Chapter XLII

Biographical Sketches – Richland

BENJAMIN ACHEY

…coal and lumber dealer, P.O. Quakertown, was born in Lower Saucon township, Northampton county, November 5, 1846.  He is the eldest living son of Michael Achey, a native of that county, son of Lewis Achey, who came from Germany and settled in Williams township.  The mother of Benjamin was Louisa Werling, daughter of Andrew Werling.  Michael Achey was one of a family of six children, viz., John, Michael, Kate, Christiana, Elizabeth, and one whose name cannot now be recalled.  All of them reared families, and all settled in Northampton county except Christiana, who married Levi Amy of Springfield township.  Benjamin lived on his father’s farm in Williams township, Northampton county, up to the time of the death of the latter, which occurred when Benjamin was twelve years old.  He then worked out among the farmers until he was nineteen years of age, when he went to learn the miller’s trade with Levi S. Moyer, of Hellertown.  After learning his trade he took charge of the Gruver mill and run it for three years on his own account, when he went to Milford Square, and for four and a half years run Sholl’s mill.  In 1875 he purchased the Milford Square mills and conducted them up to 1885, when he sold out.  In August, 1886, he purchased the coal and lumber business of John Ozias, of Quakertown, and has since continued the same.  He was married in January, 1871, to Josephine, daughter of Lewis and Rebecca (Bachman) Ritter, the former a native of Springfield township, the latter of Lower Saucon, Northampton county.  Mr. Achey has three children:  Allen A., Benjamin F. and Estella R.    He is a member of the Reformed church, and a member of Hellertown Lodge, No. 606, I. O. O. F.

H. G. AHLUM

…hotel keeper, resides at Richland Center, Pa.  The Ahlum family ranks among the pioneer families of Bucks county.  Jacob Ahlum came from Germany about the year 1742.  He was a wheelwright by trade and settled in what is now Haycock township, four miles east of Quakertown, where he purchased about three hundred acres of land.  He had six sons:  George, Michael, Philip, Jacob, John and David; and five daughters.  John, the grandfather of H. G., married Catherine Yost, by whom he had Ephraim, born in February, 1809, in Haycock township.  He married Levy Groman, born in this county July 15, 1813, a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Pauff) Groman.  The fruit of this union was our subject, Henry Groman, who was born October 8, 1836, in Milford township, where he grew to the years of manhood.  He engaged in farming until 1867, when he began the hotel business at Milford Square, continuing there until 1875, when he came to Richland Center and purchased the hotel owned and run by Frank Hartman, which has ever since been known as the Eagle hotel, and in which he has been doing a good business.  October 22, 1857, he married Belinda R. Miller, who was born in Montgomery county, in 1834, daughter of John and Henrietta (Faber) Miller.  Mrs. Miller is a daughter of Rev. Theobold Faber, a well-known minister of Montgomery county.  Mr. Ahlum has six children:  Emma C., wife of Milton D. Tice, boot and shoe dealer; Charles is a bookkeeper for Strawbridge & Clothier in Philadelphia; Rosa is the wife of William Haney; Ellen, wife of J. F. Fisher, cattle dealer; Calvin E. and Carrie L. are at home.  Mr. Ahlum is a member of the I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 390, of Coopersburg, and also of the Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 372, of Trumbauersville.

JOHN F. AHLUM

…retired, P.O. Quakertown, is another descendant of Jacob Ahlum, the pioneer of the name.  John Fluck Ahlum was born December 2, 1832, in Bedminster township.  He is a son of Jacob and Hannah (Fluck) Ahlum.  His father was born in Bedminster about the year 1802 and engaged in farming.  A few years previously to his death he removed to Bridgeton and lived a retired life until his death, on December 17, 1873.  He had been for many years a consistent member of the Lutheran church and was an esteemed citizen.  The children born to him were Jesse, John, Francis, Jacob, Maria, Leannah and Hannah.  Jesse removed to Colorado and is identified with the mining interests there; Francis located in Hellertown; Jacob in Bridgeton; Maria married Noah Fullman, of Telford; and Hannah married Joseph Wistler and resides in Bridgeton.  John F. lived on the farm until he was eighteen years of age, when he engaged as clerk at Hagersville for Emanuel Hager, continuing three years.  Afterward, in partnership with John Mangle, he purchased his employer’s store and conducted the same for three years.  They afterward removed to Applebachsville.  Three years later he sold out to Mangle, and a few months later purchased William Wood’s stock of goods at Applebachsville, where he remained three years.  About this time his store was burned, and he lost heavily.  He afterward discontinued merchandising and was associated one year with his former partner, John Mangle, in the cattle business.  Then for seven years he was engaged in the hotel business at Applebachsville.  He afterward farmed for several years.  In 1885 he settled in Quakertown, residing on Broad street.  During the summer months he entertains families from Philadelphia.  He has been twice married.  His first wife was a daughter of Joseph and Anna (Brown) Mann, and died leaving no issue.  His present wife is Matilda, sister of his first wife.  Hey had had three children:  Annie Lizzie and Preston.  The last died at the age of six years.  Annie is the wife of the Rev. Nathan C. Schaeffer, principal of the Kutztown Normal school.  Mr. Ahlum is a member of the Lutheran church, also of the Quakertown Lodge, No. 512, F. and A. M.

DANIEL BARTHOLOMEW

…manufacturer of clothing, P.O. Richlandtown.  He is one of the most prominent men engaged in this line of business in the township.  He was born in Bucks county in 1830, married in 1856 to Mary, daughter of John Stoneback, and had two children:  John, deceased, and George.  His wife died in 1859, and he was married in 1860, to Mary, daughter of John Steiner.  By her he had five children:  John and Margaret, deceased; and Lizzie, Amanda and Harry, living.  It was as early as 1634 that four Bartholomew brothers and a sister came to America from London. Born to Andrew and Sarah (Barnger) Bartholomew, parents of our subject, were ten children, of whom all are now dead excepting Hannah, Christiana and Daniel, who is the youngest.  Mr. Bartholomew was formerly engaged extensively in blacksmithing and repairing and selling of sewing-machines, etc.  In 1870 he began the manufacture of clothing.  His business gives employment to ten practical workmen.  He devotes his whole time and energy to the advancement of his business, and during the busy seasons furnishes employment to about two hundred hands, who take the work to their homes.

FRANCIS BIEHN

…farmer, P.O. Richland Center, was born in 1826, in Richland township, and has always lived there.  His grandfather was a native of Bucks county and his grandmother came to America from Russia at an early day.  His parents, Enoch and Sarah (Herbert) Biehn, had eight children, of whom five are living, our subject being the oldest.  Mr. Biehn was married in 1851 to Diana, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Weaver, who were from Lehigh county.  They have had seven children, two of whom, Emma and Frank, are deceased.  Those living are Ellen, Andrew, Sarah, Ann, Ida and Anna Ursella.  Mr. Biehn remained on his father’s farm until he was 28 years of age, when he located on his present farm.  He is a member of the Lutheran church, and in politics a democrat.

LEVI O. BIEHN

…county treasurer, P.O. Richland Center, was born in 1845.  Michael Biehn, his grandfather, was a native of this county and had seven children.  Samuel, his father, deceased in 1848, and Mary (Ort), his mother, is now living.  They are the parents of five children, two of whom, Samuel and William, are deceased.  Our subject was married in 1868 to Kate, daughter of Jacob and Deborah Clymer, of this county.  This couple are the parents of six children:  Edwin C. (deceased), Andrew C., Flora C., William M., Charles C. and Mary Deborah.  At the age of 14 years Mr. Biehn learned the trade of a shoemaker, which occupation he followed till 1881, when he engaged in farming.  He has always been a stanch democrat, and in the fall of 1886 his fellow-citizens elected him to the office of county treasurer, which position he fills in a creditable manner.  He was a school director of this township for eight years and for six years agent for the Lehigh Insurance company.  He is a member of the Reformed church.

MILTON A. BIEHN

…boot and shoe dealer, P.O. Quakertown, is the son of Michael M. and Catherine (Althouse) Biehn, the former a son of Abraham and Mary (Martin) Biehn, the latter a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Wert) Althouse.  He was born at Bunker Hill (now Rich Hill), Rockhill township, this county, in 1851, the family originally coming from Germany.  Mr. Biehn attended school during the winter months, and at the age of 14 years left school to learn the trade of shoemaking, which he followed till he reached the age of 20.  He then engaged in the boot and shoe trade in the firm of Hinkle & Biehn, which existed one year.  Mr. Biehn built his store property in 1873, and from 1874 to 1883 continued his business alone.  At the expiration of that time he retired from business here and connected himself with a Philadelphia wholesale shoe house, but resumed the business at Quakertown in 1885, when the former partnership was resumed.  In 1877 he married Sarah R., daughter of Benjamin R. and Lydia (Bartholomew) Edwards, of this place.  They are the parents of three children:  Nellie E., Harry E., and Grace E., deceased.  Mr. Biehn has always been an active business man, and is familiar with all the details of his branch of industry.  He is a member of the M. E. church of this place, and in politics is a prohibitionist.

