History: Local: CHAPTERS L - LII, Part I: Royer's Ford, and West Conshohocken Boroughs; Cheltenham Township - Part I : Bean's 1884 History of Montgomery Co, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Susan Walters USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/montgomery/beantoc.htm URL of html Table of Contents and illustrations. ¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼ BEAN'S HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA ¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼ 797 CHAPTER L. BOROUGH OF ROYER'S FORD. THE borough of Royer's Ford was incorporated by decree of the Court of Quarter Sessions dated June 14, 1879. The petition upon which this decree was made was signed by ninety-eight persons, who constituted a majority of the land-owners residing within the limits of the proposed borough. The first local election for borough officers was held July 17, 1879, under the following officers appointed by the court: Adam Grander, judge; Allen S. Keeley and Silas S. Swartly, inspectors. A. S. Keeley made the original survey of the borough, as shown by the draft on file in the office of the clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions. This borough is located on the eastern shore of the Schuylkill River, and on the line of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, distant from the former city thirty-two miles and from Norristown sixteen miles. The location is healthful, and from the elevation upon which most of the residences are built the scenery and general landscape is of a pleasing and picturesque character. The name is derived from an ancient ford over the Schuylkill River at this point, which took its name from a family of the name of Royer, who are believed to have owned the land many years ago and prior to the use of the stream for navigation purposes. Subsequent to the erection of dams and the consequent destruction of the fords in common use, a bridge was constructed here, but the name of Royer's Ford was still retained by the villagers, and when the forms and advantages of municipal government became necessary, the ancient name possessed a popular charm that rendered its retention advisable in the judgment of the projectors of the borough enterprise. The borough contains over two hundred residents and an estimated population of about one thousand persons. There are two hotels, three dry- goods stores, one dry-goods and grocery, three grocery and provision, one drug-store, tin-smith and marble-yard, besides other mercantile and mechanical enterprises. There are large manufacturing industries carried on here as mentioned in detail elsewhere, to the influence of which the rapid and substantial growth of the borough is in a large measure attributable. There is a graded public school in the borough, taught by one male and two female teachers, having an attendance of one hundred and twenty-five pupils. Schools are open for nine months in the year, and the salaries paid are forty, thirty and twenty-five dollars per month. [See "Manufactures," Chap.] 798 PLACES OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP. -The Royer's Ford Baptist Church was organized January 30, 1879, with fifteen members from the Baptist Churches of Lawrenceville, Pottstown and Phoenixville. A committee of three was appointed to call a council for February 8th, which was done. Delegates from the churches of Pottstown, Pughtown, Vincent, Windsor and Lawrenceville convened at the appointed time, and after examination, the church was recognized. On March 1, 1879, the church resolved to erect a house of worship fifty-five by thirty-five feet, of brick, on Church Street, which was soon after begun, and was completed and dedicated in the summer of 1880. In April, 1880, this church, in connection with Lawrenceville Church, called as pastor the Rev. C. W. 0. Nyce, who remained till January, 1881. On the 14th of October, 1882, the Rev. William Edwards was called, and served the church until April 1, 1884. The Rev. J. M. Lyon, the present pastor, was called May 25th following. The church now has thirty-one members. The Methodist Episcopal Chapel is located on the corner of Church and Airy Streets, the land being donated by Daniel Latshaw. [NOTE] The edifice is a plain, substantial brick building, with a seating capacity of upwards of two hundred persons. There is a Sabbath-school connected with the chapel, having an attendance of from one hundred to one hundred and fifty scholars. [NOTE: See " History of Methodism," ante.] The enterprising people of the borough have organized the Royer's Ford Hook-and-Ladder Company and are prepared to battle with fire should it occur. Not possessing water-works, such as are in general use in larger towns, they have sunk a well to the level of the water in the Schuylkill River, from which water is led, furnishing a supply deemed adequate for any exigency likely to arise. The main thoroughfare known as Main Street, has been graded and macadamized, and presents a neat appearance; public improvements are in progress on High Street and the borough is rapidly approaching a condition and appearance that will give it a place among the substantial and flourishing towns in the Schuylkill Valley. COMMERCIAL RETURN OF MERCANTILE APPRAISER FOR 1884.- Lewis Buckwalter, confectioner A. D. Bechtel, flour and feed A. C. Freed, provisions Wm. Isett, meat and provisions H. E. Kline, jeweler J. M. Lewin, boots and shoes Mowry & Latshaw, hardware Place, Mahlon, tobacco Rover's Ford Cooperative Association, groceries and provisions Wm. Rice, provisions Jones Rogers, merchandise Daniel Springer, lumber A. K. Saylor, drugs Fred Shaner, tobacco Simon Snyder, notions B. F. Saylor, tobacco D. M. Ziegler, boots and shoes. Number of taxables, 1884, 257; value of improved lands, $321,120 value of unimproved lands, $9065 value of horses, $3790 value of cattle, $810 value of taxable property for county purposes, $371,805. Addison Buckwalter was burgess of Royer's Ford from 1879-83. B. F. Saylor was elected to this office in 1884. David Gow was appointed postmaster in 1842; Daniel Schwenk, January 1, 1860; and the present postmaster, Reuben Winter, January 1, 1860. [sic] BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. EPHRAIM P. KEELY. Henry Keely, the grandfather of Ephraim P. Keely, who was of German descent, resided in Perkiomen township, where he was actively employed as a blacksmith. His children were Henry John Jonas Elizabeth (Mrs. Schantz) Ann (Mrs. Kline), all of who are deceased. Henry was a resident of Perkiomen township, the scene of his birth, where he followed the trade of a plasterer. He was also actively identified with the county militia, in which he held the rank of captain. Henry Keely married Hannah, daughter of John Peltz, of Upper Providence township, whose children were Abeltis, of Phoenixville; Ephraim P. and Jacob of Upper Providence Mary Ann, deceased (Mrs. John Wright, of Chester Co., Pa.) Manasseh, deceased Salome (Mrs. William B. Wrightmeyer, of Pottstown) Susannah (Mrs. William Boyer, of Phoenixville) Hannah, deceased Henry, deceased Ephraim P. was born January 21, 1827, in Perkiomen Township, where he remained until his seventeenth year, meanwhile receiving such instruction was the neighboring school afforded. He then removed to Upper Providence and served an apprenticeship of two years as a carpenter and builder. On becoming proficient at this trade he readily found his skill in demand in the immediate vicinity, and later filled the position of foreman for the Reading Railroad Company. In 1857, Mr. Keely removed to that portion of Limerick now known as Royer's Ford, and erected a residence, which is still his home. Since 1866 he has been engaged as a contract builder, having recently erected the glass-works at Royer's Ford, the First Reformed Church of Spring City, and the extensive stove-works of Grander, Rodgers & Co. He was, in 1851, married to Margaret Ann, daughter of Jacob Tyson, of Upper Providence, whose only son, Allen T., is now principal of the Royer's Ford Public School and justice of the peace, as also a skillful surveyor. Mr. Keely, in connection with his other enterprises, is engaged in the manufacture of brick for building purposes. He is a Democrat in his political convictions, but, aside from the office of Town Council- 789 The earliest information we possess respecting this section of the country is derived from a map in Gabriel Thomas' "Account of Pennsylvania," published at London in 1698. The Manatawny Creek in its whole course, with its several branches, is represented with tolerable accuracy to where it empties into the Schuylkill, thus proving at this early date that this vicinity must have been already pretty well explored. William Penn conveyed, October 1701, to his son, John Penn, a tract of twelve thousand acres of land, which the latter sold, June 20, 1735, to George McCall, a merchant of Philadelphia, for the sum of two thousand guineas. On a resurvey it was found to contain fourteen thousand and sixty acres. This purchase comprised all Douglas township, nearly the upper-half of Pottsgrove and about one-third of the northwestern portion of the present territory of Pottstown. Adjoining the aforesaid purchase on the east was that of the Frankfort Land Company, containing twenty-two thousand three hundred and seventy-seven acres, surveyed October 13, 1701, which was afterwards claimed by John Henry Sprogell, who came over from Holland by invitation of William Penn, and settled here with his family on a tract of land containing six hundred and thirty acres, upon which most of the borough is now located. From a road petition we know that he must have resided here before 1709, and therefore, is entitled to the claim of having been the pioneer settler. Thomas Rutter, Sr. of Germantown, the ancestor of the family of this name, established iron-works and a forge on the Manatawny Creek, it is supposed, its early as 1717, about two miles and a half from the Schuylkill. This improvement invited further settlement. Thomas Potts, Jr., came hither from Germantown several years later, and also entered into the manufacture of iron. After the death of Mr. Rutter, in March 1729, his sons and Mr. Potts became the principal proprietors of the business in this section. John Potts, the eldest son of Thomas, on the death of his father, purchased, September 8, 1752, of Samuel McCall, son of the former proprietor, a tract of nine hundred and ninety acres, which, with his previous purchases made him the owner, probably, of all the land in and around the borough. He now removed from Colebrookdale, and commenced, in 1753, the building, a large, substantial two-story stone mansion, still standing, on the west side of the Manatawny Creek, which at the time was regarded with wonder by the people residing throughout this part of the country. It is now owned by Henry and Jacob Gabel and about ten years ago was converted into Mill Park Hotel. Mr. Potts, the following year, proceeded to layout the town on the east side of the Manatawny, in the townships of New Hanover and Douglas. The former had been erected in 1724 and the latter in 1736. The boundary between the two can be pretty nearly established by continuing a direct southwest line from the intersection of Charlotte and Beech Streets to the Schuylkill. To the antiquary this line possesses considerable interest in determining early localities in the townships mentioned previous to the formation of Pottsgrove, in 1806. To John Potts the credit is due of having laid out the streets of the town so regularly and at right angles, after the plan of Philadelphia. He took all possible means to promote the growth of the place, in the sale of building lots on favorable terms, giving employment and donating grounds, for two houses of worship and for burial purposes. Yet, with all his remarkable exertions, and enterprise, the place at his death, in 1768, did not probably exceed twelve or fifteen houses. In the laying out hereof a road in November 1766, mention is made of its beginning at "Pottstown Ferry" and passing "through John Potts' and by the division line of New Hanover and Douglass," on through lands of William Mayberry, deceased, to the Bucks County line. If this road was afterwards opened, it must have commenced here at the foot of Hanover and passed out of the present borough on Charlotte Street. This confirms the fact of a ferry having then been established here over the Schuylkill. In the "Gentleman's Pocket Almanac" for 1769 the distances of several places are denoted on the road to Reading, among which is mentioned "to Potts', thirty-eight miles." On William Scull's map of the province of Pennsylvania, published in 1770, the place is also denoted thereon as "Potts T.," thus showing that even at this early date it was known by its present name. In the Revolution the place contained a public-house, one or two mills, at least one house of worship and probably twenty dwellings. The battle of Brandywine was fought September 11, 1777, and resulted disastrously to the Americans. The next day Washington and his army proceeded to Germantown, end after resting and refreshing the men one day, returned over the Schuylkill with the intention of giving another battle to General Howe. Near the Warren tavern they met, and owing to a severe storm and a heavy fall of rain a general engagement was prevented. The British then moved to Swedes' Ford, but beholding the entrenchments thrown up there on the opposite side to dispute the passage, proceeded up the Schuylkill to the vicinity of Valley Forge, which led Washington to believe that their object, was to capture the military and other stores that had been collected at Reading. This now induced him to cross on the 19th to this side of the Schuylkill at Parker's Ford, five miles below Pottsgrove, and proceed down to the Trappe. At the latter place, Timothy Pickering states in his journal, "we halted a day or two, when hearing the enemy were tending upwards on the western side of the river, we moved on the other, till we arrived at our camp near Pottsgrove. Here we lay until the 26th, on which day we marched downwards as far as the Pennypacker's Mills. While we lay near Pottsgrove the enemy crossed over the Schuylkill, but it was two or three days before they entered the city which was fortunate for us, as it gave time to our people a Philadelphia to complete the removal of stores." 