Lives of the eminent dead : and biographical notices of prominent living citizens of Montgomery County, Pa.

Front matter

Gc

974.801

M74au

Preface

In the preparation of a work of this kind, local in its character, the reader can hardly conceive the difficulties that lay across the author’s path. Prejudice, jealousy, parsimony, false pride, modesty, real and imaginary, met him at every- step.

The first question presented to his mind was. Ought the names of our distinguished dead to lie forever among forgotten things? He had no trouble in answering this query in the negative. But how should the rescue of their fame be accomplished? The life of any one would not payor sell; nor would all Montgomery county’s dead statesmen, if grouped by themselves, defray the expense of publication, as it is the living rather than the departed that mainly occupy the people’s thoughts. Besides, a book concerning the citizens of a single county, however eminent the subjects might be, could not expect to command a full sale in distant counties. Hence the author was driven to the alternative of writing a home book to sell at the enormous price of six or eight dollars a copy, thus placing it out of reach of the masses, and virtually preventing its circulation, or of securing an endowment from the living, who might thereby assume the character of “patrons” of an enterprise to honor and do justice to our distinguished dead. The latter plan was adopted as most feasible. Accordingly, whenever a respectable citizen was found, willing to contribute ten dollars to the work (the book included), he was entitled to a sketch of his family and business on its pages. But very many of our wealthiest people — we state it with regret — were seemingly too conservative, unpatriotic, or morbidly modest, to contribute to the publication fund, though some have subscribed for the book.

But the inception and financial basis of the scheme were the least of the difficulties encountered. Patrons had to be personally solicited, their individual and family memoranda procured, often after repeated visits; authorities had to be examined, facts collated, and numberless letters written. The manner in which the author has now finished his work is admitted to be a fit subject for criticism. In further explanation he may be allowed to say, first, that his promise in the prospectus to avoid comment on the living has been found in most cases impracticable, and is partially disregarded. A

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few eminent citizens, whose public lives arc public pfoperty, having' failed to respond, either by subscription or memoranda, the writer has been compelled to use his knowledge of their common fame or leave them out of the book entirely. It is believed, however, that in all departures as to comments the author has erred, if at all, in favor of his subject, and not against him. In nearly every instance, moreover, sketches of the living have been submitted to their insiiection either in manuscript or proof before publication. In most cases also lives of the dead have been submitted to their nearest relatives for revision. A few of the lives and sketches have been supplied nearly complete for the book by friends of those sketched.

Some stereotyped objections to a book of this kind will be noted and answered. “There are a few men’s names in the volume who are neither noted nor eminent, and some eminent Montgomery county men whose names are not included.” lioth these statements arc true in fact. We could not in honor refuse a place to those who generously bec.'ime patrons of a book which could not be issued without their assistance. Of those who are omitted it is sufficient to say that they were invited, but did not respond; besides, in a volume of this size, it was impossible t® include everybody. None of the most eminent class of our jniblic men, however, have been left out.

.\nother objection will be, “ 'I'he author has not given the whole of what is known of each person mentioned.” That is true also. Of this objection it may be remarked generally that from the life of Washington down to that of Idncoln only worthy matters are recorded for our emulation, the unworthy or trivial being discarded. We have been writing biograjihy, and not strictly history. If “stating part of the truth is eciuivalent to a falsehood,” then the objection lies against all biography alike. The jiersons who are sketched, or others who read the record, must not imagine that the individual described is regarded as i)erfectly free from weaknes.ses and errors because none are mentioned. Nobody, however, is “puffed,” In the strict sense of the word, for nothing is set down in our lives and sketches but what is believed to be credible and true.

The first feature of the book that will strike the attention of the casual reader is the space taken with genealogies and family affiliations. It is admitted that to each person totally unaccpiainted with the “sketch” and “life” in hand these details are dry and uninteresting, and he can very conveniently pass them by. Hut he must not forget that to each and all of the connections of the family de-

PREFACE.

V scribed, these records are the most precious part of the volume. It may surprise some also to see the wide reach of the enumeration of collateral branches connected with eminent men. This is justified by the fact that each person is entitled to a record of his relationship with a noted man. This feeling is natural — it is commendable. This is emphatically a book of families, intended to be such, where the curious may examine and speculate at their leisure. It may be added in this connection also that in social intercourse much of the conversation, especially with ladies, is devoted to the status and relationship of living or departed families. Here that information, in most cases revised by themselves, is given accurately to the present era.

The next feature that will attract the reader is the mottoes. .They are a fancy of the author’s. First, to symbolize or illustrate the “life” or “sketch”; sometimes they are striking and graphic. In the second place they are often only intended to prominently herald a choice thought or sentiment and effect its lodgment in the minds of the young. 'I'heir general purpose is to relieve a book of dry facts and details of its sameness and tedium.