JOSHUA BULLOCK

…justice of the peace and conveyancer, P.O. Quakertown, is the last of the name in his immediate family, and is a native of Burlington county, N. J., where he was born November 15, 1811, a son of Edward and Hannah (Lanning) Bullock.  His grandfather was Isaac Bullock, whose ancestors came from England and settled in Burlington county several years prior to the revolution.  They were among the stanch families of that state, were mostly agriculturists and owned large tracts of land.  The Lanning family was likewise an old family and equally prominent.  The subject of this sketch left home at the age of fifteen, went to Philadelphia and there learned the bricklayer’s trade, which he followed for several years.  In 1841 he removed to Mauch Chunk, and was there engaged in the lumber business for twenty-seven years.  He manufactured large quantities of lumber, but in 1862 the flood in the Lehigh destroyed his mills and carried off his lumber. He owned 4000 acres of land, yet his flood nearly ruined him financially.  He recovered to some extent, however, and in 1868 located in Quakertown, and has a competence for his declining years.  He was elected justice of the peace in 1876, and served five years.  Since 1881 he has acted as notary public, and does conveyancing and office business of a similar character.  He was married, April 4, 1843, to Mary, daughter of Samuel Lippincott, one of the prominent business men of Mauch Chunk, but a former resident of Philadelphia, where she was born November 5, 1813.  Mr. Bullock and wife have three children:  Edward L., Annie E., and M. Alice.   Annie is the wife of Samuel J. Levick, Jr. (deceased).  Edward L. resides at Audenried, Carbon county, and is superintendent of the Beaverbrook colliery.  He is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Polytechnic college and a fine scholar.  Both of Mr. Bullock’s daughters are graduates of prominent schools of the state.  He is identified with the Society of Friends.

WILLIAM H. BUSH

…retired, P.O. Richland Center.  The well-known landlord of the Merchants’ house of Philadelphia, and of the Bush house of Quakertown, was born Jun 3, 1815, in Northampton county, and is a son of John and Esther (McHose) Bush.  His boyhood days were spent in the county where he was born, and at the age of nineteen he removed to Lehigh county, and remained on the farm with his father until he was 25 years of age.  He then went to Philadelphia, and after some experience in hotel life there, returned to Lehigh county and married Christina Cope, who was born August 9, 1823, in Bucks county.  Returning to Philadelphia he took charge of the Merchants’ house on Third street, and attained popularity and built up a good trade; and in connection with his hotel, for several years run a stage line from Philadelphia to Allentown. In 1863 he sold his interests in the city, and removed to Quakertown and purchased the hotel property known as the Bush house.  This he conducted until 1884, when he sold out to the present owner, H. H. Souder, and has since been living a retired life.  He has acquired a handsome competence.  He has had eleven children, viz.:  Caroline U., Joanna, Ella E., Sallie C., Laura A., George E., Samuel E., Ida A., Lizzie A., Mary E., and Edwin H.; all living except Lizzie A. (twin sister of Ida), who died single, aged 25.  Caroline is married to Phaon B. Derr, of Philadelphia; Joanna is the wife of Worman Stoneback, of this place; Ella is wife of Dr. D. P. Moyer, of Dublin, this county; Sallie is married to Howard Hemmenwright, of Wildwood Springs, in Cambria county; Laura resides in Philadelphia, and is the wife of J. F. Shive; George, Edwin and Samuel are doing business in Philadelphia.  Ida resides in this place and is the wife of F. M. Lippincott, while Mary E. resides at Quakertown.

RICHARD BUZBY

…farmer, P.O. Richland Center, was born January 22, 1840, in Oxford township, Philadelphia.  His parents, Isaac and Mary (Greenwood) Buzby, had twelve children.  Richard Buzby was married in 1863 to Jane Gale, who came from England in 1858, with her parents, Alexander and Ann Gale.  Six children have been born to them:  Anna Mary (deceased), Harvey, Emory (deceased), Walter, Robbie and Charles.  Mr. Buzby purchased the farm on which he now resides in 1884.  Previously to that time he followed the business of trucking in Philadelphia.

SAMUEL CAREY

…(deceased), Quakertown, was one of the prominent representatives of Bucks county, who have performed their life work and passed to their eternal reward.  He was born in Plumstead township, May 6, 1797.  He was a son of Elias and Hannah (Armitage) Carey, both of whose families were prominent in this county.  Our subject early in life began teaching.  He commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Hendrie, of Doylestown, and graduated at New York city.  He began practice at Sellersville, and while there (in 1824) he married Abigail, daughter of Benjamin and Jane (Roberts) Green, both natives of Bucks county.  About the year 1825 he came to Quakertown, where he continued in the practice of his profession up to the time of his decease, which occurred quite suddenly, August 16, 1865, his wife Jane having died in September, 1854.  Of five children born to them but one attained majority, Jane, now the wife of Samuel Kinsey, of Quakertown.  During forty years’ residence in Quakertown he was not only prominent as a physician, but he became popular throughout the county.  An old time whig, after the birth of the republican party he became affiliated with it, and was a member of the convention which formed the preset constitution of Pennsylvania.  He received the nomination as county treasurer, and in 1861 as associate judge, but the duties of his profession compelled him to decline the nominations.  He was a friend to the bondman.  For many years he was a director of the bank at Doylestown.  He was associated for several years with Dr. Samuel C. Bradshaw, his nephew, protégé and pupil.  Dr. Carey was highly esteemed as a physician, and enjoyed a lucrative practice.  He was a genial companion and a true friend.  In benevolent enterprises he always bore part, and was greatly respected for his many excellent qualities of head and heart.  His memory will remain ever dear in the hearts of his numerous friends who survive him.

HENRY S. CLYMER

…deceased, Quakertown.  According to the best information, the Clymer family (name originally spelled Klemmer) came to this county prior to 1730.  Two brothers from Germany, one of whom was Christian Clymer, settled in what is now Lower Milford township, and in 1734 his name appeared on the record as a petitioner to divide the township.  He was born in 1697.  His wife, Barbara, bore him twelve children, seven sons and five daughters.  He died in 1759, and his wife January 14, 1776.  Jacob, one of the sons above mentioned, was born in 1729, and reared a family of children, among whom was Henry, who married Maria, daughter of Peter and Maria (Zeingenfuse) Shaffer, of Northampton county. To Henry and Maria were born nine children, seven sons and two daughters.  Of this number we find Henry, whose name heads this sketch, born in 1819 between Quakertown and Milford Square, in Milford township, where all of the above-mentioned were born.  Henry married Lavina, daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Trumbauer) Treichler.  He was brought up to farming, and afterward followed shoemaking up to the time of his death, in January, 1863.  His wife died in 1859.  Ten children were born to them, seven of whom grew to maturity, viz:  Edwin T. Christian T., William T., Francis T., Sarah A., and Jacob T.   Henry T. resides in Seven Valley, York county, where he is a Lutheran minister.  Sarah A. is the wife of Aaron Steiner of this place. Jacob T., William T. and Francis T. are residents of Wilmington, Del.  Francis is a leading carriage manufacturer of that place.  Edwin T. and Christian T. are residents of this place, and associated together in 1866 in the boot and shoe business, which they now carry on.  The former married Mary A., daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Trumbauer) Troxel, and has two children:  Charles F. and Ida T.   Christian married Andora Troxel, sister of Mary A., and has one son, Benjamin F.  The religion of the family is the Evangelical Lutheran.  The older members of the Clymer family were of the Mennonite faith.  Some of the descendants are yet living on land that was settled by the pioneer Christian, which has not since passed out of the family.

JACOB CLYMER

…farmer, P.O. Quakertown, is a descendant of one of the pioneer families, and one of the progressive farmers of the township.  He was born December 25, 1819, in Milford township, and was the fifth son of his parents, who were Jacob and Mary (Struak) Clymer.  His paternal grandfather was John Clymer, who married Elizabeth Diehl, to whom three children were born:  John, Jacob and Mary.  John was a teacher, and Mary married a man by the name of Fink, and removed to Indiana.  Jacob, the father of our subject, was a farmer by occupation, and was for many years justice of the peace and representative.  In politics he was a whig.  In the latter part of his life he became identified with the Mennonite church.  He reared a family of ten children:  John, Charles, Anna, Joseph, Elizabeth, Henry, Catherine, Jacob, Mary and Levi, all settled in Bucks county.  Mr. Clymer’s father died in January, 1868, in his 87^th year; his wife died many years previously.  Jacob was reared to farming, but in 1850 removed to Philadelphia and engaged in the grocery business, continuing there until 1874, when he purchased the John Lester farm, and has since remained there. He was married in 1844 to Olivia, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Shelly) Taylor.  He has one son, Isaiah, who resides in the township. 