790 From General Muhlenberg's orderly-book it is ascertained that the army did not arrive near Pottsgrove until the evening of September 22d. On this day orders were given to "the clothier-general immediately to distribute all the clothing and shoes in his possession." The result of this was that Washington, in a letter to Congress, dated "Camp near Pottsgrove, September 23d," states, that he had "early this morning received intelligence that they had crossed the fords below. Why I did not follow immediately I have mentioned in the former part, of my letter; but the strongest reason against being able to make a forced march is the want of shoes. Messrs. Carroll, Chase and Penn, who were some days with the army, can inform Congress in how deplorable a situation the troops are for the want of that necessary article. At least one thousand men are barefooted, and have performed the marches in that condition." On this day general orders were issued that "each regiment is to proceed in making cartridges for its own use, that may be held in store. General Knox will furnish them with materials. It is expected, was the weather is now growing cool, that the troops will never have less than two days' provisions by them." On the 25th a general court-martial was held for the immediate trial "of all persons who may be brought before them." The orders were on the morning of the 26th to march at nine o'clock, and that afternoon found them encamped on the hills of the Perkiomen, near the present village of Schwenksville. From what has now been stated, it will be observed that Washington and his army were encamped in this vicinity from the evening of September 22d until the morning of the 26th, making all of three days and four nights. From Jesse Ives' relation in 1850, some of the soldiers while, here had been quartered in the Friends' Meeting-house. Rev. H. M. Muhlenberg, who resided at the Trappe, states, in his journal, under date of September 23d, that "the main body of the American army is up in New Hanover, thirty-six miles distant from the city, as it was supposed the British troops would go up the Schuylkill to Reading." The inference of this is that the main body of Washington's army while here was encamped below Pottsgrove, very probably where Sprogell's Run crosses the Philadelphia road, which would be about the distance mentioned from the city, and then in the township. About the close of the Revolution, General Arthur St. Clair having purchased one of the confiscated properties of John Potts, Jr., one of the justices of the courts, he removed hither and made it his residence about 1783, when he held the office of member of the State council of censors. While here he was elected to Congress November 2, 1785 and made president of that body February 2, 1787, which position he held until the expiration of his term, the following 28th of November. In 1786 he became a member of the American Philosophical Society, in Philadelphia. He was appointed Governor of the Northwestern Territory February 1, 1788, to which he shortly after removed. His stone mansion and lot, sixty by three hundred feet, was sold by Isaiah Wells, sheriff, January 1, 1803. The advertisement states it to be situated in "Pottstown, Douglass township." He was fortunate enough to be nearly a life-long holder of offices, frequently filling several at one time, but he had few business qualifications. In accordance with the recommendation of the President of the United States, the citizens of Pottstown and vicinity assembled January 13, 1800, to pay their tribute of respect to the memory of General Washington. who had died in the previous month. A bier, with a coffin, was carried in the procession, followed by Captain McClintock's company of infantry and several other military and civil organizations, who proceeded to the old Brick Church, where a funeral sermon was, preached in English by the Rev. John Armstrong, of the Episcopal Church, and in German by Rev. L. F. Herman, of the Reformed congregation. The pallbearers on this occasion were David Potts William Mayberry William Potts Robert E. Hobart Robert May. The elections of Limerick and parts of Douglas and New Hanover, by an act of Assembly passed April 8, 1799, were ordered to be held at the public- house of George Pflieger, of this town, and were so continued until 1807. In October, 1802, the district polled 271 votes. In 1824 the elections for Pottsgrove Township and Pottstown were held at the house of Augustus C. Rutze, in the latter place. In 1838 they were held at the house of Samuel Smith and this continued until changed by the Constitution of 1839. In 1810 Pottsgrove is represented to have contained about forty dwellings, three taverns, a brewery, a weaving establishment, a wool-hat manufactory, two shoemaker-shops, two houses of worship, a grist-mill and several stores and shops. In June, 1803, Christian Willauer advertised that he had "lately moved here, and keeps a general assortment of drugs and medicines, wholesale and retail. Is well acquainted in the practice of physic, rheumatism, bleeding and drawing teeth." Peter Richards, in September, 1807, advertised at private sale "a valuable tan-yard and five lots of ground in Pottstown, each three hundred feet deep, or any quantity up to fifty acres, whereof one-third is watered meadow." Israel Bringhurst, John Jacobs and Joseph Tyson were appointed commissioners to erect the township of Pottsgrove from parts of Doug]as and New Hanover. They made in their report in August, 1806, to the Court of Quarter Sessions, who confirmed in the 20th of that month and thus was added one more township to the county. 791 Pottstown was incorporated a borough by an act of Assembly passed February 6, 1815. Its boundaries were then fixed as follows: "Beginning at a take on the northern bank of the river Schuylkill; thence through Jacob Lecher's land north 25 degrees east 100 perches, to a post on the east side of the road leading to the Manatawny ford on the Schuylkill to Glasgow; thence by the east side of the said road north 15 degrees west 47 perches, to Beech Street and on the line dividing the lands of the estate of the late Mary Jones, deceased, from the land of Mary Graham, David Rutter, the estate of Clifford Smith, deceased, and Joshua Potts, south 80 degrees east 225 perches to a stake in a line of Peter Richard's land; thence through Peter Richard's land 5? degrees east 63 perches, to a post, and south 24 degrees west 111 perches, to a post corner of Jacob Hubley's land from Peter Richard's land south 41 degrees 30 minutes, west 83 perches to the river Schuylkill; thence up said river, the several, the courses therefore, 268 perches to the place of the of beginning." The charter required the borough elections to be held on the second Tuesday in April of every year. Any person elected to the office of burgess, member of Council or high constable and whom having received notice thereof should refuse or neglect to take upon himself the performance of the office to which he has been elected was required to forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars. No person, however, to be compelled to serve more than one year in any term of four years. Under authority of an act of Assembly passed March 19, 1828 commissioners were appointed by the court under whose directions Thomas Baird was employed in the following September to make a complete survey of the borough and to prepare a draft therefrom on a scale of two hundred feet to the inch a copy of which has been placed on file in the clerk of the court's office. The first borough election was held at Pottstown the first Tuesday in April, 1815, when Robert McClintock as elected burgess and John Heister Jacob Lesher William Lesher Jesse Ives Henry Boyer William Mintzer Thomas P. May were elected councilmen. The minutes of the Council from 1815 to July, 1819, are missing though careful search has been made for them. From 1819 to 1823 no mention is made as to who was elected burgess. From warrants to collectors and other source it is ascertained that Jacob Hubley was burgess in 1820-21. The record of burgesses as ascertained from official sources is as follows: 1815, Robert McClintock 1816-19, not known 1820-21, Jacob Hubley 1822, not known 1823, Jacob Lesher 1824-25, William Mintzer 1826, Augustine C. Rutze 1827, Joseph McKean Potts 1828, William Mintzer 1829, John Thompson 1830, Andrew Eckerd 1831, Jesse Ives 1832-34, Jesse Kline 1835-36, William Mitzner 1837, George Richards 1838, Henry Potts 1839, Jesse Smith 1840-43, John Thomson 1844-46, John S. Weiler 1847-48, Aaron L. Custer 1849, John Thompson 1850-52, John C. Smith 1853, Lesher Van Buskirk 1854, D. M. Root 1855, Hiram C. Feger 1856, William Ellis 1857, Lewis H. Davis 1858, Ephraim Hartranft 1859, Joseph E. Yeager 1860, Hiram C. Feger 1861-62, Samuel S. Daub 1863, David P. Crosby 1864-68, John A. Andre 1869-71, Joseph F. Yeager 1872, Alexander Malsberger 1873, Louis B. Byar 1874, Isaac Hoyer 1875-76, M. S. Longaker 1877-79, Henry G. Kulp 1880, Dr. Jacob H. Scheetz 1881-82, George B. Lessig 1883-85, William B. Bach. Among the aged and remarkable men now living in Pottstown may be mentioned John Thompson of whom the writer has secured several interesting reminiscences. He was born here February 11, 1799, his parents being William and Mary Thompson. In 1823 he was elected a member of the Borough Council; burgess; in 1829, 1840-43, and 1849; appointed a justice of the peace in 1833; elected to the Assembly in 1857 and the following year to the State Senate. He was for several years a director of the Pottstown Bank and late president of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He is still vigorous for his age and possess a retentive memory. Before the construction of the canal and navigation he made a voyage in one of the "Reading" or river boats to Philadelphia concerning which we have received from him the following particulars: These were long, open boats generally used for carrying flour and sometimes iron and other products. He was taken a passenger is a matter of accommodation. When the river was high, a trip from Reading to Philadelphia could be made between sunrise and sunset. The boatmen made no use of sails, but in calm water plied their oars. In returning, the boats, at many places, to stem the current had to be moved by poles shod with iron points. Their usual cargoes consisted of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred barrels of flour. Mr. Thompson has resided nearly the whole of his life in Pottstown and is now one of the very few men living that have made such a voyage, on which occasion, as more expeditious, he returned by stage. This was probably about 1817. He read the Declaration of Independence at celebrations in Pottstown in 1826 and in 1876. THE REFORMED CONGREGATIONS IN POTTSTOWN. -In looking over material that has been brought together on this subject, it is found no easy matter to know where and how to begin, the accounts being somewhat conjectural and contradictory, and the long association of the Reformed Church with the Lutherans, renders the task more difficult when one is disposed to treat them separately. These remarks are offered in apology for our liability to be led thereby into error. The Reformed denomination was no doubt an early one in this vicinity. Rev. John Philip Leydich, who had charge of a congregation at the Swamp between the years 1747 and 1760, also attended to one here, as it was but five miles distant. We know by Nicholas Scull's map published in 1759, that they had a church at the former place before that date, as it is denoted thereon. John Potts, on the laving out of the town in 1753, donated to the Germans a lot of ground expressly for a church and for burial purposes. When the log church was erected here is not known; the earliest legible date found on a tombstone is 1770. It may have been possible that it was erected as a small log building before the Revolutionary war, for in 1796 it had one so far to decay that a book was opened February 23, 1796 and £1554 10s. 5d.