The author in sketching the living and dead has not endorsed the morals, politics or religion of any one. In selecting patrons or subjects other than the most eminent he has been guided by one inquiry, Was the person respectable, according to popular estimate? He has asked no more. The author has sought to avoid becoming a party to the jealousies and thousand and one disparaging things that some people say of others. He can be a vehicle of no such matters.

The chief merit and use of this book will be found in its taking tradition and turning it into accurate history, which may endure a thousand years. It will become still more valuable for legal and social uses with the lapse of time.

We have spent over a year of incessant labor upon it, mainly in collecting the facts and memoranda. It could have been accomplished in two months if the material had been at hand, d'he novelist constructs a plot, invents his facts, and coins his dialogues from his own brain; but in biography and history it is not so. In the latter it is a work of patient labor.

The author can hardly hope that the book is absolutely free from errors, though he has striven to have it so. He asks the indulgence of classical readers for any defects of style that may be found on its pages.

VI

PREFACE.

This volume contains sketches and memorials of a hundred and fifty-three persons, covering from one to thirty-five pages eacli, which are nowhere else so fully found in print. This book appeals to local public spirit. It is about Montgomery county men, written by one of our own citizens, and printed and bound by Montgomery county workmen.

The writer was laid under deep obligations to Rev. Dr. Ralston for encouragement and advice in planning the enterprise in its very inception. He also acknowledges himself indebted to ^Villiam J. Buck, Esq., of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, for valuable information and several memorials of our early dead, and likewise to Senator Detwiler for similar favors.

In issuing the book the author records the valuable assistance of Morgan R. Wills, Esq., as also the interest manifested by him in the literary and pecuniary success of the enterprise.

To Reuben K. Fullmer, the accurate and judicious compositor, the author acknowledges himself indebted, and equally to John W. d'liomas, the careful and obliging pressman. M. Auoe.

This is a transitory world. Some chanties in the j)ersonnel of our volume have occurred since these pa^CH were printed, hut.hefore the bindiufjc aiul issuin;; of the book. In order to be accurate up to the day of pul)licalion we note the following, who arc recorded as living:

Mrs, Kev. Thomas Gibbs (page 204) died January 8th, 1870.

Mrs. Penjamin F. Hancock (page mother of the (Jeneral, died .Tanuary 2oth, 1870.

George Steinmetz (page 4t54) died March 2(lth, 1870.

In enumerating the connections of Hon. K. L. Acker, his sister Klizal)eth was omitted.

In the motto prefacing the sketch of Abraham H. Ciissel (page 1121), the words “life-long” should have been “live-long.”

In the biography of General Brooke, his rank is set down as Lieutenant Colonel in the regular army. Since ])rinting it General 11. has been promoted to the full rank of Colonel.

There are several papers, some of which are written, entirely crowded out, together with a four or five-page history of the author’s family. If the present edition (which is only for sale by the author at No. 10 Main street, Norristown, and at the otHco of publication) is rapidly exhausted, he will attempt another volume, uniform with this. There are other eminent living persons worthy of mention, and a few deceased, whose names could not be put in this publication without swelling it beyond due jiroportions. fStsfr Read the preface before iierusing the book.

Preface To Third Edition

The word “ edition ” used here is not employed as indicating a revision or correction of matter in the original work, for there was little that needed amendment or recall, but it is used in the sense of new “ lives ” and “ sketches ” added to the book as at first printed and published — there being a number of copies of first issue in print left over and unbound, to which this edition is added and all bound together, making now a large dictionary of county biography.

The original volume of 568 pages, containing 153 “lives” and “ sketches,” published 1879, has stood the test of eight years’ public examination and criticism, unimpeached. A second edition (or addition) also, of over thirty pages, of persons who sought the honor of being added to the book, were printed in 1882. Readers of the present publication will perceive, that the same manner of presenting lives and memorial sketches has been observed as at first, with this exception, the mottos or poetic quotations of the first have been entirely omitted ; this was at the suggestion of a friend — whether wisely or not — it is plain that, if it detract^ from the literary appearance, it at least makes the contents look more matter-of-fact.

In reference to the imputation sometimes heard from jealous persons, “that those men or families recorded have themselves procured admission to its pages,” the author affirms on the contrary that in nearly every instance he solicited the honor of writing them himself Further, of the matter of these last lives and sketches, the author wants it clearly understood, that the material facts upon which the narratives are founded in every instance have been procured from the subjects, or their

PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION.

friends, or added of the author’s own knowledge ; but wherever he has added opinion or sentiment concerning a person described, it is strictly the author’s own volunteer tribute to his or her character of something he regarded as just and true in every particular. To this there is no exception but in one or two instances, where sketches were drawn by friends of the subjects and without revision by the author.