A.      J. CROMAN

…brick mason and bookbinder, resides in Quakertown.  Contemporaneous with the early settlers of Bucks county was the Croman family.  Michael was the first of whom anything is known.  He was born January 6, 1734, and died January 11, 1808.  His wife, Eva Croman, was born May 8, 1742, and died May 9, 1814.  He was one of the most active members of the Richlandtown Lutheran Evangelical church, and in his barn services were held before the church was built.  They reared a family of eight children, Michael, Samuel, Conrad, George, Catharine, Elizabeth, Benjamin and Susan.  September 10, 1737, the ship “Snow Molly,” from Amsterdam, later Dover, landed ninety-five Palatine emigrants at Philadelphia, among whom was Johann Christoph Grohman, supposed to have been the father of the first Michael above.  He settled in Rockhill township.  Michael, grandfather of our subject, was born September 9, 1764, and married Sabilla Horn, who was born March 22, 1767.  She was a daughter of Sebastian Horn, who was born June 18, 1726, and died June 30, 1812.  Michael, Sr., was drafted in the revolution, but Michael, Jr., served in his place.  After the war he located in Richland township, and engaged in farming.  He reared a family, consisting of six sons:  John, Conrad, Jesse, Joseph, Michael and Samuel; and seven daughters:  Eva, Elizabeth, Gloria, Mary, Susan, Sabilla and Afia.  He died in 1852, aged 87 years, 8 months, 16 days.  Conrad, the father of A. J., was born April 16, 1804, and married Lavina, daughter of Jacob Bright, of Scotch descent, the son of Peter and Susanna (Rau) Bright.  The wife of Jacob Bright, and maternal grandmother of A. J. Croman, was Susanna (Adams) Bright, daughter of John Adams, of Saucon.  He died April 8, 1858, his wife surviving him.  Of seven children born to them four lived to maturity:  Andrew J., Conrad, William and Hannah.  Conrad lives in this township, William in Montgomery county, and Hannah, wife of James Kugler, in Philadelphia. Andrew Jackson Croman was born July 30, 1833, in this township, and remained at home until he was 18 years of age, when he commenced serving an apprenticeship as bricklayer.  After five years’ service he went to Allentown, where he worked two years, then returned to this place, and engaged in business for himself.  December 3, 1859, he married Eliza M., daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Horn) Hinkle, of Springfield township, this county.  He located permanently in Quakertown in the spring of 1866.  He carries on his trade, and has built many of the principal buildings of the place.  He also carries on bookbinding to some extent.  He has had eight children, of whom seven are living:  Annie, Charles, Mary, Samuel, Clara, Amanda and Frank.  He is a member of the Lutheran church, and a democrat.

JOHN L. DEILY

…butcher, P.O. Richlandtown, was born in this township in 1845.  His grandfather was born, reared and died in this township.  His parents, Daniel and Mary, had six chidren:  William, Daniel, Andrew, John L., Levi and Elizabeth.  William and Daniel are deceased.  John L. remained on the farm with his father until he was 21 years of age, when he purchased a farm for himself.  He devoted his life for eleven years to the care of his farm.  In 1882 he moved to his present location, where he is quite extensively engaged in butchering.  He was married in 1872 to Mary, daughter of David and Lydia Roberts.  They have two children:  Clara and William Norman.

WILLIAM G. DIETZ

…baker, P.O. Quakertown, was born January 22, 1841, in Baden, Germany, and is a son of John Frederick Dietz.  He emigrated to America when 11 years of age and came to Philadelphia, where he was reared to manhood by his uncle, John Frederick Bixenstein, of whom he learned the baker’s trade, which he followed for some time before beginning business for himself.  In April, 1876, he came to this place and after working here one year started in business.  He has been ably assisted by his wife, whose maiden name was Philopena Grim, born also in Baden.  She came to this country when young with her parents, Frederick and Christina (Gearing) Grim.  Mr. Dietz began with his trade and what little means he had saved during his journey-work and has labored hard, working day and night, and by their united efforts and the exercise of the economy they have built up a remunerative business and own valuable property in the borough.  Their children are:  John F., Charles F., Henry C., Frank G., Wesley W., Samuel G., Joseph A., David F., Willie F. and Lena C.   Mr. Dietz is a member of the Evangelical church.

CHARLES F. DURNER

…manufacturer, P.O. Quakertown, was born April 3, 1838, in Wurtemberg, Germany, where he learned the manufacture of pipe organs and is of the fifth generation in direct line of organ builders.  His father, Christian, grandfather Frederick, great-grandfather Andrew and his father before him were all engaged in the same business.  Coming to this country in 1859 he engaged in the business, first at Zion’s Hill, in Springfield township, where he and his father were together until 1861, when he came to this place and began on his own account.  His means being limited he began with foot-power and as his business increased he started a horse-power, which proving inadequate he put in a ten horse-power engine, which has been replaced with one of twenty horse-power.  He has built up an extensive business, and his church, chapel and parlor organs are used in many of the large cities in this and adjoining states and are giving the best of satisfaction. One of his pipe organs was on exhibition at Philadelphia at the Centennial exposition and received the highest honors.  He also got the first premium at the state fair in 1878.  From his modest beginning with a small tread-wheel and a small work-house he has now a two-story building, 44 by 60 feet, and a business which increases yearly.  On November 8, 1862, he was married to Mary Spyker, who was born in Center county and is a daughter of William and Lydia (Poorman) Spyker.  They have three children:  Charles E., Anna E. and Mary C.   Charles is engaged with his father in the manufacture of organs and Anna E. is a successful teacher in the public schools in Quakertown.

H. B. EDWARDS

…marble works, P.O. Quakertown.  The proprietor of the Quakertown marble works in Henry Bartholomew Edwards, who was born February 9, 1859, in this place and is a son of Benjmain and Lydia (Bartholomew) Edwards, both natives of this county.  Henry learned his trade in this place with J. L. Smith, and remained in his employ until 1883, at which time he bought Smith’s interest and engaged in the same business, which he has since conducted.  He manufactures anything required or ordered in his line and is doing a business which is steadily increasing.  He was married July 10, 1880, to Hermina, daughter of Peter and Amanda (Shelly) Brown, a native of this county.  They have two children:  Hattie M. and Ella.  He is a member of the Quakertown Lodge, No. 179, I. O. O. F., and of the American Mechanics of this place.

JOHN EICHNER

…farmer, P.O. Richland Center, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1824, and came to America in 1847.  He married Sophia, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Croman.  They have had four children:  Mary, William, John Henry, and Martha, all living.  Our subject’s parents were John Eichner and Christiana, from Germany.  Mrs. Eichner died in 1877.  In 1879 our subject married Catherine Miller, who came to this country from Germany in 1849.  After landing in America Mr. Eichner worked three years as a hired man on a farm, after which he worked at the carpenter’s trade.  In 1855 he purchased the farm on which he is now living, and in 1874 an additional tract of eighteen acres.  In 1875 he was elected school director and served two terms.  He is a member of the Lutheran church.

M. K. ERDMAN

…merchant, P.O. Quakertown.  Among the rising business-men of the borough of Quakertown, is Milton K. Erdman, who was born January 14, 1850, in Milford township, this county. His parents were George and Mary (Kline) Erdman, also natives of the county.  Milton K., when 17 years of age, removed to Quakertown.  His boyhood was spent on the farm with his father and in the manufacture of cigar boxes.  In 1876 he went to Pennsburg and for about one year was engaged in the mercantile business, under the firm name of Hillegas & Erdman, but sold out his interest and returned to Quakertown, embarking in the hardware business, and though inexperiencd in this line, he has made a success and built up a thriving and prosperous trade.  November 14, 1872, he was married to Lizzie, a daughter of John and Hannah (Taylor) Springer.  They have one son, George Frederick.  Mr. Erdman is a member of the Lutheran church, of which he has been organist for several years, and also of the Keller’s church.  He is a member and past master of the Quakertown Lodge, No. 512, A. Y. M.

MILTON S. ERDMAN

…physician and surgeon, P.O. Richlandtown, is one of the prominent young men of the township.  He was born in Steinsburg, this county, in 1858.  After finishing his common-school education he was a student at the Quakertown High school for three years.  Leaving that institution in 1879, he commenced studying medicine, Dr. Weaver, of this town, being his preceptor.  At the expiration of eighteen months he entered Bellevue Hospital Medical college, of New York city, as a student.  He graduated in the spring of 1883.  During the summer of that year he practiced with his preceptor and the following winter took a post-graduate course.  In 1884 he commenced the practice of medicine and surgery at this place.  The doctor’s parents are Owen and Mary Ann Erdman.  Four children were born to this marriage:  Milton S., Sarah C., Wilson S. and William S.   The father and mother of our subject were born respectively in 1828 and 1833.  It must be said for D r. Erdman that with a brave and indomitable spirit, combined with industry and economy, he has succeeded in making a start in this world.  He enjoys the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends and patrons.