($4420) subscribed for a new church. 792 This determined the two congregations (for the Lutherans had been associated with them from the beginning) to erect a new commodious and substantial brick building which had been so advanced that it was consecrated before the end of said year. It is still standing and has long been known as the Union or Zion's Church. The estimate for building was considerably exceeded, for the cost amounted to about six thousand dollars and it was not until 1807 that it was all paid off. The minister of the Swamp or New Hanover congregation being the nearest, it formed for a considerable time a part of their charge. After Leydich Rev. Nicholas Pomp attended from 1765 to 1783, Rev. Frederick Dillecker (De la Cour) from 1784 to 1799, whose earnest and laborious efforts materially contributed to the erection of the new church. The Rev. Frederick Herman succeeded in 1800 and continued until his death in 1848; however, a short time before he was assisted and followed by his son Rev. L. O. Herman. The preaching was exclusively confined to the German language until 1848, when Rev. N. S. Strassbuner formed an English congregation. This led, for the use of the latter, to the building of Trinity Reformed Church which was commenced in the spring of 1866, under the pastoral charge of Rev. J. Dubbs. It is a fine Gothic edifice built of red sandstone located at the corner of Hanover and King Streets. The Rev. L. K. Evans is pastor. In July, 1871, the Lutheran congregation now composing Emanuel Church sold out their interest in Zion's Church, and so from that date the Reformed hove retained the ownership. This is now the oldest house of worship in Pottstown. The services are still exclusively confined to the German. The Rev. C. T. Herbst was succeeded in July, 1884, by Rev. C. S. Wieand. In 1872 the church was remodeled and put in rood repair. Respecting this church, George Missimer, who was born in 1792, related that in his boyhood he came here to worship barefoot and that most of the men were without their coats. What is remarkable, no fire for heating purpose was used in the church in winter until 1812, when Mrs. Joanna H. Potts, widow of Samuel Potts, presented the congregation with stoves for this purpose. THE LUTHERAN CONGREGATIONS IN POTTSTOWN. -The German Lutheran congregation at New Hanover is regarded as the oldest in America, its first pastor, Justus Falkner, having come there in 1703. He was ordained for this purpose by Andries Rudman, the Swedish provost at Philadelphia. In 1717 the Rev. Gerhard Henkel settled there. From March, 1720, to October, 1723, they were frequently visited by Rev. Samuel Hesselius, from Morlatton. In 1732 Rev. John Christian Schultze became pastor, and in the following year was sent to Europe by the congregations to secure aid in the erection of churches and additional pastors. It has been supposed that Rev. John Nicholas Kurtz, Rev. Frederic Schaum, Rev. Jacob Van Buskirk may have first preached at stated times in Pottstown. This will go to show that the Lutherans at this early date were already possessed of some strength throughout this section. After the laying out of the town in 1753 John Potts donated lot No. 89, located on Hanover Street and extending from Chestnut to Walnut to be used as a burial-place and for the erection of a house of worship. The first log church it is supposed was erected here before October, 1772, but the ground had been used some years previously for burial purpose. Not long after that date the Rev. John Ludwig Voigt held stated services in Pottstown. It is probable that his visits were not very frequent until 1776, as he had, until then, no relief from the cares of his other congregations. Owing to the war, the Rev. Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg left New York and took charge of New Hanover, in the place of Mr. Voigt, who removed to Zion's Church in Chester County. The former devoted more time to the congregation, to whom he preached once a month. Both Mr. Voigt and Muhlenberg speak of a church here. From the earliest records existing we learn that in 1777 the elders and deacons were George Gilbert Sebastian Keck John Fritz Henry Eckel John Schoener John Balde. 1779, Christopher Schoener and Christian Lessig 1782, Jacob Yocum and Andrus Schoener 1785, Bartholomew Wamback and Andreas Missimer 1788, Cassmier Missimer. The congregation in 1782 took measures for the erection of a school-house on lot No. 95, for which they received a deed dated August 24, 1784 from George Gilbert and Salome, his wife, and John Fritz and John Schoener, in trust for the use of the "Evangelical Lutheran congregation of Pottstown." In that house subscription schools were taught until 1841, since when it has been used as a dwelling and is still standing at the southeast corner of Penn and Walnut Streets. In 1796 the early log Church had gone so far to decay that it was proposed, in connection with the Reformed congregation who had also held worship therein, to build a more substantial and commodious brick edifice, for which the sum of four thousand four hundred and twenty dollars was subscribed, and which was consecrated and finished within said year. At its completion the cost amounted to six thousand and it required nearly eleven years before it was all paid off. The Lutherans being decidedly the strongest, defrayed three-fourths of the expense. The new church at the time was considered a fine structure, very few in the county at that time surpassing it, as may be judged from its cost. At the building of the new church Mr. Voigt had again became pastor, a position he retained until June 1799, when Rev. John F. Weinland became his successor to close of 1806. 793 In May, 1807, Rev. F. W. Geissenhainer became pastor, and remained until 1808. Rev. Peter Hecht had charge from 1809 to 1813, followed by Rev. J. E. L. Brouns, who remained until the close of 1815. After Rev. F. W. Geissenhainer, in May 1823, Rev. Conrad Miller succeeded. In 1833 the Synod held its first meeting in Pottstown, thirty-five pastors and twenty-three lay delegates being present; services in English were also held, which produced a desire to have that language introduced. At this time, the pastor had seven congregations in charge and conducted worship here once in four weeks. Rev. Conrad Miller proposed to the congregation, in April 1834, to take measures to secure services in English at stated times. PICTURE OF NEW HANOVER CHURCH, APPEARS HERE. In accordance with this request, Rev. John W. Richards accepted the call, and preached his introductory sermon May 18, 1834. He held the pastorate until the spring of 1836, when Rev. Jacob Wampole, of the Trappe, succeeded, and continued until his death, in the beginning of 1838. Rev. Henry S. Miller had charge from April 1838, until August 20, 1848. In 1844 a second Synod was held here, fifty-three pastors being present. In the summer of 1848, Rev. Conrad Miller transferred the care of the German congregation to his nephew, Rev. George F. Miller, who also became pastor of the English portion on the resignation of Rev. H. S. Miller. In 1859 the members of the latter resolved on the erection of a new church, the corner-stone of which was laid August 5, 1859, and it was consecrated February 16, 1861, on which occasion the Rev. J. A. Seiss delivered the sermon. In the act of incorporation it is styled "The English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Transfiguration," situated at the southwest corner of Hanover, and Chestnut Streets. It is a handsome, large, two-story brick edifice, and cost twelve thousand and fifty dollars. The Rev. George F. Miller remained pastor until the spring of 1868, succeeded by Rev. G. W. Schmucker until the fall of 1870. In June 1871, Rev. Charles Koerner became pastor, who was succeeded in the spring of 1881 by the Rev. B. M. Schmucker, D.D., who is still in charge. Owing to the increase of membership and a desire to have more frequent services, the congregation sold out their interest in the Old Brick or Union Church to the Reformed members in May, 1871. An act of incorporation was obtained under the name and title of the "German and English Evangelical Lutheran Emanuel Church." They had reserved for their use one- half of the ground, one hundred and fifty by one hundred and eighty feet in extent at the corner of Hanover and Walnut Streets. The church was commenced thereon May 30, 1871, and was dedicated September 28 and 29, 1872. Its dimensions are ninety-nine and a half feet long by sixty-three feet wide and it cost thirty-three thousand dollars, possessing the largest membership of any church in the place. The Synod met in Pottstown in 1864, when ninety-two ministers were present; again in 1873, with one hundred and forty-four ministers; and in 1881, with one hundred and seventy-six ministers present. The officers and teachers of the Sabbath-school belonging to the church in 1882 numbered fifty and the scholars six hundred and seventy-six. While the church was building the Rev. Wm. G. Laitzle had charge; Rev. D. K. Kepner is the present pastor. In the preparation of this article acknowledgments are due to Dr. Schmucker for information derived from his interesting pamphlet, entitled "The Lutheran Church in Pottstown," published in 1882, and also to Mark H. Richards, Esq., relative to the borough. REV. D. K. KEPNER is a descendant of one of the first settlers by this name in the upper end of Montgomery County. Andreas Kepner paid quit-Tent to the proprietary of Pennsylvania for one hundred acres of land prior to 1734 (see Rupp's collection of names, etc., page 473). His farm was situated on the road leading from Pottstown to Falkner Swamp, near the latter place. He died in 1766, aged sixty-five years, William Kepner, his son, having lived and died on an adjoining farm. Henry, the son of William, resided on another farm, where his son William, father of Rev. D. K. Kepner, was born, and died on a farm near by Fegleysville, so that Andreas1, William2, Henry3 and William4 lived and died in Montgomery County. All were members of the Lutheran Church at New Hanover, and are buried in the graveyard of the church. All of them followed agricultural pursuits. The subject of this sketch is a son of William Kepner and Sarah Koch, his wife. He was born October 15, 1836, baptized and confirmed by Rev. Conrad Miller in the same church, and, subsequently, also married in the same to Lydia A. Brendlinger, daughter of Frederick Brendlinger, of Swamp. He was reared on the farm and accustomed to hard work, his school advantages having been very limited in his younger days. 794 When he arrived at the age of eighteen years his father gave him the choice of a trade or attendance at an advanced school for two winters. He chose the latter, and became a pupil for two sessions of the Washington Hall Boarding-School. He entered Frederick Institute the succeeding winter, and remained during three sessions. The next four winters he taught a public school, in the mean time preparing for college, and entered the sophomore class of Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, Pa., in the fall of 1861, having the ministry in view. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted in the service of the United States as regimental quartermaster of the one hundred and Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, subsequently re-enlisting in the One Hundred and-Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was mustered out at the end of the war as first lieutenant in charge of Company A, and returned to college in the fall of 1865, graduating August 8, 1867. Mr. Kepner entered the Theological Seminary, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, at Philadelphia, September 1807, and graduated from this institution June 8, 1870, being ordained a minister of the Gospel, June 15, 1870, by the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, thus having gained the object of his aspirations for the previous ten years. He supplied the Orwigsburgh charge, in Schuylkill County, during the winter of 1870-71, and accepting a call to Slatington, Lehigh Co., Pa., entered upon the work May 12, 1871. He organized a new congregation at Lehighton, Carbon Co., Pa., and built a church, serving the same in connection with Slatinigton and Pennsville. Mr. Kepner accepted a call to Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church of Pottstown, Montgomery Co., and began his labors January 1, 1875, having just completed his tenth year as pastor of this church. The congregation is one of the oldest and the largest in membership, worshiping in the most spacious church edifice in Montgomery County. The summary of Mr. Kepner's pastoral work during the ten years is as follows: Baptized, infants, 1005 adults, 58 confirmed, 544 added by transfer from other congregations, 488 total added, 1037 funerals, 671 married, 311 communicated 16,945. The largest number of members communed in one year (1884) was 1054. He has preached 1360 regular and funeral sermons, made 1371 addresses, and was unable to preach by reason of indisposition, only five Sunday during the ten years. In the last four years he has not missed a Sunday in the church nor Sunday-school. During, a ministry of fifteen years Mr. Kepner always trained the choir of the church and the Sunday-school in the service of song and led the same in addition to his work as pastor. The statistics already given may indicate to some extent the work accomplished by Mr. Kepner while in the ministry. He is firmly intrenched in the hearts of his people and holds an influential position in the denomination which he represents. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. RUFUS B. LONGAKER. Peter Longaker, the father of Rufus B., was a native of Lawrenceville, Chester Co., Pa., where he was born on his father's farm March 14, 1786, and died November 1, 1866, in Limerick Township. He married Hannah, daughter of George and Mary Boyer, who was born in Churchville, Hereford Township, Berks Co., Pa., September 1, 1795, and survived until her ninetieth year. There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Longaker six children,- Rufus B. Mary (Mrs. Abram Kohl, deceased) Louisa (Mrs. Sebastian Kohl) Emeline John B. Francis Elmira (deceased) Rufus B., the eldest of this number, whose birth occurred in Limerick Township (where his father then resided) on the 6th of April, 1816, at the age of sixteen became a pupil of the Trappe Boarding-School. On completing his course of study he removed to Berks County and engaged in teaching, which pursuit was continued for two winters. He was for one year clerk in a country store at the Trappe, and soon after embarked in mercantile pursuits at Crooked Hill, Pottsgrove Township, and Montgomery Co., remaining at this point from 1840 until 1851. Having been in that year elected recorder of deeds, he removed soon after to Norristown, and remained for three years the incumbent of the office. Returning to Pottstown in 1855, he engaged in the purchase and sale of cattle and horses, continuing the business for several years. He was, in 1863, the successful candidate for county treasurer having received the Democratic nomination for the office, and served in that capacity for two terms, meanwhile retaining, his home in Pottstown. In 1862, under the firm name of Longaker & Van Buskirk, he embarked in the wholesale wine and liquor business in which he was succeeded by his son, Montgomery S. Longaker. Mr. Longaker was an influential member of his party, and at various timed delegate to Democratic State conventions. For three years he served as member of the Borough Council of Pottstown. He was for many years in the board management of the Union Mutual Fire and Storm Insurance Company of Montgomery County, as also manager of the Reading and Perkiomen Turnpike Company. He was a devoted member of Trinity Reformed Church of Pottstown. Mr. Longaker was married in 1842, to Elizabeth, daughter of the late Abraham Smith, of Pottstown. Their children are Montgomery S. Hannah E. (Mrs. Matthias Geist) Horace S. Mary (Mrs William H. Thomas) Lewis C. (of Bradford, Pa.) Two deceased children. Mr. Longaker enjoyed a reputation for integrity and promptness in all his business dealings. Possessing sound judgement and a mind that grasped quickly the details of business he was frequently consulted upon matters involving important issues. He was extensively acquainted with public men throughout the State, and enjoyed the confidence and friendship of many persons in high official position. The death of Mr. Longaker occurred after a life of great activity and usefulness on the 26th of September, 1882. PICTURE OF R. B. LONGNECKER, APPEARS HERE. 795 JONAS SMITH. Jonas Smith, the eldest son of Henry and Mary Smith, was born in New Hanover township, Montgomery Co., Pa., March 15, 1806. After the usual period at school he learned the trade of a carpet-weaver, but soon abandoned it for the more congenial pursuit of a merchant. Entering a store at the Swamp as clerk, he later purchased and for several years conducted this enterprise. During the fall of 1837 he made Pottstown his residence, and there engaged in business in various localities in the borough. In 1840 he removed to a farm in Pottsgrove township, but remained for a brief time only, resuming again his mercantile ventures in connection with his brother, William H. Smith, under the firm-name of J. & W. H. Smith. The firm subsequently became Smith & Hartranft, and was continued until 1855, when Jonas Smith retired therefrom. Mr. Smith manifested in his earlier life a lively interest in military affairs, and for some years served as captain of a volunteer cavalry company, known as the Third Troop of Montgomery County, which participated in the State Military encampment in 1841, held at Pottstown. He was at various times a member of the Borough Council and board of school directors of Pottstown, and was elected chief burgess of the borough in 1839. In the fall of 1841 he was made treasurer of Montgomery County, being the first county treasurer elected to that office. He was re-elected in 1842, and filled the term with great acceptance. He was for nearly forty years treasurer of the Pottstown Mutual Fire Insurance Company, was a manager of the Schuylkill Bridge Company for more than thirty-five years and for several years director of the Bank of Pottstown. He was also treasurer of the Pottstown Cemetery from the beginning until a short time prior to his death, and for some time superintendent of the company. All these positions were filled with credit to him and to the interest of the various corporations he served. To his first wife were born children,- Franklin C. George W. Esther (wife of Jacob Hartranft, deceased) one who died in youth. 796 By his marriage to a second wife were children,- Theophilus H. Mahlon V. one child who died in childhood. PICTURE OF JONAS SMITH, APPEARS HERE. Mr. Smith was for nearly his whole life a consistent member of the Lutheran Church, and connected as an officer with the Church of the Transfiguration, contributing generously to the various organizations connected with the work of its members. His life was one of great usefulness. He was public- spirited philanthropic and true to the best impulses of a noble nature. His death, which occurred March 12, 1884, occassioned universal sorrow. GEORGE MISSIMER. Mr. Missimer is of French descent, his grandfather, Cassimir Missimer, having emigrated from Alsace. He married Margaret Brandt, whose children were eleven in number, - John, Henry, Jacob, Benjamin, Frederick, George and five daughters. Frederick, whose birth occurred in Virginia, married Elizabeth Kreider, of Montgomery County, whose children were Catharine, Mary, John George, Samuel, Rebecca, Anna, Elizabeth, and three who died in childhood. George Missimer was born on the 1st of December 1792, in Pottsgrove township, Montgomery Co., as were also the remaining brothers and sisters. After very limited advantages of instruction he learned the trade of a cabinet-maker, becoming an apprentice in 1808, and walking a distance of one, hundred and twenty miles to avail himself of opportunities not afforded him near his home. He pursued this trade in Pottstown and vicinity for seven years, when the war of 1812 found him among its volunteer recruits. Later he assisted in the construction of the Schuylkill Canal, and on the 20th of January, 1820, was united in marriage to Susannah Christman, whose birth occurred November 26, 1798. Their children are Henry, born in 1825; Elizabeth, in 1827; George, in 1830; Susan, in 1832; Mary, in 1834; Rebecca, in 1836; Emeline, in 1839. After his marriage Mr. Missimer for eight years rented a farm in Pottsgrove, which was afterwards purchased by him. For sixteen years he resided upon this property, and on his practical retirement from active labor, in 1848, Pottstown became his home. He at this time controlled interests in various barges and engaged in other business enterprises. Mr. Missimer is an Andrew Jackson Democrat of the most pronounced type, having cast his first vote in behalf of that distinguished presidential candidate. 797 He has represented his borough in the Council for many years, and also filled the office of street commissioner. He has been an important factor in the growth and development of Pottstown. Mr. Missimer is a director of Mt. Zion Cemetery and member of the Lutheran Church of the Transfiguration, in which he has been a vestry-man since the erection of the church. PICTURE OF GEORGE MISSIMER, APPEARS HERE. CHAPTER L. BOROUGH OF ROYER'S FORD. THE borough of Royer's Ford was incorporated by decree of the Court of Quarter Sessions dated June 14, 1879. The petition upon which this decree was made was signed by ninety-eight persons, who constituted a majority of the land-owners residing within the limits of the proposed borough. The first local election for borough officers was held July 17, 1879, under the following officers appointed by the court: Adam Grander, judge; Allen S. Keeley and Silas S. Swartly, inspectors. A. S. Keeley made the original survey of the borough, as shown by the draft on file in the office of the clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions. This borough is located on the eastern shore of the Schuylkill River, and on the line of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, distant from the former city thirty-two miles and from Norristown sixteen miles. The location is healthful, and from the elevation upon which most of the residences are built the scenery and general landscape is of a pleasing and picturesque character. The name is derived from an ancient ford over the Schuylkill River at this point, which took its name from a family of the name of Royer, who are believed to have owned the land many years ago and prior to the use of the stream for navigation purposes. Subsequent to the erection of dams and the consequent destruction of the fords in common use, a bridge was constructed here, but the name of Royer's Ford was still retained by the villagers, and when the forms and advantages of municipal government became necessary, the ancient name possessed a popular charm that rendered its retention advisable in the judgment of the projectors of the borough enterprise. The borough contains over two hundred residents and an estimated population of about one thousand persons. There are two hotels, three dry- goods stores, one dry-goods and grocery, three grocery and provision, one drug-store, tin-smith and marble-yard, besides other mercantile and mechanical enterprises. There are large manufacturing industries carried on here as mentioned in detail elsewhere, to the influence of which the rapid and substantial growth of the borough is in a large measure attributable. There is a graded public school in the borough, taught by one male and two female teachers, having an attendance of one hundred and twenty-five pupils. Schools are open for nine months in the year, and the salaries paid are forty, thirty and twenty-five dollars per month. [See "Manufactures," Chap.] 798 PLACES OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP. -The Royer's Ford Baptist Church was organized January 30, 1879, with fifteen members from the Baptist Churches of Lawrenceville, Pottstown and Phoenixville. A committee of three was appointed to call a council for February 8th, which was done. Delegates from the churches of Pottstown, Pughtown, Vincent, Windsor and Lawrenceville convened at the appointed time, and after examination, the church was recognized. On March 1, 1879, the church resolved to erect a house of worship fifty-five by thirty-five feet, of brick, on Church Street, which was soon after begun, and was completed and dedicated in the summer of 1880. In April, 1880, this church, in connection with Lawrenceville Church, called as pastor the Rev. C. W. 0. Nyce, who remained till January, 1881. On the 14th of October, 1882, the Rev. William Edwards was called, and served the church until April 1, 1884. The Rev. J. M. Lyon, the present pastor, was called May 25th following. The church now has thirty-one members. The Methodist Episcopal Chapel is located on the corner of Church and Airy Streets, the land being donated by Daniel Latshaw. [NOTE] The edifice is a plain, substantial brick building, with a seating capacity of upwards of two hundred persons. There is a Sabbath-school connected with the chapel, having an attendance of from one hundred to one hundred and fifty scholars. [NOTE: See " History of Methodism," ante.] The enterprising people of the borough have organized the Royer's Ford Hook-and-Ladder Company and are prepared to battle with fire should it occur. Not possessing water-works, such as are in general use in larger towns, they have sunk a well to the level of the water in the Schuylkill River, from which water is led, furnishing a supply deemed adequate for any exigency likely to arise. The main thoroughfare known as Main Street, has been graded and macadamized, and presents a neat appearance; public improvements are in progress on High Street and the borough is rapidly approaching a condition and appearance that will give it a place among the substantial and flourishing towns in the Schuylkill Valley. COMMERCIAL RETURN OF MERCANTILE APPRAISER FOR 1884.