has been very suc- cessful in this description of practice.
We regret to say that Col. Schall has formed no matrimonial engagements thus far, and inasmuch as he is of full age and has the clear right as against all other citizens of the county of dispensing marriage licenses under the new law, the path of duty certainly lies open before him.
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68 3
EDWARD B. MOORE.
EDWARD B. MOORE.
The wide reputation in Montgomery county of the gentle- man whose name stands above, as a civilian, politician and sol- dier, deserves a conspicuous place in our book of "County Biography." Major Edward B. Moore, for about a decade a live journalist of Norristown, was born in Solebury town- ship, Bucks county, 1830. His father's name was Nathan and mother's Rebecca, she a daughter of John and Hannah Worthington, of that locality, all of them Friends by religious profession. He had the misfortune to lose his mother in his seventh year, and then was sent to Orthodox Friends' school for the next three years, after which he was placed upon a farm to learn industrious habits and earn his living, with occa- sional intervals of schooling, till his sixteenth year, when he was apprenticed to learn the printing business with Gen. John S. Bryan, then publisher of the Doylestown Democrat. Not long after Bryan sold the paper to William Johnson Paxson, brother of Hon. Edward M. Paxson, now on the bench of the Supreme Court. Remaining there two years, he next went to Philadelphia, and finished his trade in the large book estab- lishment of C. Sherman & Co .; thence removed to Norristown to work on a new paper which had just been established there.
Between 1840 and 1850 the Democratic party of the coun- try was in a disquieted state, much divided in sentiment and feeling, about the rising slavery question and concerning Pres- idential and Gubernatorial aspirants. John B. Sterigere, the special friend of Buchanan, had secured control of the Regis- ter, the party organ, and besides was an aspirant for Governor, while Hon. Jacob Fry, of Trappe, was a friend of General Cass and "Squatter Sovereignty," besides equally having an eye to nomination for chair of state. Hence the Frys, Jacob and Daniel, resolved to have a political organ. The result was a press was purchased and set up at Norristown, Daniel Fry and D. H. Neiman assuming the management of the same, under the title of Montgomery Watchman; and about 1850 our subject took a hand thercat as journeyman printer. Not long
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EDWARD B. MOORE.
after some political articles written by young Moore, attracted the attention of the editors, and very soon they offered him a half interest in the paper, which he accepted, and in 1853 he pur- chased the remaining part, and so became sole proprietor. At this time there was yet an undefined but well understood dif- ference between Democratic leaders. The Register was ultra pro-slavery, while the Watchman, with Mr. Moore at the helm, was known as a liberal, sympathizing with the Cass or anti- slavery wing, while the other organ was wedded to Buchanan and his aspirations for the Presidency. At this time also, 1854-56, there was a very warm ferment amongst the local politicians of the county about the "Hill offices," of which the Democratic party had enjoyed the entire disposal for many years. In 1857 Mr. Moore had secured enough influence to be taken up for Clerk of the Courts. This was one of the most exciting local contests ever prosecuted in the county. Candidates for Prothonotary, Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills and Clerk of the Courts, were all taken from what was known as the "middle district." The Bourbon, or pro- slavery wing, had been pretty nearly excluded from "the spoils" by the nominating convention, all of their candidates having been beaten except one. The defeated, however, en- tered into a combination with the Know Nothing organiza- tion, then just looming up, and nominated a "union ticket;" but the Republicans refused to unite with them, and thus de- feat the regular Democratic nominations, so the combination signally failed, and our subject was triumphantly elected. Two years after this, mainly through the influence of Hon. Owen Jones, who was anxious to return to Congress, and secure unity in the party, E. L. Acker, Esq., editor of the Register, purchased of Mr. Moore the Watchman, and both were con- solidated in the hands of the former as the Register and Watchman.
In 1860 Mr. Moore earnestly supported Judge Douglass for President, and in connection with B. M. Boyer, Esq., and others, assisted in starting another organ, The Montgomery Democrat, to advocate the claims of Douglass before the peo- ple, the entire editorial charge being in the hands of Mr. Boyer and Mr. Moore. Very soon after the paper was sold to Cooper
685
EDWARD B. MOORE.
Talley, of Media, who finally deserted the cause and violated the trust reposed in him by supporting what was known as "the fusion" electoral ticket.
As soon as the war broke out, 1861, Mr. Moore, seeing the halting loyalty of many Democratic leaders, at once allied himself with the Republican party, and assisted that year in nominating its ticket. In 1862 he entered the volunteer ser- vice, and was appointed by Governor Curtin Quartermaster of the 138th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, with the rank of Lieutenant.
In the summer of 1864 he was appointed a Captain of Com- missary by President Lincoln, with that rank, and assigned to duty on the staff of General John F. Hartranft, with whose command he served until the end of the war. While filling that position he was awarded the higher rank of Major by brevet.
After the close of the war in December, 1865, he purchased the American Republican, of West Chester, which had occupied the honored position of " Democratic organ" of Chester county from near the commencement of the century, but which be- fore and during the war, through the sterling loyalty of editor G. W. Pearce, and under the lead of Forney's Press, had be- come a Republican paper-Mr. Moore taking possession of it the ensuing January.
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