CHARLES FELLMAN

…retired, P.O. Richlandtown, is a native of Rockhill township, Bucks county, and was born August 22, 1818.  He was married in 1844 to Miss Margaret Amy, the result of this marriage being five children:  Sarah, Marie and Amanda, who are deceased; and Mrs. J. H. Shelly and Milton, now living.  The mother of this family died in 1868 and Mr. Fellman was married in 1869 to Matilda, widow of Abel Johnson, and sister of his first wife.  Mr. Fellman in his early life was quite extensively engaged in the tobacco trade, serving as an apprentice for ten years, and from 1844 to 1854 for himself.  In 1854 he was elected by the republican party to the office of sheriff, which position he filled with ability.  From 1857 to 1883 he was extensively identified with the mercantile trade and was also postmaster for twenty-four years.  In 1883 he retired from work and his son-in-law, J. H. Shelly, succeeds him.  At the age of 21 years he was orderly sergeant of the Washington Greys and at 24 assumed command as captain.  After the commission expired he was made captain of the Jackson Guards and Washington Artillery.

M. B. FELLMAN

…merchant, P.O. Quakertown.  Among the successful business men in the borough of Quakertown who have attained their present position solely through their own merits, starting in life without legacy or endowment, save that of a good family name and a willing hand, supplemented with a determined spirit, is Martin Biehn Fellman, who was born December 25, 1833, in Richland township.  He is the eldest son of Jacob and Hannah (Biehn) Fellman, the former a son of Samuel Fellman, all natives of Bucks county.  When a young man he determined to fit himself for mercantile pursuits and engaged as clerk in the store of Samuel Scheetz at Bunker Hill, where he remained four years.  He was then for three years with his uncle, Charles Fellman, at Richlandtown.  In 1860 he returned to Bunker Hill and opened a store on his own account, principally on borrowed capital, continuing there until 1866, when he came to his present location in Quakertown.  He has since been most successful, and is one of the substantial merchants of this county.  In September, 1859, he married Ellamanda, daughter of John Headman.  Of the four children born to them three are living:  Hattie, Flora and Mary J.   Nelson died in 1866, aged 4 years.  Hattie is the wife of F. Musselman, and Flora is the wife of Warren Snyder, both of the borough of Quakertown.  Mr. Fellman is a member of the M. E. church.

J. F. FISHER

…stock dealer, P.O. Quakertown, was born January 19, 1855, in Rockhill township, the eldest son and child of J. H. and Sarah (Ritter) Fisher, both of whom are natives of this county.  Early in life he manifested a desire and a talent for the stock business, and in 1868, when thirteen years of age, bought and sold stock, including horses and cattle, with his father, and continued with him until he attained his seventeenth year, when he went to Cumberland county and there continued in business with him until 1874, when he married Bella, daughter of William and Anna (Young) Hifflefinger, of Cumberland county.  In 1878 he returned to his native county and engaged in business with his father under the firm name of J. H. Fisher & Son.  This association lasted until 1880, when the partnership was dissolved and he engaged on this own account until December, 1883, at which time he associated with his father and brother Seth under the firm name of J. H. Fisher & Sons, which partnership still exists.  In July, 1884, he was bereft of his wife, Bella, by whom he had four children:  John S., Harry H., Sallie M. and Elsie K.   The last named died August 4, 1884.  In July, 1886, he married Ella D., daughter of H. G. and Belinda R. (Miller) Ahlum.  Since July, 1886, he has been living in Quakertown. The firm of J. H. Fisher & Sons are well known, and as they are good judges of stock, and their honesty and uprightness are unquestioned, have built up a large business.  They extend their trade through this state as well as New York, Indiana, Ohio and Maryland.  During the year 1886 their trade amounted to nearly $60,000, and is steadily increasing.  They are the largest dealers in their line in Bucks county.  Mr. Fisher is a member of the German Lutheran church at Trumbauersville, a member of the I. O. O. F., Coopersburg Lodge, No. 312, also of the Knights of Pythias of Trumbauersville, No. 372.  In politics he is a republican.

WILLIAM G. FOULKE

…attorney-at-law, 221 South Fifth street, Philadelphia, was born in Quakertown, Bucks county, Pa., January 5, 1837, and is a son of Edward and Matilda G. Foulke.  His grandfather was Edward Foulke, of Richland township, Bucks county, and of Welsh descent.  The subject of this sketch spent he early life on the farm.  He was educated in the schools of the neighborhood and at the age of 20 began teaching in the common schools.  He afterward attended Normal school, then taught in the grammar school department of the Friends’ Central school at Philadelphia for several years.  He was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in June, 1865, after a course of study with Judge F. Carroll Brewster, and a two years’ course in the legal department of the Pennsylvania university, and has since been engaged in the practice of his profession in the city of Philadelphia.  June 5, 1873, he was married to Anna C., daughter of Isaac Jeanes, a merchant of Philadelphia.  By her he has three children:  Edward, Anna L. and Walter L.

ISRAEL D. FOX

…justice of the peace, P.O. Richlandtown, was born October 18, 1839.  No man in the township of Richland who is identified as one of its representative citizens has met with such reverses in life to rob man of that honor, as the subject of our sketch, Israel D. Fox.  Born of humble parents he was stricken down for three years and six months with disease, at an age when young men strike out for the world’s goods.  His father, George Fox, who died May 7, 1877, aged 63 years, was a native of Bedminster township, this county, and was the father of seven children:  Israel D., Priscilla, Sarah, John D., Catherine, Hannah and George D., all of whom are living.  Our subject was married to Miss Hannah Burgstresser, daughter of John and Mary Ann Burgstresser of this county, in 1865.  They have no children, but Mr. Fox has assumed parental care and partially reared six children since his marriage. For twenty years his occupation was that of school teacher.  He is an ardent worker in the Sabbath school, having been superintendent of different schools in the county for more than thirty years.  In 1875 he was elected justice of the peace for Richlandtown, which position he now holds and fills with credit and ability.  He is also a real estate agent, and general business manager for those in need of his services.

HENRY W. FREED

…P.O. Richlandtown, is the descendant of a family which settled in this township in an early period of its history.  His parents, John and Hannah Freed, were born respectively in 1800 and 1810.  The latter was the daughter of David and Susanna Walp.  His children by this union were:  Henry W., Julian (Judd), William D., Charles E. and Reuben J., all of whom are now living.  Our subject was the oldest of the family, and was born in 1831.  In 1858 he married Hannah, daughter of Jacob and Hannah Horn, of Haycock township in this county.  At the early age of 16, Mr. Freed learned the shoemaking trade with his uncle, Charles Walp, and not till arrived at his majority did he leave this father.  Early in 1852 Mr. Freed started in business for himself, and carried it on extensively for twenty-two years.  In 1874 a partnership was formed by Mr. Freed and his two brothers.  This partnership has lasted for thirteen years, and the senior partners will soon retire from the business.  In 1855 Mr. Freed was elected leader of the choir of the Reformed congregation at Richlandtown, and in 1857 an organ was procured; in 1858 he was elected organist of the Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed congregations, which position he still fills.  The result of Mr. and Mrs. Freed’s union is one child, a daughter, 19 years of age, who is admired by her acquaintances, and is the pride of her parents.

WILLIAM D. FREED

…boot and shoe manufacturer, P.O. Richlandtown, was born in 1835.  John, the father (son of Henry and Catharine Freed), and Hannah, the mother (daughter of David and Susanna Walp), died respectively in 1879 and 1873.  They were both natives of this township, and to their union were born five children:  Henry W., Julian, William D., Charles E., and Reuben J., all of whom are now living.  Our subject married Sarah Ann, daughter of Enoch and Sarah Biehn, in 1865.  They are the parents of seven children, all living:  Hannah L., Harvey Milton, John Enoch, Ida Catharine, Sarah Anna, Minerva Irene, and Charles William.   At an early age William D. commenced to learn the shoe and boot-making trade of his brother Henry.  After his apprenticeship had expired, he worked at his trade, and continued farming until 1861, when he engaged in business for himself in this township.  In 1868 a partnership was formed by the admission of his brother, Charles E., the firm name being W. D. Freed & Bro.  In April, 1874, another brother was admitted to the firm, and the establishment was known as Freed Brothers.  It is a noted fact, and worthy of no little commendation, that unity, brotherly confidence and goodwill have always existed.  Mr. Freed is a member of the Reformed church of this place.

OLIVER H. FRETZ, M. D.