- Lewis Buckwalter, confectioner A. D. Bechtel, flour and feed A. C. Freed, provisions Wm. Isett, meat and provisions H. E. Kline, jeweler J. M. Lewin, boots and shoes Mowry & Latshaw, hardware Place, Mahlon, tobacco Rover's Ford Cooperative Association, groceries and provisions Wm. Rice, provisions Jones Rogers, merchandise Daniel Springer, lumber A. K. Saylor, drugs Fred Shaner, tobacco Simon Snyder, notions B. F. Saylor, tobacco D. M. Ziegler, boots and shoes. Number of taxables, 1884, 257; value of improved lands, $321,120 value of unimproved lands, $9065 value of horses, $3790 value of cattle, $810 value of taxable property for county purposes, $371,805. Addison Buckwalter was burgess of Royer's Ford from 1879-83. B. F. Saylor was elected to this office in 1884. David Gow was appointed postmaster in 1842; Daniel Schwenk, January 1, 1860; and the present postmaster, Reuben Winter, January 1, 1860. [sic] BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. EPHRAIM P. KEELY, Henry Keely, the grandfather of Ephraim P. Keely, who was of German descent, resided in Perkiomen township, where he was actively employed as a blacksmith. His children were Henry John Jonas Elizabeth (Mrs. Schantz) Ann (Mrs. Kline), all of who are deceased. Henry was a resident of Perkiomen township, the scene of his birth, where he followed the trade of a plasterer. He was also actively identified with the county militia, in which he held the rank of captain. Henry Keely married Hannah, daughter of John Peltz, of Upper Providence township, whose children were Abeltis, of Phoenixville; Ephraim P. and Jacob of Upper Providence Mary Ann, deceased (Mrs. John Wright, of Chester Co., Pa.) Manasseh, deceased Salome (Mrs. William B. Wrightmeyer, of Pottstown) Susannah (Mrs. William Boyer, of Phoenixville) Hannah, deceased Henry, deceased Ephraim P. was born January 21, 1827, in Perkiomen Township, where he remained until his seventeenth year, meanwhile receiving such instruction was the neighboring school afforded. He then removed to Upper Providence and served an apprenticeship of two years as a carpenter and builder. On becoming proficient at this trade he readily found his skill in demand in the immediate vicinity, and later filled the position of foreman for the Reading Railroad Company. In 1857, Mr. Keely removed to that portion of Limerick now known as Royer's Ford, and erected a residence, which is still his home. Since 1866 he has been engaged as a contract builder, having recently erected the glass-works at Royer's Ford, the First Reformed Church of Spring City, and the extensive stove-works of Grander, Rodgers & Co. He was, in 1851, married to Margaret Ann, daughter of Jacob Tyson, of Upper Providence, whose only son, Allen T., is now principal of the Royer's Ford Public School and justice of the peace, as also a skillful surveyor. Mr. Keely, in connection with his other enterprises, is engaged in the manufacture of brick for building purposes. He is a Democrat in his political convictions, but, aside from the office of Town Council- 799 man of the borough, has held no official position. He is a member of the Spring City Lodge, No. 553, of Free and Accepted Masons, of which he was the first and is the present treasurer. He is also a member of Phoenix H. R. A. Chapter, No. 198, of Jerusalem Commandery, No. 15, and of Palestine Council, No. 8. Mr. Keely is member of the Reformed Church of Spring City, Chester Co., and Pa. PICTURE OF EPHRAIM P. KEELY, APPEARS HERE. CHAPTER LI. WEST CONSHOHOCKEN. By Wm. J. Buck. THIS borough is situated on the West Side of the Schuylkill, directly opposite Conshohocken, and was incorporated October 6, 1874, its territory having been taken nearly equally from the townships of Upper and Lower Merion. Three railroads and a canal pass either through or by it and an iron bridge connects it with the opposite side of the river. The front on the Schuylkill is a mile and a quarter, and at its southern extremity extends westward nearly the same distance. Its area is about five hundred and forty acres. The ground is somewhat broken, and in the central portion rises to some elevation. As to the streets, comparatively little curbing has been done. Gulf Creek, a rapid stream that rises in Delaware County, after a course of nearly four miles, empties here into the Schuylkill, propelling in this distance several grist-mills, besides cotton and woolen manufactories. Near its mouth the highway and railroad cross it by substantial stone bridges. A small stream rises beyond the borough line on the south side of the Township Line road, and after a course of nearly two miles empties into the river a short distance below the bridge. The station of the Reading Railroad is thirteen miles from Philadelphia, forty-five from Reading and eighty from Pottsville. The population of West Conshohocken, according to the census of 1880, was 1462. Licenses were issued in May 1883, to 5 hotels 3 general stores 1 stove and tin-ware 1 boot and shoe 1 drug 1 provision-store 1 dealer in flour and feed 1 in coal. For 1882, 231 taxables were returned, holding real estate valued at $640,850, and including the personal property, $679,035. The average per taxable is $2939, decidedly the highest of all the boroughs in the county, Conshohocken being $1869; Norristown, $1721; and Bridgeport, $1656. Within the past ten years Mingo post-office was established here, which was changed January 1, 1884, to West Conshohocken, the present postmaster being Dr. McKinzie. The public schools are four in number, and for the school year ending June 1, 1882, averaged one hundred and forty-four pupils in attendance in public schools are four in number, and for the school year ending June 1, 1882, averaged one hundred and forty-four pupils in attendance. H. A. Markley is principal, assisted by three female teachers. 800 The public-school building is it large stone structure situated on Church Avenue, to the rear of the built up portion Of the town. Gas is brought hither from Conshohocken in pipes laid over the bridge. The Balligomingo Baptist Church was constituted in 1855, and a stone church soon after erected. The pastors who have served the church have been the Revs. _____ Young _____ Sagebeer _____ Perry W. W. Dalby J. G. Walker Thomas R. Evans and the Rev. E. I. McKeever, the present, pastor, who began his labors in April, 1884. The Merion and Elizabeth Furnaces, belonging to J. B. Moorhead & Co., are situated beside the Reading Railroad, near the bridge. The former was built in 1847 by Stephen Colwell and was enlarged in 1876. The latter was built in 1872 and put in operation in October of said year. They have a combined capacity to produce about five hundred tons per week. Mr. Moorhead has been the senior partner of the firm since 1857, and resides in Philadelphia. The iron produced here is chiefly known as gray forge, calculated for boilerplates and sheet-iron. The woolen-mills of George Bullock, on Gulf Creek, in the northwest part of the borough, are quite extensive, and give employment to two hundred and seventy-five hands, producing above three hundred thousand yards of cloth per annum. Beside the railroad and near the bridge are extensive worsted-mills belonging to a company, which employ seven hundred bands. James Hall carries on the manufacture of carpets, giving labor to some twenty men. There are in the place, besides, several minor manufacturing establishments and mechanic shops. The Township Line road, at quite an early period, was laid out from Chester County to this place; hence, originated a necessity for a crossing place over the Schuylkill. Some time before the Revolution, Peter Matson resided here, who, in 1780, was assessed for holding one hundred and seventy-nine acres and three horses; Isaac Matson for two horses. It was from this family that the place was called Matson's Ford. In the Revolution it appears the British did some damage here, for which Peter Matson was allowed twenty-six pounds and Isaac Matson sixty-four pounds. It is probable that this was done at the time of the retreat of Lafayette, May 20, 1778 from Barren Hill, closely pursued by the enemy he had scarcely got the last of his artillery across before they were fired on by an advance party, which caused the loss of nine men, either killed or taken prisoners. Of the British, two horsemen were killed and several wounded. It is likely that this injury was done to the buildings in firing across the river. On the death of Peter Matson his land was divided among his four sons. The aforesaid Isaac Matson was one of the number. The former, it is said, in his early life was greatly given to foxhunting, keeping a pack of hounds for this purpose. Where are now Mr. Bullock's woolen-mills, on Gulf Creek, George English erected before the Revolution, a fulling-mill that afterwards was conducted for many years by William Custer. On his death, about 1821 his son-in-law, Bethel Moore, became the owner, who made valuable improvements and entered extensively into the manufacture of woolen goods, especially satinets. A short distance above this, in 1856, George Townsend carried on a factory changed front a grist-mill that had formerly belonged to David Brooke. At Bethel Moore's establishment in 1838 were about thirty houses, a Baptist Church, store, schoolhouse and several mechanic shops, which bore the name of Balligomingo. When the Merion Furnace and a few houses were built at the west-end of the bridge, in 1847, the name of West Conshohocken was given to it. In 1858 it contained twenty-three houses, a store and a blacksmith shop. The furnace then gave employment to thirty hands. A block-printing establishment and a bleaching-works had been formerly carried on there, but were then closed. This place owes much of its prosperity to the early enterprise of William Davis, who owned at the time a considerable portion of the ground on which it is situated. The bridge here was incorporated in 1832 as the Matson's Ford Bridge, and is still called by that name. On the night of September 2, 1850, it was swept away by a high freshet, but was soon after rebuilt. In the year 1872 it was rebuilt of iron. In going over it a very fine view of interesting scenery is presented therefrom by looking either up or down the Schuylkill. About half a mile below the borough a steep conical hill rises from the river probably to it height of three hundred feet and is supposed to be the highest eminence in Lower Merion. This elevation, which is a continuation of Edge Hill, is mentioned in the deeds of 1683 and 1685 to William Penn, called by the Indians Conshohocken, whence the name. From what has been stated, West Conshohocken has had its origin from two distinct settlements, namely, Matson's Ford and Balligoiningo, which will eventually, through its growth be combined into one. For the purposes of a town its site is certainly the most rugged or uneven of any in the county. In the petition of its citizens to the court for incorporation, in the fall of 1804, they state that the place contained two general stores a railroad depot lumber-yard three coal-yards feed store two blacksmith two wright-shops two furnaces a cloth manufactory and other places of business, besides a population of three hundred inhabitants. From this statement we can perceive that the place has rapidly increased. 801 The bounds of the borough, according to its incorporation, are thus given "Beginning at low watermark on the southeasterly side of the Schuylkill river at a point dividing the lands of George Bullock Joseph W. Conrad and Jonathan Conrad in Upper Merion township; thence by said line south 62 degrees, 35 minutes west, crossing the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and the Schuylkill River road, by the middle of an old private road 93 perches 44/100 to a corner-stone; thence by the same south 57 degrees, 50 minutes west 79 perches ?