The patrons of the third edition will observe, that the writer has laid aside his habitual bashfulness, as Franklin once did, and appended a revised copy of an auto-biography formerly intended for this work but issued later in a pamphlet of essays.

As there are several items of needful information concerning sketches of first and second edition, and a few errors in both, corrected in the “ appendix ” to the second edition, those pages are also bound in this third edition ; the reference therein, however, to “ the sketch of the author,” is superfluous, as that life has been revised and reprinted in this last edition.

M. AUGE.

Philadelphia^ March /, i88y.

I

CONTENTS,

PAGE.

Aaron, Rev. Samuel, A. M 135

Acker, Hon. E. L 565

Adle, Jacob, Jr 199

Antes, Rev. Henry 59

Apple, John D., Esq 265

Atkinson, Thomas 658 ;

Author, Sketch of 763 I

Baker, A. H 756

Boehm, Rev. Philip 21

Boileau, Hon. N. B 43

Bolton, General 'Williani J 315

Bomber{?er, Rev. J. H. A., D. D 404

Rosier, Charles 213

Boyd, Hon. James 522

Boyer, Hon. Btmjamin Markley 535

Boyer, Percival K 586

Brendliuger, Frederick 700

Brooke, General John R 418

Brower, Hon. Abraham 168

Buck, William J 288

Bullock, Gieorge 560

Bunting, Samuel M 666

Burnside, Hon. Thomas 2:16

Butz, Samuel 703

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Cassel, Abraham H 324

Chain, B< njamin E., Esq 401

Christman, Charles 367

Collins, Rev. Charles, Jr 563

Conrad, Hon. Frederick 34

Corson, Alan W 303 I

Corson, Elias Hicks 245

Corson, Hon. George N 432

Corson, Hiram, M. D 352

Corson, Ijaurence E., Esq 728

Corson, Robert R 613

Corson, William, >1. D 691

Cowden, Jacob M 677

Cowden, John 738

Cowden, Thomas, Sr 165

Craig, Colonel Thomas 24

Crawford, John Y 241

Custer, Jacob D 714

Cuthbert.son, William P 438

Davis, Captain Jesse B 490

Derr, Franklin 208

Eastbum, Jesse R 744

Evans, James B., Esq 695

Evans, Owen Brooke 640

Evans, Jesse 660

Evans, Hon. Josiah W' 197

Evans, Cadwallader 460

Fitzwater, Abel 709

Fomance, Hon. Joseph 113

Freedley, Edvrin T 671

Freedley, Hon. John 204

Frick, Hon. Benjamin 190

Fronefleld, Dr. Charles 267

Fry, Hon. Jacob, Jr 56

Gartley, Samuel, M. D 42

Gery, General Jesse H; 440

PAGE.

Gibbs, Rev. Thomas 201

Gilbert, Frederick 725

Grould, Rev. Samuel M 361

Gregg, Milford H ! 712

Gross, Hon. Samtiel 32

Hamer, James, Sr., M. D 131

Hamill, Robert 148

Hancock, Greneral W. S 269

Harley, Jonas M 381

Hartranft, Governor John F 498

Haws, Captain Frederick 722

Heacock, Jo.seph 653

Helffenstein, Samuel B., Esq 285

Hendricks, Rev Joseph H 635

Hiester, Daniel 216

Hitner, Daniel O 525

Hobart, Hon. Nathaniel P 263

Hobson, Frank M., Esq 339

Hoffman, Rev. Balthaser 107

Holstein, Major William H 309

Hooven, James 473

Hoover. Philip, Esq 51

Houpt, Isaiah B 430

Huddleson, Isaat\ M. D 128

Hunsicker, Rev. Abraham 125

Hunsicker, Rev. Henry A 382

Iredell, Robert, Esq : 631

Jamison, Samuel, Sr 468

Jarrett, Samuel F 349

Jenkins, Charles F 657

Johnson, Wiliner H., Esq 458

Jones, Caleb P 194

Jones, Hon. Owen 266

Jones, Evan 580

Kennedy, John, Esq 145

Kite, Edmund A 698

Knox, Hon. Thomas P 591

Kohn, Gabriel 588

Koplin, William H 759

Krause, Hon. David, LL.D 154

Kugler, Charles, Esq 295

Leedom, Dr. Joseph 106

Loch, John W., A. M., Ph. D 384

Loller, Colonel Robert 26

Lojigaker, Daniel 465

Lowe, Prof. T. S. C 537

Lukens, Ezra 436

Lukens, Seth 414

Markley, Abraham 494

Markley, Hon. Philip S 248

Markley, Hon. Benjamin 695

Martin, Charles W 742

McCann, John 643

McCarter, Isaac 662

McCredy, Bernard 41

McDermott, WTlliam 453

McFarland, George, Esq 583

McKay, John 238

McQuaide, Major James G 428

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