…physician and druggist, P.O. Quakertown.  One of the rising young physicians and business men of this place is Oliver Henry Fretz, a son of William and Catharine (Hofford) Fretz, who was born in Richland township April 9, 1858, where he lived until the age of 10 years, when he removed with his parents to this town; he received the best school advantages the town afforded, subsequently entering the literary and scientific department of Muhlenberg college.  When 21 years of age he began reading medicine under Dr. I. S. Moyer, entered Jefferson Medical college and after three years of study received the degree of doctor of medicine, March 30, 1882.  He began practice at Salfordville, Montgomery county, and after remaining there nearly three years he sold out on account of his health, and removed to Quakertown, where he has since engaged in the drug business, having also established a large office practice.  In the spring of 1887 he completed a course of instruction in the Philadelphia Polyclinic and college for graduates in medicine, and has thoroughly equipped himself as a specialist in diseases of the eye and ear, catarrhal, and all chronic affections.  In October, 1882, he was married to Elmira A., daughter of Nathan C. and Lucinda (Antrim) Roeder.  Of two children born to them, one, Raymond Lamar, is living.  In politics he is an active democrat.  He is a member of the German Reformed church; president of the Quakertown school board; a member of the Lehigh Valley Medical association, and Bucks County Medical society; and belongs to the following secret organizations:  Quakertown lodge, No. 512, F. and A. M.; Secona tribe, No. 263, I. O. R. M.; Marion circle, No. 16, B. U. (H. F.) of Pa.  He is also medical examiner for various life insurance companies.

E. WAYNE GABEL

…merchant and postmaster, P.O. Richlandtown.  The grandfather of our subject was born in Rockhill township, Bucks county.  Willoughby and Eliza Gabel, now living, are the parents of three children:  Solomon, E. Wayne, and Amanda, deceased.  E. Wayne was born in Upper Milford township, Lehigh county, in 1841, and was married in 1873 to Miss Elmira M. Dubbs, of Lower Milford, daughter of Jacob and Lydia Dubbs.  Two children are the result of this marriage:  Herbert D. living and Myron, deceased.  From his early life up to 1864 Mr. Gabel was engaged in farming, and from that date, till 1877, his occupation was that of clerk.  Since 1877 he has been identified in the town of Richland as one of the leading merchants.  He was in 1885 appointed, under the new administration, postmaster in Richlandtown.  Mr. Gabel is a member of the Lutheran church.

JOSEPH GEISINGER

…farmer, P.O. Quakertown, was born in 1822, and is now living retired and enjoying the fruits of his early industry.  He married Rebecca, daughter of John and Susanna (Young) Musselman, of this county, in 1848.  They have one child, Joseph Geisinger, now grown to manhood.  The parents of our subject were Abraham and Barbara Geisinger.  The former lived to the advanced age of 82 years, and the latter deceased in 1837.  They had seven children, two of whom are deceased.  Five years of our subject’s life, after attaining his majority, were spent at this trade, after which he took up farming, and for the past twenty-five years has owned and lived on his present farm.  He is a member of the Mennonite church, and in politics is a republican.

A.      GOLDSMITH

…watchmaker and jeweler, P.O. Quakertown, is the leading man in his trade in the borough of Quakertown.  He was born April 6, 1839, in Baden, near the river Rhine. His parents were Ignatius and Mary (Rickart) Goldsmith, with whom he came to this country, landing in Philadelphia in 1852.  He was apprenticed to the trade, which he thoroughly learned.  He responded to the first call for volunteers, and enlisted April 18, 1861, as private in company I, 22^nd regiment, for three months under Col. Moorehead, and after his discharge in August re-enlisted November 5, of the same year, in the 113^th regiment, 12^th cavalry, and was mustered in as fifth sergeant, promoted to first sergeant, and February 1, 1862, was discharged to join the veterans, re-enlisting for three years or during the war.  On February 3, 1865, at Charlestown, Va., he was discharged by reason of promotion to the first lieutenancy and was placed in command of company A, which position he held until his final discharge, on July 20, 1865.  He participated in the second Bull Run, Manassas, Frederick City, Monocacy and Winchester fights; also in two cavalry charges and many other engagements and skirmishes.  Upon his return to Philadelphia he resumed his formed business, continuing there until the following year, when he located in Quakertown and set up in business, and in the spring of 1886 removed to his present place near the station.  November 2, 1867, he was married to Mary, daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Breish) Stryker, of Milford township.  They have two children: William A. and Clara.  Mr. Goldsmith is not a member of any sect or denomination, but is friendly to all that have as their object the accomplishment of good.

RICHARD R. GREEN

…merchant, P.O. Quakertown, is the eldest male representative of the Green family, which was one of the leading families of the county.  He was born August 24, 1824, on the northwest corner of Main and Broad streets, in the house his father built in 1800, in Quakertown, now a borough.  His father, William, was born November 10, 1776, son of Benjamin and Jane (Roberts) Green, in Richland township.  His mother was Mary Roberts, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Roberts. She was born April 2, 1785, in Milford township.  William Green and Mary had eight children:  Caroline, Elizabeth, Matilda, Jane, Grace, Mary, Alice and Richard.  The children of Richard and Elizabeth Roberts were:  Mary, born April 2, 1785; Jesse, born February 9, 1786; Alice, born February 11, 1787; Elizabeth, born June 14, 1788; Grace, May 10, 1791.  All of them reared families.  Our subject’s father was a shoemaker by trade, and subsequently engaged in merchandising in the store building now occupied by Benjamin R. Edwards.  He retired several years prior to his death, being here continuously in business forty years. He died September 3, 1851.  His wife died November 15, 1843.  Richard Roberts Green was brought up to merchandising with his father and remained with him until 1840, when his father rented the store. In 1847 Richard took charge of the same and managed the business until 1857; resumed it again in 1861, and has since continued it.  He was married March 15, 1848, to Sarah F., daughter of James M. and Mary Ann (King) Jackson.  She was born December 15, 1827, in Philadelphia. They have one daughter, Mary Emma.  Their son, William, died October 15, 1865, aged 16.  Richard R. Green was one of the first councilmen and is a member of the Society of Friends.

DAVID HARING

…farmer, P.O. Richland Center, was born in this county October 23, 1831.  His grandparents Jacob and Mary Magdalena (Kidelman) Haring, were also natives of this county.  The parents of our subject, Samuel and Christiana (Gilbert) Haring, had eight children, two of whom are deceased.  David Haring was married in 1857 to Catherine, daughter of Josiah and Hannah Reller, of Montgomery county, Pa. They have one son.  At the age of 19 years Mr. Haring learned the carpenter’s trade, which occupation he continued for four years. He then married andlived with his father till 1865, when he purchased the farm which he now owns.

EMIL W. HARING

…dealer in coal, lumber, flour and feed, P.O. Shelly, is a son of C. C. Haring and Frederica, his wife, who came to Philadelphia from Germany in 1848.  Four children were born to them:  Louisa F., Charles C., Emil W., and H. G.   He worked at cabinet-making until 1861, when he moved to this county and purchased a farm, working it until recently, when he retired. The subject of our sketch, Emil W. Haring, was born in Philadelphia in 1854, and in 1878 married Miss Sadie J., daughter of C. A. Wetzell, of Danville, Pa.  They have two daughters:  Frederica and Bertha.  Mr. Haring attended the public schools in this county till 1872, after which for five years he was employed as clerk in a general  merchandise store. In 1879 he assumed general management of his present business at Shelly station, and to his experience in the various departments of the lumber and coal trade has been largely due the success which has attended the enterprise during the past seven years.

J. S. HARLEY

…harness manufacturer, P.O. Quakertown, was born August 2, 1857, in Lower Salford township, Montgomery county, and is a son of Jacob K. and Sarah (Stover) Harley.  He learned the trade of harness marking under his father, and first began in business at Kulpsville, in his native county, at the age of 18, with a kit of tools and no capital, and after eighteen months’ experience and one year’s intermission he came to Quakertown in 1878 and started the Quaker City harness manufactory in a small building, near the Red Lion hotel.  In 1881 he moved to the site of his present factory and soon was running one hundred hands.  The demand for his goods necessitated a much larger building, and in 1886 a structure was completed and furnished with all the aids and appliances belonging to a first class harness factory.  It is of brick, three stories high, 140 x 60 feet, with engine house.  This manufactory is a credit to the place, and gives employment to a large force of workmen.

PHILIP HARTMAN

…farmer, P.O. Richland Center, was born in 1832, in this county, and was married in 1860 to Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel and Mary Deily.  They have five children: Samuel A., Mary M., Lizzie, D. W., and Monroe; the two last now residing in Philadelphia, engaged in business.  The parents of our subject were natives of this county.  Samuel, the father, died in 1854, and the mother, Lydia, died in 1882.  The farm, which is now the property of our subject, was purchased after his father’s death.

J. LEVI HEACOCK

…notary public, P.O. Quakertown.  The Heacock family come from the north of England and made their settlement in what is now Delaware county about the year 1711.  Jonathan and Ann Heacock were the progenitors, and from them descended William, who settled in what is now Rockhill township about 1740.  The warrant bearing that date, issued to him by the authority of Thomas and Richard Penn, is now in the hands of Levi Heacock, and also deeds, dated 1750 and 1760 respectively.  The house which William built is yet standing and bears the date of 1748.  William Heacock married Ann Roberts, of Milford township.  Among their children was Jesse, who married Tacy Thompson.  They had eleven children, of whom Joel, born March 26, 1794, married October 6, 1842, Abigail Roberts, of Milford, and had one child, Joel Levi.  Joel Heacock was a farmer and also carried on a saw-mill and a linseed oil mill. He was a strong anti-slavery man, and a warm and earnest friend of the colored man.  During the war his house was one of the stations of the underground railroad.  He died at Germantown March 17, 1853, while on his way to market.  Throughout his life he was a consistent member of the Society of Friends.  His wife died March 21, 1882, at Quakertown, where she had resided with her son.  Levi Heacock has served several years as notary public and conveyancer.  He still owns a portion of the original tract settled by his progenitors.  He has one of the largest and best selected libraries in this part of the county.