/100, to a cornerstone in the middle of a public road in a line of land belonging to the late Philip Rees, deceased; thence by land of George Bullock south 26 degrees, 55 minutes east 72 perches 18/100 to a corner-stone and partly by said road, south 61 degrees, 8 minutes west 24 perches 40/100 to a stake corner of Samuel Tinkle's land; thence, by land of George Bullock, south 28 degrees, 9 minutes east, crossing the Gulf Creek at the head of George Bullock's dam, and crossing the Balligomingo road 65 perches 3/10 to a Hickory tree, south 57 degrees, 51 minutes west 50 perches to a stone a corner of land of the Isaac Dehaven, deceased; thence south 23 degrees 56 minutes cast 21 perches 24/100 to a corner-stone; thence south 29 degrees, 30 minutes east 73 perches 31/100 to a stone in the middle of a township line road, dividing Upper and Lower Merion; thence along the same north 60 degrees, 20 minutes east 11 porches 28/100 to the northeasterly side of a public road through Lower Merion township; thence 30 degrees, 39 minutes east, 45 perches ?/100 to the southeast side of Kenzie's Avenue; thence 50 perches ?/100 to a point in a line of Moro Phillips' and Herring's line, north 63 degrees, east 21 perches 55/100 to the middle of Moro Street; thence 79 perches 20/100 to a corner, north 61 degrees, 25 minutes east, crossing a small stream of water 44 perches 16/100 to a corner-stone, north 82 degrees, 57 minutes east 66 perches 3/10 to a stake at a corner of Michael Murray's land; thence south 18 degrees, 32 minutes east 30 perches 28/100 to a corner-stone of lands of Moro Phillips and John Y. Crawford, north 60 degrees, east 60 perches 3/10 to a marble stone On the northeast side of it public road crossing Arrowmink Creek, north 17 degrees, east 12 perches 8/10 to a marble corner-stone on land of John Warden; thence north 5 degrees, 22 minutes east, crossing the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad 64 perches 68/100 to a stake at low-water mark of Schuylkill River; thence up along the same by low-water mark 407 Perches to the place of beginning." George Bullock was elected burgess upon the incorporation in 1874 and has held the position continuously to the present time. PICTURE OF WILLIAM DAVIS, APPEARS HERE. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. WILLIAM DAVIS. Mr. Davis is of Welsh descent his grandfather being Reese Davis who resided in Roxborough Philadelphia Co., Pa. He was the father of two sons, William and Thomas, the former of whom was born in Plymouth township, Montgomery Co. and later became a resident of Upper Merion in the same county, where he engaged in farming, lime-burning and various other business ventures. He married Phebe Supplee of the latter township and had children Rachel Rebecca (Mrs. Godfrey M. Young) Mary (Mrs. David T. Horton) William Charles George and several who are deceased. William Davis was born September 13 1826 in that portion of Upper Merion now embraced in West Conshohocken, which has been the scene of all his business operations. After very limited educational advantage he was employed in various undertakings in which his father was interested and at nineteen entered a country store in Edgemont township, Delaware Co., Pa., where he remained one year was clerk returning at the expiration of that period to West Conshohocken, where for two years he was employed in the same capacity by his father. 802 He then embarked in the coal business and having soon after, in connection with his brother purchased the business of his father, they continued the two branches of trade. Mr. Davis, some years later, became associated with a partner in the purchase and sale of coal and lumber and the management of a saw-mill at Bridgeport, Montgomery Co., which business was finally sold, when he concentrated his capital and energies on his extensive interests at West Conshohocken, erecting a new store and in various ways increasing the scope of his enterprises at this point. In January, 1883, his two sons, W. Egbert and Reese P., were admitted to a partnership, the firm-name remaining as before, - William Davis Jr. & Co. Mr. Davis was in June, 1853, married to Emily Y., daughter of David N. Egbert, of Merion Square, in Lower Merion township. Their children are W. Egbert Reese P. Emily Y. and three who are deceased. Mr. Davis has been, since its organization, a director of the First National Bank of Conshohocken and is also treasurer of the Matson's Ford Bridge Company. His political affiliations are Democratic. He has been treasurer of the borough and school district, and for many years filled the office of school director. He is identified with both the Masonic and Odd-Fellows' fraternities having attained to high rank in the former. He was imbued in youth with strong Quaker predilections, but now worships at Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church of West Conshohocken, of which he has been vestry-man. CHAPTER LII - Part I. CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP. By Wm. J. Buck. CHELTENHAM is the extreme southeastern township in the county, and is bounded northeast by Abington, southeast and southwest by Philadelphia and southwest by Springfield. It is of regular form five and a half miles long, and above one and a half wide, with an area of five thousand four hundred acres, and after Springfield, Plymouth and Norriton, the smallest in extent. Its surface is quite rolling, with a soil composed of lime and gravel which is well cultivated and productive. The Edge Hill range is the most elevated, and crosses its southwestern corner by the village of that name. Cheltenham is well watered by numerous small lasting streams. The Tacony Creek is much the largest, flowing through the township about eight miles, and emptying into the Delaware at Bridesburg. In its course it propels several mills and manufactories, to which purposes it has been applied from an early period. The name is of Indian origin, and in records of 1675 is called "Tawocawomink". On Thomas Holme's map of original surveys it is mentioned as "Frankford Creek." The cuttings through the hills on the line of the North Pennsylvania Railroad, going north from Shoemakertown, afford to the geologist a fine study of the various strata of rocks that compose the interior of the elevations of this section, being at four or five places from twenty to forty feet deep. Few neighborhoods within so small an area afford so great a variety, among which can be enumerated gneiss, quartz, tale, schorl and mica. These again afford specimens of micaceous gneiss, micaceous schist, talcose and chlorite slates, serpentine, felspar, etc. Lumps of pure mica may be obtained here of the size of a fist. On the east side of the Willow Grove and Germantown turnpike, and about quarter of a mile south of the Limekiln pike, is an elevation that is remarkable for being composed of typhite flint pebbles, generally of half an inch in diameter, denoting that they were once formed and deposited here by the long-continued action of water, and that afterwards an upheaval must have taken place and thus left them dry. Building Stone is extensively quarried in the vicinity of Jenkintown Station and sent off by railroad. The York road turnpike passes through the central part of the township two miles, and the Limekiln pike about the same distance near its northwestern limits. The former was completed in 1804, and the latter in 1851. The Willow Grove and Germantown pike extends about one mile and a half, finished in 1857. The North Pennsylvania Railroad passes through it three and a half miles with stations at Ashbourne, York Road, Chelten Hills and Abington. This improvement has greatly contributed to the prosperity of this section. The railroad from Philadelphia to Newtown passes nearly a mile across the southeast corner of the township. The villages are Shoemakertown, Edge Hill, Cheltenham, Ashbourne, Camptown and Harmer Hill. Post-offices are established at the first four places. Cheltenham in 1790, contained 620 inhabitants; in 1820, 956; in 1850, 1292; and in 1880, 3236. It contains 390 inhabitants to the square mile, which is almost double the county average. The assessment for 1882 returned 690 taxables real estate valued at $2,531,060 including personal property $2,721,970, the average per taxable being $3945, surpassed only by Springfield and Abington. The common-school system was accepted in the spring of 1838 by 16 majority, William Gillingham and Thomas Rowland being elected directors. For the school year ending June 1, 1882, thirteen public schools were open 10 months averaging an attendance of 250 pupils. There are four houses of worship: St. Paul's, near Shoemakertown; Presbyterian, at Ashbourne; and two Methodist Episcopal Churches. In May, 1883 8 general stores 4 hotels 1 restaurant 1 confectionery 3 lumber coal-yards, 3 dealers in flour and feed were returned In 1785 6 grist-mills 3 saw-mills 1 tannery 1 fulling-mill were assessed The census of 1850 mentions 181 houses and 192 families. Along the valley of the Tacony, and within this township in 1870 were 5 grist-mills 1 fork 1 edge-tool shovel and spade manufactories. 803 Ashbourne, now the largest village in Cheltenham, is situated on the east side of the North Pennsylvania Railroad, and but little over half a mile from the Philadelphia line. It contains about sixty-five houses, a store, post-office and church. The census of 1880 gives it three hundred and forty-two inhabitants. This place has entirely sprung into being since the construction of the railroad in 1856. The post-office has been established since 1876. The station is a handsome two-story building, with nice and neatly-kept grounds. The place was formerly a grist-mill, that dated back some time before 1750. This village is surrounded by a beautiful country, and from its nearness to and facilities with the city, abounds in elegant residences. PICTURE OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ASHBOURNE, APPEARS HERE. The Presbytery of Philadelphia North, within whose bounds the Ashbourne Church [NOTE] is located, had their attention called, several years ago, to the necessity of planting one or more churches along the line of the North Pennsylvania Railroad, to accommodate the rapidly increasing number of families from Philadelphia. An effort was made by a member of the Presbytery to hold services in Shoemakertown, a mile north of Ashbourne, but the attempt was soon given up. About this time a number of Presbyterian families from Philadelphia moved into the neighborhood of Ashbourne, and the necessity of providing a place of worship was impressed, upon them. Accordingly, on June 5, 1878, a meeting was held, at which it was determined to open a Sabbath-school in a small building, the use of which was kindly offered by Mr. R. J. Dobbins. The school was opened on June 16th with about one hundred scholars, On the 8th of October following a petition was [NOTE: Sketch written by Rev. Richard Montgomery October following a petition was presented to Presbytery asking for church organization at Ashbourne.] 804 presented to Presbytery asking for church organization at Ashbourne. The petition was granted, and on October 25, 1878, the committee of Presbytery formally organized the Ashbourne Presbyterian Church, with fourteen members. Mr. Charles S. Luther, formerly an elder in the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, and Mr. Thomas C. Van Horn were elected elders. After the ordination of Mr. Van Horn, these were installed. On March 12, 1880, Rev. J. W. Kirk who had been in charge of the Somerville Mission, Germantown, was elected the pastor of the church, and installed May 13. During Mr. Kirk's pastorate the church increased in membership and the general work was systematized. October 3, 1882, Mr. Kirk, having received a call to another church, resigned this charge. On November 30th of this year the, Rev. Richard Montgomery, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and of Princeton Seminary, was called to be pastor, and on December 19 was ordained and installed. In April, 1883, a contract was entered into with Messrs. Bird and Given, of Philadelphia, to erect the new church building, according to plans furnished by Isaac Pursell, and in January, 1884, it was finished at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. The church is now in a flourishing condition, with a membership or about one hundred. The present elders are T. C. Van Horn D. H. Yerkes H. J. Laird J. L. Ervin. About half a mile front Ashbourne, on the Tacony Creek, is Myers & Ervien's fork-factory, which gives employment to fifty hands. The business was first established by Jacob Myers about 1848. The old stone grist-mill here of Jacob Leech was built some time before 1751, and is now used by the firm for other purposes. Just below this is the extensive edge-tool manufactory of C. Hammond & Son, who employed between sixty and seventy hands. The buildings are of stone, and have been recently enlarged. The father of the present proprietor commenced the manufacture here in 1840, with a few hands. The chief products are hatchets, sledges and hammers. The Philadelphia office is at 13 North Fifth Street. The adjacent country is rolling and abounding in fine springs of water. The village of Cheltenham, which was long known as Milltown, is situated on the Tacony Creek, near the east corner of the township and within a quarter of a mile of the Philadelphia line. It contained near sixty houses, two stores and a two-story Methodist Episcopal Church. Its surrounded by a rolling country. Here is the extensive shovel and spade manufactory of Thomas Rowland's Sons, the firm being now composed of Howard, Rush and Lynford Rowland. The works are propelled by steam and water-power, and give employment to ninety-five hands. In the census, report of Montgomery 1810, mention is made that the only two tilt-hammers in the county were owned here by Benjamin Rowland, by means of which he manufactured twelve hundred dozen of spades and shovels annually. Gordon, in his "Gazetteer of 1832," mentions the manufacture of fourteen thousand five hundred dozens, consuming for this purpose one hundred tons of iron. Benjamin Rowland and his brother William died within a few days of each other in December, 1872. Members of this family are also extensively engaged in iron and steel manufactures at Kensineon and Frankford. Cheltenham post-office was established at this village before 1855, when Thomas Rowland, Jr., was postmaster. Within a quarter of a mile, on the city line, the Philadelphia and Newtown Railroad has a two-story station for passengers. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Cheltenham is recognized in the minutes of the Conference for the first time in 1864-65 by the appointment of the Rev. G. W. Lybrand as pastor. His successors have been M. A. Day J. B. Maddox D. L. Patterson H. E. Gilroy H. D. Kurtz T. W. Simpers William Mullin and T. C. Pearson. Shoemakertown is situated near the centre of the township, on the York turnpike road. It contains thirty houses a merchant mill carriage-factory hotel store Episcopal Church two halls for concerts and lectures several mechanic shops and a passenger station at the North Pennsylvania Railroad. The country around is quiet rolling, and abounds in handsome country-seats. This is an old settlement, and was known by its present name at least in the beginning of this century. Gordon, in his "Gazetteer of 1832", mentions that it then contained a grist-mill, store and four or five good dwellings." The hotel was licensed here soon after the opening of the North Pennsylvania Railroad, and was the first public-house in the township. The post-office was established in the fall of 1857, and J. Q. Rand appointed postmaster. The York road was laid out through here in 1711, and where it crosses the Tacony Creek no bridge had been erected in 1746. The venerable stone bridge here was built by the county in 1798. A short distance to the southeast of this bridge Richard Martin had a tannery in operation in 1776, and no doubt established sometime before. The railroad here is stated to be one hundred and seventy-six feet above Delaware tide water. The first grist-mill in Shoemakertown was built on shares by agreement made November 6, 1746, with Dorothy, widow of Isaac Shoemaker, Richard Mather and John Tyson, the ground belonging to the estate. This contract reveals several interesting facts, - hat at time there was a "sheep washing-place" in the creek to the rear of said Dorothy's garden and a "fording-place" for the York road. It is called in the agreement a "corn-grist water-mill". John Tyson resided in Abington June 4, 1752, sold his quarter interest in it to John Shoemaker, most probably one of the heirs. It remained in the Shoemaker family here until April 1, 1847 when it was purchased at public sale by Charles Bosler, tenant of the premises. This was considered a fine property in its day, and is denoted on Nicholas Scull's map of 1759 as "Shoemaker's Mill;" also on William Scull's map of 1770 and Reading Howell's of 1792. Charles Bosler having died August 11, 1873, at the age of sixty-three years, the property came into the possession of Joseph Bosler, his son, and the present proprietor. The latter, in the summer of 1883, greatly improved the capacity of the mill, adding a seventy-two horse-power engine. The main building is now forty-two by sixty feet, four stories high, with a capacity to manufacture from one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and fifty barrels of flour daily. 805 Edge Hill village is situated in the northwest corner of the township, near the Abington and Springfield line, where the Limekiln turnpike and North Pennsylvania Railroad intersect. Its location is high, being on the southeast side of the eminence from which it has derived its name. The engineer's report states that the track of the railroad here in the deep cut is two hundred and eighty-four feet above Delaware tide-water at Philadelphia, one hundred and eight feet higher than York Road Station and one hundred and twenty-three feet higher than Fort Washington. This place has grown rapidly. The census of 1880 returns two hundred and ninety-five inhabitants, but the total surrounding population is higher than there stated. Cheltenham contains about fifty houses 1 hotel post-office several stores and mechanic-shops. The extensive Edge Hill Iron-Works is just over the line, in Springfield Township. The post-office was established here before 1851, and was the first in Cheltenham. The Carmel Presbyterian Church is in Abington, but near to the line. It is a neat one-story stone building, located at the north corner of the Limekiln pike and Edge Hill road, built in 1876. The present pastor is the Rev. R. H. Bent, installed January 1,1882. Regular services are now held here Rev. J. H. Dulles had charge here and at Jenkintown from April 17, 1877 one year. Harmer Hill, or Greenwood Summit, is situated at the intersection of the Limekiln pike, Willow Grove and Germantown pike and the Church road. It contains a store and fourteen houses. The Audenried Public School-house is a fine two-story brick building, erected in 1878. It contains three schools, of which Mary Thompson is principal. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Harmer Hill, a one-story stone edifice, thirty-two by forty-four feet, was built in 1851. Services were held by preachers on the circuit until 1868-09, when the Rev. J. W. Hoskins was placed in charge of this church and Jarrettown. He was succeeded in 1870 by Abel Howard 1871, W. L. McDowell 1872-73, R. Turner 1874-75, J. H. Brittan 1883, T. C. Pearson 1884, G. S. Schaffer. The ground attached contains about half an acre. On the tombstones are found the names of Coars Harvey Liggett Bickley Mitchell Harmer Gourley Guillian Wentz Heist Sands Mennich Mercer Burns Megaw Harper Bolton. Camptown is a village of recent origin, on the Philadelphia line, about a quarter of a mile northwest of the York road. Here, in the late Rebellion, was Camp Wagner, established for colored recruits, front whence the present name. The census of 1880 gives it two hundred and six inhabitants. It contains above thirty houses and a school-house. There is no doubt but what this township received its name through Toby Leech, one of the earliest land-holders and settlers here, and a man of considerable influence. On his tombstone at Oxford Church is found the statement that be "came from Cheltenham, in Gloucestershire, England, in the year 1682," which is a matter for confirmation. There is reason to believe that there is no district in the county which was named as early as this or had earlier surveys made to purchasers. We know from records that Thomas Fairman, on the 1st of Seventh Month, 1683, surveyed for Patrick Robinson two hundred acres of land adjoining Richard Wall, by Tacony Creek; they state that "this tract of land is in the parish of Cheltenham." The name is also mentioned the 3d of Eleventh Month of said year in the records of Abington Meeting. From these references we learn that Richard Wall's purchase had been made still earlier, and was located in the vicinity of the present Shoemakertown. He also came from Gloucestershire, and arrived here the 26th of Fourth Month, 1682, and probably in the same vessel with Toby Leech; they may have known each other in England. It was at his house that the Society of Friends worshiped as early as December 1683 and from which, several years after grew Abington Monthly Meeting. He died in the spring of 1689 and was buried in Philadelphia. In early records he is variously called Wall, Waln and even Worrell, but the latter appears to be a distinct name. Richard Worrell was an early settler in Oxford, and besides, we have Richard Wall, Sr., and Richard Wall, Jr., and the result is that these names are often confounded. We are inclined to believe in this case that the name should be Wall. The Walns were all early family in Bucks County, but never numerous. According to Holme's map of original surveys, the first land-holders, beginning at the southeast end, adjoining the Philadelphia line, were John West Nehemiah Mitchell John Day William Brown Everard Bolton John Ashmead Toby Leech Richard Wall Patrick Robinson John Russel William Frampton Mary Jefferson Thomas Philips. 806 All these tracts are denoted thereon as extending across the full breadth of the township, five hundred and twenty-six perches. Patrick Robinson's tract lay a short distance west of Shoemakertown. John Russel's purchase of three hundred acres came next, which was surveyed by the surveyor-general's order 30th of Sixth Month, 1683, and the patent given 16th of Fifth Month, 1684, signed by William Penn. He married Mary Woodward 5th' of Twelfth Month, 1683, and died in 1698. Joseph Phipps, as assessor of Cheltenham, returned the following list of taxables in 1693: Humphrey Waterman Edmund McVaugh Samuel Voss Thomas Terwood Philip Hill John Iramonger Humphrey Morrow Samuel Carl John Roberts John Barnes Thomas Canby William Routledge Joseph Phipps, Sr. Joseph Phipps, Jr. Richard Wall Tobias Leech George Shoemaker Thomas Whitton Jonas Potts Edward Eaton John Russel. Joseph Mather cattle from Bolton, Lancashire, as one of the servants of Phineas Pemberton, who settled in Eleventh Month, 1682, in Falls township, Bucks Co. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Russel, of Cheltenham, 8th of Sixth Mouth, 1697. The marriage took place at the house of Richard Wall. Among those present who signed as witnesses were John Russel Samuel Richardson Henry Baker Phineas Pemberton Richard Wall William Gabitas Evan Morris Jobn Goodson John Jones Isaac Norris Samuel Carte Everard Bolton and others. By the death of John Russel in the following year, his tract thus came into this family, Richard Mather, son of Joseph, in 1734 still holding the said three hundred acres. In 1720, Joseph Mather proceeded on a visit to England to attend to some business matters, on which occasion the meeting furnished him with a very favorable certificate. He died in Cheltenham in 1724, his widow Administering to the estate. She was a minister in Abington Particular Meeting, and died in Ninth Month, 1730. A portion of the original tract, containing ninety-four acres, is still in the family, now the estate of Thomas T. Mather, adjoining the Philadelphia line, while Isaac Mather holds the upper portion at Jenkintown. Portions of this tract are also now owned by Thomas Miller Townsend Sharpless Edward Starr Henry Lippincott Joshua W. Lippincott John Wanamaker and several others. The Ogontz Seminary for young ladies, the Cheltenham Academy for boys, conducted by Rev. S. Clement, and Chelten Hills Station are also located on the tract. In the township assessment for 1776, Richard Mather is mentioned as holding one hundred and twenty acres; Bartholomew Mather, ninety-three acres; and Benjamin Mather, as a single man. Richard Mather was one of the parties in building the first grist-mill at Shoemakertown in 1747. Isaac Mather erected the mill at the present Chelten Hills Station in 1769. Richard and Bartholomew Mather built about said time a grist and saw-mill on the stream crossing Washington Lane, now the 0gontz property. The latter have been removed for some time. Toby Leech was probably one of the earliest settlers of the township, having come from Cheltenham, in Gloucestershire, in 1682, and soon after this date made a purchase of six hundred and four acres, making his residence the Tacony Creek, a short distance above where is now Myers & Ervien's fork-factory, where he erected a grist-mill and conducted a tannery. He was a prominent man in his day, of whom heretofore very little has been published. A road was laid out from his place to Germantown before the spring of 1704, thus showing already some travel in that direction. In November, 1711, he was one of the twelve jurors in laying out the old York road from the present