a weekly German paper called the Norristown Messenger and Montgomery County Advertiser. It was the same size as the Herald, but continued in existence only a few months.

On the 15th of June, 1804, the proceedings of a meeting of trustees of the Norristown Academy are given. Those present were William Tennant (President), Francis Swayne, Andrew Porter, Levi Pawling, John Markley, Isaac Huddleson, Robert Hamill, and Seth Chapman (Secretary). The academy was organized, but the building known by that name was not in existence, being erected afterwards.

On the 20th of July, 1804, the paper was in mourning for the death of Hamilton, murdered by Aaron Burr in a duel. Full accounts of the fight are given; also a lengthy statement of Rev. Benjamin Moore, in which Hamilton, after he was shot, expressed his prior determination to do Burr no harm, his forgiveness of him, his sincere repentance and belief in Christ's atonement, and his desire to partake of the sacrament as a testimony thereof.

On the 9th of August, 1808, two patent washing machines are advertised; one by Isaac Huddleson is said to rinse and wring the clothes as well as wash them.

On the 7th of October, 1808, the drawn numbers of the Sumneytown School House Lottery are given.

In December, 1808, he transferred the paper and printing establishment to his eldest son, Charles Sower, and soon after opened a general store in Norristown, including dry goods, groceries, queensware, china, glass, hardware, and so on, for which his early business experience in Philadelphia had fitted him. About this time he advertised for sale his plantation of one hundred and sixty acres in Lower Providence township, the house and lot in Norristown (fifty by two hundred and fifty feet) lately occupied by him, and about seventeen acres below Norristown, adjoining Samuel Markley's tan-yard. In September, 1810, he removed to his new store-house in Norristown, where he continued in the business several years. Thence he removed to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where he united farming with merchandising, remaining there a number of years. This last venture did not prove to be successful, and

in 1824 he returned to Norristown, resuming the business of bookbinding on the south side of Main street near DeKalb. While here, on the 7th of May, 1828, his wife died after a long illness. Soon after, he relinquished his business, which was continued by his youngest son Edwin. The infirmities of age creeping upon him, he peacefully passed away on the 19th of October, 1835, and his remains were interred beside those of his father, mother and wife, in the burying ground attached to the Mennonist church at Methatchen, in Worcester township.

Charles Sower, son of David Sower, Sr., succeeded his father as publisher of the Norristown Herald in December, 1808. He was a genial man, social in his habits, and of a temperament that made warm friends and bitter enemies. As an editor he was a strong partisan. The tremendous struggle going on in Europe, which resulted in the downfall of Napoleon, was in progress, producing intense feeling and excitement in this country also, and which could not fail to tincture politics in the United States with great bitterness. In July, 1812, an article appeared commenting upon a non-uniformed militia muster in Philadelphia, describing their ignorance of the art of war as shown by the Irish officers, which so excited their ire that a mob of ruffians from Philadelphia attacked the office and partially destroyed it. The remaining printing materials were sold to Samuel Ladd, and the Herald passed for a few years out of the hands of the Sower family. Charles Sower removed to Maryland, where he published a paper a few years, and died there. He was never married.

David Sower, Jr., the proper subject of this memorial, son of David, Sr., was born in Philadelphia on the 11th of February, 1794.* He received a plain English education, and as he grew up assisted his father in whatever business he was engaged, obtaining, of course, a thorough training in that of printing, as well as a general knowledge of merchandising. After the Herald passed into the hands of his brother Charles, David remained with him, assisting in the mechanical department as long as he continued to publish it. When the office was attacked by the mob, David was a little more than seven

*In the opening of this sketch it is erroneously stated that David Sower, Jr., was. born in Montgomery county,

teen years of age. Thrown at this time upon his own resources, he went first to Baltimore, and then to Washington, where he obtained employment in one of the great printing establishments of that city, and remained a year or more.

In June, 1816, having attained to twenty-one years of age, he returned to Norristown, purchased the Herald from the then proprietor, who had failed in business, and in July of the same year issued the first number under his charge. He soon obtained the assistance of an able corps of writers, and the paper teemed with articles of extraordinary literary merit. The circulation increased, and along with it the advertising patronage, so that it soon became necessary to enlarge the paper. In 1818 the printing office was removed to a building erected for the purpose on the site now occupied by F. D. Sower's book-store. This building remained until June, 1853. During the eighteen years he continued to be its publisher enlarged facilities from time to time became necessary, so that when in July, 1834, he sold the establishment to John Hodgson, Esq., it was one of the largest and best patronized county papers in the State.