SPEAKMAN HICKS

…retired, P.O. Quakertown, was born in 1809.  William Hicks, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of this county.  He had five sons and two daughters.  George Hicks, son of William, was married to Anna, daughter of John and Anna Penrose.  Born to this couple were eleven children, our subject being the sixth.  He was married in 1833 to Miss Hattie B. Shryock, of Franklin county, Pa., daughter of John and Martha.  They have had seven children, of whom only two are living:  Annie and John.   Mrs. Hicks died in 1852, and Mr. Hicks was married in 1869 to Alice L., daughter of William L. Strawn of this county.  No children were born to this marriage.  The second wife died in 1884.  Mr. Hicks followed the business of a carriage builder till 1869, when he came to this township and purchased a farm.  After his second wife’s death, 1884, he spent the winter in Philadelphia and the following spring came to his present home.

O. T. HIXSON

…proprietor of creamery, P.O. Quakertown, was born May 21, 1855, in Milford township. He is a son of George and Margaret (Young) Hixson.  He was brought up to farming pursuits, received good education advantages, and taught school for several terms.  He subsequently took charge of the Milford Square creamery, which he superintended for three years. This establishment was owned by the “Milford Square Dairymen’s association.”  He afterward purchased the manufactory of the company and in September, 1884, he leased the Pleasant Valley establishment, conducting the same until October, 1886.  In March the same year, he purchased the Quakertown Dairymen’s association creamery and three months later bought the Bursontown creamery, making three in all which he owns.  The capacity of the Quakertown manufactory is about 6000 lbs. of milk daily and the Milford Square, 7500.  He finds a ready market for his products.  His butter product is about 1000 lbs. daily.  In 1879 he married Emma,daughter of William Schoenly, of Lower Milford township, Lehigh county.  He has four children:  Minnie, Jennie, Maggie and Walter.  Mr. Hixson has fully demonstrated his excellent business qualifications and his adaptation to his business.

TOBIAS HINKEL

…retired merchant, P.O. Quakertown, was born in Richland township, August 29, 1830, the fourth son and fifth child of Elias and Rebecca (Cressman), and a native of Montgomery county.  Tobias was reared on the home farm, where he remained until he attained his 18^th year, when he went to Rich Hill, formerly Bunker Hill, and learned the shoemaker’s trade with Jacob Fellman, with whom he worked nine years after the completion of his trade.  In 1859 he set up in business for himself at Bunker Hill, where he remained until 1870, when he located in this place and was actively engaged in business until the spring of 1885, when he took as a partner his brother-in-law, M. A. Biehn, and on account of failing health was forced to retire from active work, but is represented by his son Harry, the firm name being Hinkel & Biehn.  Since that time Mr. Hinkel has been living a retired life, and is enjoying the competence he acquired during his business career.  He was married in 1859 (the same year that he embarked in business) to Maria, daughter of Michael M. and Catharine (Althouse) Biehn, by whom he had two children:  Harry and Nelson. Mr. Hinkel is a member of the Evangelical association.  In politics he is a republican.

CASPAR HINKLE

…proprietor of the Red Lion hotel, P.O. Quakertown, was born August, 1827, in Plumstead township, Bucks county, and is the oldest living male representative of the family.  His ancestors came to this county over two hundred years ago and settled in Plumstead township, and have since been represented in the county and take rank among its substantial and respected citizens.  The father of our subject was Anthony Hinkle, whose wife was Sallie Meitzler, to whom seven children were born:  Caspar, Eliza, Maria, Caroline, Sarah, Amanda and Francis.  Caspar removed with his parents to Berks county when eleven years of age, remaining there two years, when they removed to Lehigh county, where Caspar was reared to farming pursuits.  He remained under the parental roof until he was 23 years of age, when he engaged in farming on his own account until the death of his father in 1870, when he sold his property in Lehigh county and came to Quakertown.  He took charge of the well-known Red Lion hotel which he had previously purchased in 1875 of Peter Smith, and which he has successfully conducted until the present time.  His wife was the daughter of Benjamin Smoyer, of Lehigh county.  They have had four children:  Theodore, Oscar, Emma and George.  Oscar died, aged 23, and George at the age of 18.  Emma was married in December, 1886, to Lewis Schotts, of Bingen.  Theodore is engaged in business with his father in the hotel.  He married Amanda, daughter of Solomon Wenner, and has two children:  Lena O. and George O.

WILLIAM B. HINKLE

…dealer in flour, feed and seeds, P.O. Richlandtown, was born May 12, 1844, in Richland township, this county.  His parents, John and Elizabeth Hinkle, had ten children:  Samuel, Lewis (deceased), Adam, John, Elizabeth (deceased), Hannah, Sarah, Mary, William B. and Elemina.  William B. remained on the farm until he was 22 years of age, and in 1866 engaged in the commission business, which he continued till 1872, when he became a butcher, which business he carried on four years. At the expiration of that period he engaged in his present business.  In 1872 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Fellman, daughter of Elias and Mary Fellman.  They have one child, Mamie.

GEORGE W. HOBLITZELL

…retired, contractor, P.O. Richland Center, was born in Cumberland, Alleghany county, Md.  Adrian, his grandfather, came to America from Germany in 1760 and located in Bedford county, Pa., where he was married and where his six sons were born.  He served as a private under General Washington on that Christmas night when a thousand Hessians were captured, and was also with him at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.  George, the fourth son, was born in Bedford county in 1791, and married Miss Slought, to whom one child was born.  His first wife died and he married Sarah, daughter of James McDermitt.  They had nine children, but three of whom are living.  George W. was born in 1825, and in 1850 married Margaret, daughter of James Kelly, of Cumberland county, Md.  Five children were born to this couple:  Mary Louisa, Charles William and James Henry (twins), Virginia and George Harden.  Of these only one is living, Charles William, who is a practicing dentist in Jersey City.  Our subject’s wife died in 1873, and in 1875 he married Columbia, daughter of Major Louis E. Sisson, who in 1861 was captain in the 77^th Ohio regiment, and was promoted to the rank of major in 1864.  Mrs. Hoblitzell is a Virginian by birth, and when married was a resident of New York city.  Her mother is the grandniece of Sir Guy Carleton.  Mr. Hoblitzell received a common-school education, and up to the age of 25 years was employed as clerk for his father in the mercantile business.  In 1850 he engaged with his father in railroad contracting.  In 1875 he retired from active work to the small farm where he now lives.

DAVID ROBERTS JAMISON

…stock dealer, P.O. Quakertown, is a descendant of one of the pioneer families who came from Scotland and settled in this state prior to 1722, as shown by a will now in the possession of Mr. Jamison, bearing this date.  The great-grandfather of our subject was William, who resided in Milford in 1722.  He had three children, two of whom, John and Margaret, grew to maturity.  John Jamison was married to Jane Crosby.  He was for many years a justice of the peace in Milford township and he served General Washington as a body servant.  His son, Samuel, was married to Jane Roberts, by whom he had four children:  Margaret, Charles, John and David R., born in Milford township August 26, 1826.  When he was about eight years old his father died and his guardian bound him out until he should be 16 years old.  For his labor he received his board and clothes and thirty days’ tuition yearly.  After his term of service had expired he attended school for a few months and then bound himself out to learn the blacksmith’s trade with his brother Charles, finishing his apprenticeship in Philadelphia, after which he worked six years.  About this time he experienced a serious injury by a horse falling upon him, which incapacitated him for his trade and he turned his attention to stock dealing, which he has since continued.  He has also been engaged in farming to some extent.  He has been quite an extensive dealer in horses and cattle.  He was instrumental in introducing the creamery enterprise in Bucks county.  He has been twice married.  His first wife was Cornelia, daughter of Joshua and Caroline (Green) Foulke.  They had two children:  Lucinda, now wife of Charles Timmons, of Philadelphia, and Cornelia who died young.  Lucinda was a graduate of the High school at Philadelphia and for several years a successful teacher.  His present wife is Matilda, sister of his first wife.  They have three children living:  Mary L., Ida and Fannie.

