so God protected him against much and severe sickness in his last days. Gradually, however, his sanctified spirit was loosened from its earthly tabernacle, and nature sank year by year, till December 21st, 1774, when he was attacked with vertigo and increasing debility, and on July 11th, 1775, in his 89th year, he passed peacefully away. His wife, Ursula, died May 15th, 1767, aged 80 years, and lies in the burial ground belonging to the Schwenkfelder congregation of Lower Salford. Balthaser Hoffman and wife left three children, Anna, Rosina and Christian, who were all born in Europe. All three were married,. but the son left no issue. There are descendants of the daughters, however, to the fifth and sixth generation. He remained an acceptable minister to the Schwenkfelders. from the death of Weiss, in 1749, until the time of his own death. He resided on a tract of land by the east side of Skippack creek, two miles west of Franconia village, now owned by Henry Derstine. He was a man of eminent wisdom and piety, and left behind him a catalogue of his writings, embracing fifty-eight tracts, all on theology and practical religion, besides eighty-three letters on various kindred topics. JAMES WOOD. All is the gift of Industry; whate'er Among the eminent men who during the present century have founded manufacturing industry in Montgomery county, none are more justly celebrated than James Wood, who began life as a mere village blacksmith. From this grade and position he pressed his way to the very front, as a man of ingenuity, enterprise, and wealth, establishing an iron business that for many years has been on the lead, in its particular line, in Pennsylvania. He was the son of John and Catharine Davis Wood, and was born near the village of Blue Bell, in Whitpain township, Mont gomery county. While growing to proper age to be apprenticed he was taught the rudiments of a good education in the common schools of the period. Having acquired the trade of a smith, he established himself in that business at Gulf, or "Bird-in-Hand," as it was usually called. Being a very active, robust and enterprising mechanic, he first added the manufacture of sickles, which were in great demand before cradles and reapers had come into use. In connection with smithing he followed that branch extensively, first at Valley Forge, afterwards at Fox Chase on the Pennepack, and finally at Conshohocken, where, having obtained a good water power, he added domestic and agricultural hardware, such as spades, shovels, saws, and other implements in common use. This complex business he drove with great vigor for many years, and "Wood's iron implements" obtained a national reputation. James Wood was born of English and Welsh lineage, and was a Quaker by religious profession. He was twice married, and quite as remarkable in his domestic relations as he was in business, for he is recorded as the father of twenty children, all born in wedlock. He was first married to Tacy Thomas, of Plymouth, by whom he had nine children; afterwards to Anne W. Warner, of Philadelphia, who bore him eleven. The offspring of the first marriage were James, Alan, Catharine, Mark, Mary, an infant deceased, Thomas, Mary, and Sarah; those of the second wife were Lydia, Charles, John, William W., David L., Thomas C., George F., Anna J., Martha A., Caroline T., and Benedict D. Of these two large families of children the following are still (1878) living: Alan, Catharine, Mary, Charles, Lydia, John, David L., Anna J., Martha A., and Benedict D. David L. is married to Mary K., daughter of Richard P. Cumming; Thomas C. to Ann E., daughter of William McCahan, all of Philadelphia; Anna J. is the wife of Jonathan Cleaver, of Upper Merion, Montgomery county; Martha A. is married to Richard C. Walker, Jr.; Caroline T. is intermarried with Conrad Seidentoph; Benedict D. married Rebecca Walker. James Wood was a strictly temperate man, and much respected by all who knew him. He was also a man of patriotism and public spirit, but not a seeker after office, never being willing to accept but a single public position, that of School Director in Plymouth township, of which board he was President for five years, from 1834 to 1839. During that time he and his conferees encountered much opposition from the enemies of the public school law, which was then first being put in operation. James Wood was not only a citizen of the olden time in industry, energy, and personal vitality, as shown by his large family, but was noted as a man of great promptness, justness and punctuality in the payment of debts due to others, feeling a just pride in "owing no man anything." He had the rare experience also of never having been sued nor ever being the plaintiff in a suit against others. For a long series of years he did business loaning money and discounting bills, but never would take advantage of his creditors or the poor by exacting more than six per centum interest. He enjoyed the rare blessing of a lively, cheerful temper, and good health, which gave zest to life and lengthened out his existence beyond fourscore years, to see several of his sons and grandsons in successful business, building upon