Centre Bridge, on the river Delaware, through the present Shoemakertown, to the intersection of Fourth and Vine Streets, Philadelphia. He was one of the county commissioners in 1718, which office he held for several years. He died November 13, 1726, aged seventy-four years, and his wife, Hester, the 11th of August previous, aged sixty-six years. Both were buried beneath one stone in Trinity Church-yard, Oxford. At their arrival they must have been aged, respectively, thirty and twenty-two years. His old mansion is still standing, and is now the property of John Thompson. As may be expected, at this period it presents a unique and venerable appearance. It is of stone, two stories high, forty- two feet long and front twenty-four to thirty-six feet in width. The heavy oak balustrades of the stairway and the singular architecture of the arched entrance leading from the hall into the parlor impress one with their appearance of antiquity. Tradition says that Mr. Leech carried on here, from the flour of his mill, the manufacture of sea biscuits, which were hauled to the city and sold to shippers. Traces of the old oven are still pointed out. In the list of 1734 we find, among those holding lands in Cheltenham, Isaac Leech, three hundred and fifty, Jacob Leech, two hundred and thirty, and Widow Leech, one hundred acres. The first two were sons of Toby Leech, and the latter probably a son's wife. The first named was assessor of the township in 1724, and county commissioner in 1727. John Leech was assessor in 1720. Jacob Leech was a township collector in 1727, a vestryman of Trinity Church and the owner of a mill on the Tacony Creek, and died January 28, 1750-71, aged fifty-seven years. Eleanor, his widow, who had a son Jacob Leech, administered to his estate. There was a Thomas Leech clerk tot the Assembly from 1723 to 1727, and a trustee of the loan office in 1743. Isaac Leech was appointed one of the justices of the County Courts April 4, 1741, and Speaker of the Assembly in the years 1756, 1758 and 1759. In the Cheltenham assessment for 1776 we find the names of Jacob Leech holding one hundred and sixty-eight acres; Samuel Leech, one hundred and seventy acres; and of Isaac Leech, who became a member of Hatboro' Library Company in 1768. Thomas Leech who was assessed in Abington for one hundred acres in 1780, was the father-in-law of Hon N. B. Boileau of Hatboro', whose only son was called Thomas Leech Boileau. On Hill's map of the "Environs of Philadelphia," published in 1809, "S. Leech" is represented as holding on the east side of York Road, in this township, one hundred and ninety-three acres and "J. Leech" a smaller tract on the west side. The lands of the former have become divided; portions R. J. Dobbins, E. M. Davis, J. Cooke, Jr., John Thompson, William Birchell's estate, and the greater portion of Ashbourne is located on them. Descendants of the family are still found in the township and its vicinity. 807 George Shoemaker, the ancestor of the family, came from Creisheim, in the Palatinate, where he had embraced the religious views of the Quakers, Meeting with persecution there, at the invitation of William Penn he resolved to come to Pennsylvania. He embarked in England on the ship "Jeffries," Thomas Arnold, master, with Sarah, his wife, and children, George, aged 23 years Abraham, 19 Barbara, 20 Isaac, 17 Susanna, 13 Elizabeth, 11 Benjamin, 10. To the great misfortune of the family, he died on the voyage, and was buried at sea. The vessel arrived here with the rest of the family the 20th of First Month, 1686. It appears that they first settled in or near Germantown. George Shoemaker, the eldest son aforesaid, married Sarah Wall, the 14th of Twelfth Month, 1694, at the house of Richard Wall, who was probably her brother, which may account for his settling in Cheltenham, and how he came in possession of his land. He is, however, mentioned here as a taxable in 1693. We know that in November, 1711, he was one of the jurors in the laying out of the York road, in the report of which it is stated as passing directly by his house. He had six children,- Abraham Isaac Jacob Elizabeth George Richard. Jacob Shoemaker is mentioned in 1714 as having three children, -Thomas. Jacob and Susanna. In 1734 we find, in Cheltenham, George Shoemaker mentioned as holding one hundred acres, and Isaac twenty acres. The latter was a blacksmith by occupation, and husband of Dorothy, who died before 1747. In the assessment for 1776, George Shoemaker, mason, is rated for ninety acres; Benjamin Shoemaker, ninety-three; John Shoemaker, sixty; William Shoemaker, fifty-five acres; and Thomas Shoemaker, a single man. William Shoemaker, died in Shoemakertown June 8,1804, aged eighty-two years. Robert Shoemaker, the well-known druggist of Philadelphia, who resides in the vicinity, is the sixth in descent from George Shoemaker, the original settler at Shoemakertown. The population of Cheltenham had so increased by 1734 that it contained at that time twenty-three resident landlords and tenants, whose names were as follows: Isaac Leech, 350 acres Jacob Leech, 230 Richard Mather, 300 George Shoemaker, 100 Isaac Shoemaker, 290 George Herman, 50 Baltus Acron, 50 John Williams, 200 John Williams, Jr., 200 John Due], 100 William Spencer, 100 Rees Potts, 70 Richard Murray, 250 David Fulton, 100 Thomas Carval, 100 John Thomas, 100 Thomas Jones, 100 Philip Gregg, 150 David Perry, 100 Widow Leech, 100 Richard Martin, Edward Collins, 150 Josiah Wood, 30 acres. Descendants of the name of Shoemaker, Mather, Williams, Herman, Spencer, Thomas and Jones still hold land in the township. William Howell by patent in 1707 took up 779 acres, which lay, on the Church road, east of the Limekiln pike. In 1709 he left by will his plantation of 400 acres to his wife, Mary. A portion of this estate afterwards came into the possession of Hon. Joel K. Mann, who resided on it till his death in 1857. A short distance northwest of the present village of Harmer Hill, on the Church road, was located what was long known as "Twickenham Farm," the country seat of Thomas Wharton, Jr., of Philadelphia. He had purchased it some time before the Revolution, and had so improved it that it was considered at the time one of the finest properties in the township. Mr. Wharton was born in the city in 1735. His first wife was Susan, daughter of Thomas Lloyd. After her death he married Elizabeth, daughter of William Fishbourne. He was a warm supporter of the Revolution, was elected president of the Supreme Executive Council March 5, 1777, which position he retained until his death, May 23, 1778. He was buried at Lancaster with military honors. In November following, Twickenham was advertised at public sale, containing two hundred and twenty-five acres, of which one hundred were woodland and twelve meadow bounded by lands of Jacob Funk, Christopher Ottinger and others. The greater portion of the lands was purchased by Isaac Potts, who made it his permanent home. In 1803, while preaching in Germantown Meeting, he died suddenly. His executors, Samuel Potts, his son, who reside thereon, and Jacob Raul, in the fall of said year, advertised it at private sale, described as containing two hundred acres, fifty-five of woodland and fourteen of meadow. "The barn with stabling for thirty head of stock, and the house of stone with four rooms on each story." We can perceive that even at this date large barns were sometimes built. Colonel Samuel Miles, of the Revolutionary army, resided near Spring Mill, in Whitemarsh, for several years. He was elected a member of the First City Troop in 1783, and became its captain in 1786, which position he held until 1791, when he resigned. In 1792 he purchased a farm in this township, about half a mile southeast of the present village of Cheltenham, where he continued his residence until his death. On this property he had a slitting-mill, which has now entirely disappeared. Colonel Miles was an enterprising man, and purchased a tract of several thousand acres near Bellefonte, on which he erected a furnace carried on by two of his sons. He laid out on his land the town of Milesboro', which thus received its name. In February, 1805, he was appointed one of the trustees of Norristown Academy, and in October, 1805, elected one of the members of Assembly from this county. During the session at Lancaster he was taken with illness, which induced him to hasten home, where he died December 29, 1805, aged nearly sixty-six years. His farm is now occupied by John Emery, and contains one hundred and seventy-six acres, the Tacony Creek flowing through it nearly three-fourths of a mile. 808 His will was made in 1805 appointing his son Joseph Miles, and son-in-law Joseph B. McKean executors devising his Cheltenham property to his daughter, Mary Miles. Captain Robert Coltman of the Revolutionary army owned and resided on a farm of forty-five acres no comprised in the Ogontz property where he died in 1816. He entered the Fourth Battalion of Artillery commanded by Colonel Thomas Procter, February 5, 1777 and was appointed to a lieutenancy the following March 14th. For meritorious services he was promoted to the rank of captain March 3, 1779. His great-grandson, Dr. Robert Coltman, of Jenkintown possesses his portrait in oil and his badge and certificate of the Society of Cincinnati. PICTURE OF SAMUEL MILES, APPEARS HERE. Among the noted men of Cheltenham should be mentioned Richard T. Leech, a descendant of an early family here. The names of his parents we cannot give, nor very little else outside of his public life. He was one of the founders of the Abington Library at Jenkintown, February 19, 1803, and one of its incorporators in 1805. He subsequently became one of directors in which office he was continued for several years. About this time he was also elected one of the County Commissioners. In October, 1809, he was to the Assembly and was returned for several years. General Andrew Porter of this county having been appointed surveyor-general May 10, 1809 retaining the position until his death November 16, 1813, when Governor Snyder appointed Mr. Leech his successor the following December 7th. Mr. Leech continued in this office until February 13, 1818, when he was succeeded by Jacob Spangler. He afterwards removed to Pittsburgh where he died August 26, 1850, aged seventy-five years. Among those who attained longevity in Cheltenham may be mentioned Catharine Gill, who died February 24, 1808, at the advanced age of one hundred and one years. Benjamin Hallowell the distinguished teacher of Alexandria, Va; was born in this township in 1799. His parents were Anthony W. and Jane Hallowell. His mother was a daughter of Benjamin Shoemaker of Shoemakertown near which they resided. Mr. Hallowell died September 7, 1877 aged seventy- eight years after life of great usefulness. He was induced by his descendants to write an autobiography within a few years of his death, which was published in 1883. Lucretia Mott, widely known as a moral reformer and minister among Friends, resided on the York road near the city line where she died November 11, 1880, aged eighty-eight years. Ogontz, the country seat of Jay Cooke has since October, 1883, been converted into a young ladies' seminary in charge of the Misses Bonney, Dillaye, Bennett and Eastman, of Philadelphia. John Wanamaker resides on the York road adjoining the Abington line. Numerous country-seats are to be found through Cheltenham for which its rolling surface fine thrifty woodlands and lasting springs of water cause it to be excellently adapted favored as it is with unusual railroad facilities to the city. Before 1704 a road had been laid out from Toby Leech's residence to Germantown, which was complained of by Thomas Godfrey because it divided his land inconveniently. The Limekiln road is mentioned, and bore this name before 1716. A road was opened from the York road by way of Abington meeting-house to Jacob Leech's mill, now Myers & Ervien's fork-factory on the Tacony Creek, in 1751. The Church road is an important highway in this township extending through the central part in its whole length. It was laid out in September, 1734 from Oxford Church to St. Thomas' Church, Whitemarsh; hence the name. The township book commences in 1767, the road expenses for said year being £23 19s. 6d. It may appear strange to state now that for many years down to 1850, the elections of this township were held at the village of Abington in an adjoining township. In that year an act of Assembly was passed making it a separate district and ordering the election to be held at Shoemakertown. By an order of the court confirmed June 5, 1882, the township was divided into two election districts, to be called East and West Cheltenham; the election of the former be held at the public school-house in Ashbourne, and the latter at the Audenried Public School-house, Harmer Hill. In November 1884 both were held in Shoemakertown. End Chapter LII - Part I