H. W. JOHNSON

…farmer, P.O. Richlandtown, is prominent among the active and enterprising farmers of this county.  His farm has been handed down to the fourth generation.  He was born in 1832 and in 1855 married Margaret, daughter of Jacob and Eliza Kratz, of Plumstead township, this county.  The father of our subject was Charles Johnson and his mother was the daughter of Abel Strawn.  There were four children born to this couple:  Hampton W., Mary Ann (Walp), Oliver James and Anna Marie (Mrs. Louis Shelly), all of whom are living except Mrs. Walp.  The father died in 1879 and the mother in 1884.  Hampton W. has had five children:  Erwin T. (now a practicing physician in Leidytown, this county), Oliver K., Harvey E., Mary Jane and Charles (deceased).  Mr. Johnson’s life has been that of a farmer, but he has held various positions of public trust.  He was school director for twelve years, a director of the Line Lexington Mutual Fire Insurance company of Bucks and Montgomery counties, president of Richlandtown turnpike company and in 1874 he was nominated by the republican party for representative and through over-confidence in his friends was beaten at the general election by twenty-two votes.

MILTON JOHNSON

…deceased, was born in 1819 and was the youngest of the three sons of Caspar and Mary G. Johnson.  His occupation was that of a farmer until 1870, when he removed to a lot adjoining his farm, where he lived until 1881, when he went to Quakertown.  In 1868 he was married to Ann S., daughter of Samuel and Sidney (Foulke) Shaw.  She was born 6^th month, 6^th, 1832.  Her great-great-grandfather, Edward Foulke, came to Pennsylvania from Wales in 1698.  Her grandparents on that side were John and Letitia Foulke.  On the paternal side they were William and Sarah Shaw, who were life-long residents of Bucks county.  Her parents had five children, all living except one son, James.  Mr. Johnson was stricken with consumption and died September 30, 1882.  Both he and his wife were highly respected and esteemed by all who knew them.

RICHARD M. JOHNSON

…farmer, P.O. Quakertown, was born November 22, 1841, in Richland township.  Caspar Johnson was the original representative of the family.  He came to America from Germany in an early day.  Our subject’s grandfather, also Caspar Johnson, died in 1825.  Milton, a son of this Caspar, was born in 1823 and married Evaline, daughter of Amos Edwards, of this township.  Richard M., the oldest son of this couple, married in 1869 Mary P. Strawn, daughter of Eli and Margaret Strawn, of this county.  They have four children:  Henry S., Milton, Walter and Maurice.  Mr. Johnson has lived on the farm he now occupies forty-five years.  He has held no political office, caring nothing for the empty honor.  He is kindly disposed toward the Society of Friends, his wife being a member.  He has always been recognized as an honest, upright man and a useful citizen.

MARTIN L. KEIL

…farmer, P.O. Richland Center, was born in 1856, in Montgomery county.  His grandfather, Hartman Keil, came from Germany.  His father, John K., married Rebecca, daughter of Isaac Snyder, of Montgomery county.  Four children were born to this couple, two of whom are now deceased.  Our subject, the oldest son, was married in 1880 to Mary, daughter of Levi and Elizabeth Fosbenner, of Richland township.  Four children were born to them whose names in order of birth are:  John Alfred, George Franklin, Mamie Viola and Gertie, all now living.  When eleven year of age Mr. Keil worked out on a farm and for seventeen years remained with one person. In 1884 he moved to his present farm.  In youth he had few advantages of schooling, but received a common-school education, and to-day is respected by his neighbors as an industrious and honest man.

SAMUEL KINSEY

…retired, P.O. Quakertown, is a great-grandson of Samuel Kinsey, who, it is supposed, came from England prior to the revolution and made his settlement in Buckingham township, where he reared a family and died.  He was a Friend.  One of his sons, John Kinsey, grandfather of our subject, grew up in the same township and married Margaret Kitchen, a Solebury Friend, by whom he had several children, one of whom, John, the father of Samuel, was born October 18, 1794, and married Margaret, a daughter of Samuel and Ann (Swayne) Woodward, of London Grove township, Chester county.  In 1811 John Kinsey, Sr., moved to Delaware, and in that state John, Jr., studied medicine under Dr. Baker, of Wilmington, graduating at the Pennsylvania Medical college in 1828 or 1829.  He removed to Chester county in 1831, and continued in practice for years.  He died January 24, 1864.  Samuel, son of the above, was born in Newcastle county, Delaware, February 24, 1822, removed with his parents to Chester county in 1831, and to this place in 1839.  He learned the potter trade with Richard Moore and continued in this business until 1852, when he engaged in farming and stock dealing.  He was married March 14, 1844, to Martha F., daughter of George and Hannah (Foulke) Custar.  She died December 5, 1860.  Of six children born to them three lived to maturity, viz., Charles F., George C. and Emma I. (wife of Dr. W. H. Meredith of this place).  His present wife is Jane, daughter of Dr. Samuel and Abigail (Green) Carey.

W. H. KUHNS

…veterinary surgeon, P.O. Quakertown.  The subject of this sketch was born in Allentown, Pa., December 11, 1829, and is the seventh son of Dewalt and Sydnea (Smith) Kuhns, both of whom were natives of Lehigh county.  He received good school advantages and in 1855 begun the study of his profession in Philadelphia under the tutorship of Dr. Robert Jennings; and after completing his course, began practice in Allentown, remaining there until 1860, when he came to Quakertown, where he has since resided, and has been successful in his treatment of all the ailments and diseases to which domestic animals are subject, and is receiving a liberal patronage.  He has been thrice married; first, September 30, 1858, to Maria Musselman, who died, leaving four children, three of whom are now living, viz., Keturah, Mena and Justice.  His second wife was Sarah Horseman, who died leaving no issue.  His present wife is Sallie Fisher, of Philadelphia.  The doctor has a grandson, Winfield S., son of Eldah, by her husband, Jonathan Crater, deceased.

RICHARD J. LINDERMAN, M. D.

…druggist, P.O. Quakertown, was born in Limerick township, Montgomery county, this state, January 12, 1836, and is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Yost) Linderman.  The former was justice of the peace for more than thirty years, receiving his first appointment from the governor.  His mother died when he was 14 years old, and for a time he made his home with his sister.  He received an academic education.  At the age of 17 years he began teaching under the free school system and continued two years, when he commenced the study of medicine at the Pennsylvania Medical college, whence he graduated March 16, 1856.  He entered on the practice of his profession at Quakertown, and was thus engaged until 1870, when he retired in favor of Dr. I. S. Moyer.  In 1867 he was elected on the democratic ticket as state senator for Bucks county.  While serving in this capacity he secured legal enactment for the incorporation of the Quakertown Savings bank, which was one of the most successful state banks in Pennsylvania.  He was also one of the projectors of the Quakertown National bank and is one of its directors.  He has been actively interested in educational matters, and was instrumental in establishing the Quakertown High school.  He was a member of the local school board nine years.  In March, 1858, he married Mary G. Thomas.  Her mother was Jane (Green) Thomas, daughter of William Green, whose family was early represented in Richland township, and long identified with the interests of Quakertown.  Of five children born to the Doctor and Mrs. Linderman, two are living:  Herbert, a student in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, and Bertha, now attending the Moravian seminary at Bethlehem.  In youth Dr. Linderman was confirmed in the Reformed church.  He is secretary of Quakertown lodge, No. 512, F. and A. M., and a member of the Lehigh Valley medical society.  Some years since he represented the Bucks county Medical society in the state and national medical associations.  The appointment of United States examining surgeon was conferred on him January 27, 1886.

ELIAS H. MATTS

…retired, P.O. Richlandtown.  The Matts family of Richland, the original name being Metz, then changed to Matz, and finally to present spelling, is descended from John Michael Metz, who was born in Metz, Germany, in 1750, and came to Philadelphia in 1760.  He learned the trade of tanner and currier, and married Barbara Hayman.  During the revolution he was impressed into the American army, and fought at the battle of Germantown.  After the battle he was engaged in finishing leather for knapsacks at Allentown.  He has seven children:  two sons and three daughters died young; the others, John and Sarah, living to great age.  In 1798 John Michael Metz settled in Springfield township, and in 1800 moved to Richland township, where he followed the business of tanner and currier up to the time of his death in 1813.  (His sister married and moved to Northampton county.)  At the death of the father his son, John Matts, came into possession of the property, where he died in 1875.  He was a man of considerable prominence.  In 1824 he was elected to the legislature, serving four sessions.  He was likewise colonel of militia.  He left ten children, eight of whom are living in different states, and married.  Elias H., the fourth son, and his sister, Catherine, are living at the old homestead.  Their father fifty-five years ago was the first postmaster outside of the village of Quakertown.  He was captain and colonel of the 59^th regiment Pennsylvania militia.

JAMES MAWSON

…manufacturer of women’s shawls, P.O. Quakertown, was born at Rawdon, Yorkshire, England, in 1822, and came to America in 1847.  In 1845 he was married to Miss Grace Fletcher, also of England.  They have had six children:  Emma, Simeon, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Mary E. and Charles.  The last three are deceased.  The parents of our subject were Benjamin Mawson and Mary, daughter of Thomas Hollings.  Mr. Mawson’s first work in America was at his trade, sorting wool and weaving by hand-loom.  He followed his trade from 1848 to 1855, then commenced in business for himself, and in 1874 he purchased his present property.  He makes a specialty of ladies’ all-wool shawls, and has been very successful in his line of business. 