In 1819 he married Miss Cecilia, daughter of Jean Baptiste Chollet, a French political refugee who came to this country during the troubles following the revolution of 1791 in France. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Alexander May, who was afterwards one of the professors in the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary at Alexandria, Virginia.

During David Sower's administration of the Herald he did not extirely lose sight of the book-publishing business. In 1818 he issued a little work entitled "The Pocket-Lawyer," containing a collection of legal forms, which proved to be a success, and in other hands subsequently passed through many editions. His next venture was a collection of stories entitled "Tales of Somerville," written in a simple, beautiful style. In connection with his business he continued to keep for sale a stock of books and stationery, as did his ancestors in the same business. In 1830 he published an abridged digest of the laws of Pennsylvania, containing those acts of general interest to farmers and property holders, and intended for their use. It

was compiled by B. F. Hancock, Esq., and had a large sale, passing through two or more editions. In 1832 he published a collection of sacred music, combining a system of instruction in written music. The notes were in seven different forms or characters, each representing a note of the diatonic scale. This at that time was entirely new, being the first attempt to give a different form for each of the seven notes. Music written in notes of four characters was very common. The types for these notes were originated and cast for the work, and were a heavy item in the expense. Many years after a teacher named Aiken attempted to patent the same idea, using characters of different forms, and his work had an extended circulation.

After disposing of the printing and publishing establishment in 1834, he remained out of business about two years, devoting. his time to collections, building and improving his 'real estate, of which he had become possessed of considerable. In 1836 he opened a book and stationery store, in which was included a variety of fancy articles. As it was the first attempt in Norristown to conduct a store devoted to certain special articles, as also varieties, and to make a display of goods in show windows and glass cases, the opening created, considerable interest and attracted crowds of people for many days. This was the beginning of a series of improvements in stores and shops. which marked the advance of Norristown from a country village to a business town or city, now rivalling in beauty and enterprise any county seat in the State outside of two or three great cities.

In 1838 he entered into business partnership with his younger. brother Edwin, and opened a handsome dry goods establishment in a store-house built by him for the purpose, adjoining the book-store. This also proved to be eminently successful,,. and was another step in classifying business, for he was the first to separate dry goods from other wares. But soon after,. or early in 1839, Edwin died of scarlet fever. He was married to Mary, daughter of Thomas Stroud, of Norristown, who still (1879) survives. About the time of his death three children also died; consequently Edwin left no posterity. John Willard took Edwin Sower's place in the firm, but he also being in ill

health at the time, soon passed away. Mr. Sower then continued the business alone, together with the book and stationery concern in the store adjoining. His son Charles G. having become of age in 1842, he disposed of the book-store to him, continuing in the dry goods business till 1850, when he sold it to Morgan Wright, and retired from active business altogether.

Soon after the infirmities of age began to show their effects upon him. In his prime he was a man of portly build and ot medium height; growing older, however, he lost his roundness of figure, and during the last two years became thin and shrunken.

Though not a member of church until a short time before he died, he had been through life religiously inclined, always moral, and for over twenty-five years a regular attendant at divine service, usually worshiping with the Baptists. A passage in his diary, dated April 14th, 1858, says:

"The first temperance meeting in Norristown was held in the court-house on Saturday, May 4th, 1833. Robert Hamill was the chairman, and David Sower and John S. McFarland, Esq., Secretaries. About fifteen to eighteen persons signed the pledge to abstain from the use of ardent spirits as a beverage. My signature was among them, and from that day to this that pledge has never been broken, and I trust never will be. Some years after I signed another pledge to abstain from the use of all intoxicating drinks, which also remains inviolate.'

Although while editing a paper Mr. Sower was thrown much among public men, he was always diffident, quiet, and unobtrusive. His judgment was remarkably clear on most subjects, exceedingly careful and prudent in financial matters, and inviolate in his pledges. Generally sedate and serious, he had nevertheless a vein of humor in his composition that manifested itself in quiet little surprises, and which he enjoyed exceedingly. He was ever devoted to his family, a kind husband and father, generous and considerate, but not foolishly indulgent. In 1862 his debility rapidly increased, and in April he became too weak to leave his home. From this he gradually declined until June 19th, when he quietly gave up his life. His remains were taken to Montgomery Cemetery, attended