the foundation which he had himself laid at Conshohocken. Thus, after a long and useful life, James Wood died peacefully, in January, 1851, aged 81 years. His second wife, Anne, survives him, and now (1878) resides in Norristown, a smart old lady, in her 87th year, who keeps her own house, attends to household duties personally, and has nearly all her senses and mental faculties seemingly unimpaired. She recently underwent a severe surgical operation, recovering her wonted health in a few days. She bids fair to equal her grandmother in longevity, who continued a robust woman till the day of her death, at the extraordinary age of 104 years. Her natural force was so little abated that when 100 years old she would carry a bucket of water from the spring to the house "like a girl in her teens." HON. JOSEPH FORNANCE. His life was gentle, and the elements So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, This was a man.-Shakspeare. Hon. Joseph Fornance, who represented the now Seventh district in the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Congress from 1839 to 1843, was born in Lower Merion township, October 18th, 1804. He was the son of John, who was the son of Antony Fornance, previously a resident of New Castle, Delaware, and of Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Roberts, of Blockley township, Philadelphia county. Antony Fornance, his grandfather, emigrated from France and settled in Delaware about 1750, and died there in 1768. Thomas Roberts, his maternal grandfather, was a grandson of Hugh Roberts, who came from Wales in 1684, and was a minister of the society of Friends. He died in 1702, and was buried in the cemetery at Friends' meeting in Merion. Joseph Fornance was chiefly educated at the old academy of Lower Merion, and his attention was particularly directed to the study of the higher mathematics. He had one brother, John, who survived him some years, and who was a well known resident of Norristown. Immediately on his leaving school he commenced teaching in his native township, and remained in that calling until about 1829 or 1830, when he began the study of law in the office of Hon. Philip S. Markley, and was admitted to the bar August 21st, 1832, continuing in active practice to the period of his death. In 1834, almost as soon as graduated in his profession, his Democratic fellow-citizens selected him to represent the county in the Assembly, serving one term till the Muhlenberg division of the party caused his defeat. In 1838 he was elected to represent the district in Congress, and was re-elected in 1840, in the midst of the famous "Log Cabin," "Hard Cider" and "'Coon" campaign that carried Harrison and Tyler into the Presidential chairs. While in the Legislature he took an active part in the abolition of public executions, which was effected in 1834, and during his term he secured the passage of several important laws to lay out and improve the streets of Norristown. He was also conspicuous as an advocate and supporter of the then inchoate public school system; and, though not a member of any secret society, in common with his party opposed the then prevalent political crusade against Masons and other secret orders. His two terms in Congress were distinguished by the bitter controversies about the safe keeping of the public funds and the institution of the independent Treasury by Van Buren's administration. That famous measure had been rejected at the extra session in 1837, but passed both houses, in the session of 1840. It was regarded as the great achievement of that Presidential term. During all this exciting period Mr. Fornance steadily sustained the principles of his party, and doubtless truly represented his constituents. His manner was ever mild, consistent and firm. On retiring from the post he held, as at first, a character above reproach for ability and integrity. From the close of his Congressional term, in 1843, to 1854, when the elective judiciary was to go into effect in our county, Mr. Fornance was engaged in an extensive practice of his profession. In that year the Democracy of Bucks county presented the name of Henry Chapman as their nominee for the Seventh district, composed of Bucks and Montgomery, and the party in our county presented that of Mr. Fornance for the position. After repeated conferences between the representative Democrats of the two counties, no agreement was reached to secure unity, each county adhering to its own nominee. Taking adtage of this division the Whig party nominated Hon. D. M. Smyser, of Gettysburg, and elected him. After this Mr. Fornance was not again before the people as a candidate, except as a non-partisan nominee for Town Council of Norristown, which position he filled and was President of that body for several years immediately preceding his death, which took place November 24th, 1852, in the 48th year of his age. In all public stations Mr. Fornance was an active and industrious yet unassuming member, whose judgment was always relied upon, and whose integrity was unquestioned. As an advocate addressing a jury his manner was earnest and impressive, carrying great weight, yet his mildness, modesty and |