HENRY MOFFITT

…farmer, P.O. Richland Center, was born in Donegal, Ireland, in 1823.  Three brothers of the name moved at an early day from Scotland to Ireland.  The grandfather of our subject came to America with a number of Quakers, and founded a colony in North Carolina.  Remaining there for fifteen years he returned to Ireland, and until his death he was a firm believer in the Quaker religion.  He had seven children. Joshua, the youngest, married Margaret Stewart, who was of Scotch parentage. Two children were born to them, only one of whom, our subject, is living.  Mr. Moffitt in 1850 married Charlotta, daughter of Adam and Rebecca Moffitt, of Ireland.  There were eight children born to them, five of whom are deceased.  Three are living:  Joshua Henry, Charlotta Elizabeth and Laura Adalina.  Mr. Moffitt’s life has been rather adventurous and roaming. He purchased farms in eastern and western Pennsylvania and Ohio, and after disposing of them was on the police force in Philadelphia for six years.  In 1866 he purchased the farm whereon he now lives.  From 1869 to 1876 he was engaged in the grocery and dairy business in Philadelphia.  Since the latter date he has resided on his farm.

JOHN W. MOFFLY

…president of the Manufacturers’ National bank, Philadelphia, was born in Richland township, Bucks county, in 1828, and is a son of Samuel and Charlotte Moffly.  His paternal grandfather, Joseph, was born in Bucks county, and his great-grandfather was a native of Bavaria, Germany.  John W. worked on his father’s farm until he was 17 years of age, and during the winters attended the common schools of the neighborhood.  He entered a country store at Plumsteadville as clerk, and remained there about two years.  In 1847 he went to Philadelphia and clerked in the retail and wholesale dry goods business until 1856, when he entered into the importing and jobbing of cloths, cassimeres, etc.  He retired from this business January 1, 1875.  His connection with the Manufacturers’ National bank began as a director in January, 1870.  He was elected vice-president three years later, and president in May, 1875.  His first wife was Elizabeth Spang, whom he married in 1853, and who died in 1856.  By her he had one son, Robert.  In 1864 he was married to Margaret K. Siner, by whom he has two sons:  William T. and John W.

REV. F. J. MOHR

…minister, P.O. Quakertown, is one of the oldest residents of this place.  He was born November 27, 1829, in Allentown.  He is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Bishop) Mohr, both natives of Allentown.  Jacob Mohr was a soldier in the war of 1812.  His father, Jacob, was a native of Switzerland, a baker by trade, and on account of religious persecution came to this state and located in Saucon Valley, Lehigh county, and furnished bread to the continental army.  He reared two sons and one daughter.  Jacob, the father of our subject, was a cabinet-maker by trade and followed this vocation in Allentown, where he was born.  He died in 1882, aged 82.  His wife was of French descent, the daughter of Jacob Bishop, a clock-maker.  Our subject was one of a family of ten children, all of whom have settled in this state.  He taught school for several years in the seminary where he was educated. He was one of the first five students of the new seminary, and was afterward eight years professor of mathematics in that institution.  In 1853 he was licensed and ordained minister in the German Reformed church. The following year he took charge of the Williamsport church, which consisted of five congregations.  He continued there for thirteen years, and from there went to Millersburg, where he remained three and a half years over the Berrysburg charge.  Afterward he was settled the same length of time at Bloomsburg, and from there came to this place in the fall of 1871. He has charge of three congregations:  Quakertown, Trumbauersville and Richlandtown.  He was married in 1852 to Catherine, daughter of Peter and Susanna (Reeb) Coble.  He has five children:  Agnes V., Ursinus O., J. Eugene, Albertha C. and Maria M. I.   Agnes V. is the wife of Dr. J. K. Saylor, of this place; Ursinus O. is a minister of the Congregational denomination in Connecticut; J. Eugene was a graduate of dentistry in 1886, and of the Jefferson Medical college; Ursinus O. was a graduate of Franklin and Marshall, college, also of Yale Theological seminary.

J. J. MOORE

…retired farmer, P.O. Quakertown, was born in 1819.  The Moore family, of which he is the only living male representative in Bucks county, came of English Quaker stock.  The father of our subject, Richard Moore, was born in 1793 in Montgomery county, came to this county in 1816 and settled here permanently in 1818.  He soon afterward started the first boarding school in what is now the borough of Quakertown and taught until 1825, when, on account of failing health, he gave up his profession. He was for many years identified with the abolition movement and  his house was a place of refuge for the fleeing slave, he aiding more refugees than any other man in the county.  His wife was Sarah Foulke, by whom he had two children:  John J. and Hannah, wife of William M. Levick, of Philadelphia.  After giving up teaching he gave his attention to conveyancing, settling many estates, and also engaged in farming.  He built the house now occupied by John J.   This was the first house in the northern end of Bucks county built without the use of spirituous liquor.  He was a man highly esteemed in the community and a prominent member of the Society of Friends.  His decease occurred April 30, 1875.  His wife died in 1852.  John Jackson Moore was born in what was recently the orphan school building and located on the place he now owns when seven years of age.

I. S. MOYER, A. M., M. D.

…P.O. Quakertown, was born February 27, 1838, at Harleysville, Montgomery county.  His parents were Jacob D. and Barbara Ann (Shoemaker) Moyer.  The Moyers of Bucks, Montgomery and other counties of eastern Pennsylvania are of German descent, coming mostly from the region of the Palatinate, in Germany.  Jacob D. Moyer was born, lived and died in Montgomery county.  He learned the trade of clock-making, which he carried on many years.  During the latter years of his life he was a successful farmer.  Barbara Ann Shoemkaer was the daughter of Isaac Shoemaker, a prominent citizen of Skippackville, Pa.  She died when the subject of this sketch was eight days old. He was then taken to his grandfather, Isaac Shoemaker, by whom he was cared for until 16 years of age.  He attended common schools and at an early age was sent to Freeland seminary at Collegeville, Pennsylvania, where three years were spent.  He taught two years in Montgomery county with general satisfaction.  At 19 he entered the office of his uncle, Dr. Joseph Moyer, at Kulpsville, Pennsylvania, with whom he studied medicine.  He graduated March 5, 1859, from Pennsylvania Medical college, located the same month at Plumsteadville, and remained there nine years, enjoying a large and lucrative practice.  He was married October 20, 1859, to Laura Kratz, daughter of Jacob Kratz, of that place.  Four children were born to them, of whom only one, Lilian, now survives.  His wife died March 16, 1866.  After traveling extensively in 1968 he located, April 5, 1869, in Quakertown, having purchased the practice of Drs. Joseph Thomas and R. J. Linderman, of that place.  Here he has since resided, enjoying a practice still larger than at Plumsteadville.  He has now been in continuous practice twenty-eight years and has had an uninterrupted share of public confidence.  He was again married November 15, 1868, to Caroline Fackenthall, daughter of B. Frank Fackenthall, of Easton, Pa.  To them one child, Florence Barbara, was born, who still survives.  He commenced the study of botany when quite young.  After settling in Bucks county he studies the flora of the county systematically, and in 1876 published a catalogue of the plants of this county in the county history published by General W. W. H. Davis, the first ever issued.  He has also studied general natural history, especially ornithology and entomology.  He is a member of the Lehigh Medical society, of the board of censors of the Medico-Chirurgical college, of Philadelphia, and was a member of the electoral college of Pennsylvania on the republican ticket in 1880.  In 1887 he received the degree of A. M. from Muhlenberg college, at Allentown, Pa.  Doctor Moyer is a man of intellectual ability, liberal and progressive in his views, and enjoys in a marked degree the confidence and esteem of the community in which he resides.

F. MUSSELMAN

…publisher, P.O. Quakertown, Pa.  The Musselman family are of Swiss origin, and the progenitor of the name was Samuel, who came to this country from Switzerland about the year 1725, and settled in what is now Milford township.  Michael was one of his sons, who married A. Moyer, by whom he had three sons and two daughters.  The eldest was Samuel, the father of Franklin, who married Catherine Groff and had one son, Franklin, born December 20, 1850, in Milford township, and removed with his parents in infancy to Philadelphia, where he was reared to maturity and brought up in a store.  In 1871 he removed to Quakertown, where he engaged in the manufacture of handles.  In 1882 he moved to the Shenandoah valley, where he carried on the lumber business until the spring of 1885, when he returned to Quakertown, where he has since resided.  May 14, 1878, he was married to Hattie, a daughter of M.B. and Elamanda (Headman) Fellman.  They have three children:  Elmer, Elsie and Samuel.  Since his maturity he has been identified with the temperance cause and has labored hard to advance its interests.  He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is chorister of the same.  He is also a member of the Good Templars, Knights of Pythias, and of Quakertown lodge, A. Y. M., No. 512.

History of the Counties of
 
Transcribed:  28 July 2008 by Patricia R. Smith Bastik