is traced through his son, William Charles Rogers, who was born May 28th, 1776. When a young man the latter removed from the East and settled for a time in Philadelphia, where at the age of twenty years he married Mary Hiltzheimer. From that city he shortly after removed to Warrington township, Bucks county, and engaged in farming. There were born to them nine children, one of whom was David Rogers, the father of the subject of this notice. William Charles Rogers, before named, was a Brigadier General during the war of 1812-15, and held a command in the volunteer militia stationed at Marcus Hook as a protection to Philadelphia and the ports on the Delaware against British invasion. After the war he was a

Justice of the Peace for many years.

The paternal grandmother of our subject, Mary Hiltzheimer, has the following notable record: She was the daughter of Jacob Hiltzheimer, and was born March 16th, 1771, at a public house at Seventh and Market streets, Philadelphia, in the building in which Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, and which was owned by her father. It is still standing, and in 1874 was the property of three of her nieces. This Jacob Hiltzheimer was at one time a member of Congress. The William Charles Rogers previously mentioned raised five children, the other four dying in infancy. Of the former was Jacob H., many years a Justice of the Peace resident in Bucks. county, and General William F., who resided at Doylestown, was a member of the Senate of Pennsylvania for two terms, and also Speaker of the same. Two of the daughters married and removed to the far West. The last of the children of William C. Rogers we shall record is David, who first lived at Warrington, Bucks county, and afterwards at Pleasantville, on the county line between Bucks and Montgomery. Here he followed farming till 1858, when he removed to Norristown, where he now resides retired from business. He married Cynthia, daughter of Benjamin Watson, who was of Irish descent.

This Benjamin Watson was a patriotic soldier in the Continental army, and served during the whole war, being in Captain Beattie's company and Proctor's regiment of the Pennsylvania line. He was in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown,

Trenton, Stony Point, and Cowpens. This Revolutionary soldier was one of those detailed to apprehend and execute the Tories who betrayed to the British some of our soldiers concealed near "The Billet." They did so, and overtook and hanged one to a walnut tree, near Montgomery Square. At the end of the war he was discharged at Charleston, South Carolina, and as the paymaster did not pay him, for the want of funds he walked home to Philadelphia barefooted. He died at the age of seventy-seven, and was interred at Neshaminy Presbyterian Church, Bucks county.

David and Cynthia Rogers have had three children, George W., William C., and Mary. The last is the wife of Henry B. Hibbs, of Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania. The second son graduated in medicine, and is at present Surgeon of the steamship Illinois, sailing between Philadelphia and Liverpool. The first named, George W., of Norristown, was born June 15th, 1829, in Warrington, Bucks county, receiving his first instruction in the common schools of the place, and later at a private seminary in New Britain township, in the same county. He began the study of law in 1852 with Joseph Fornance.

The latter

dying soon after, he entered the office of Hon. David Krause, and was admitted to the bar on the 24th of January, 1854. He was soon after elected Burgess, and served one year. In 1856 he was nominated by the Democracy and elected District Attorney of the county. During his term as Commonwealth's officer it was his duty to manage the prosecution of Alfred Hopple, who had been indicted for manslaughter as the conductor of the wrecked excursion train on the North Pennsylvania railroad. This was a prosecution that elicited great public interest. He also managed the case against Kilby Bayletts, of Upper Merion, who had killed his wife in a fit of mania-a-potu, and who was convicted and sentenced to twelve years.

Very soon after his admission to the bar Mr. Rogers manifested an energy in prosecuting law cases, and especially an aptness in handling witnesses on the stand, that brought him rapidly into notice as a leading attorney. So when his party came to select a candidate for Additional Law Judge of Bucks and Montgomery counties, in 1874, he was nominated, but de

feated by a very close vote by Judge Watson, of Bucks county. In 1858, a few years after coming to the bar, he was married to Cara C., only daughter of Jesse Bean, lumber merchant, of Norristown, and there have been born to them four children: Cara, D. Ogden, G. Austin (died February 1st, 1877), and Jessie. George W. Rogers and wife are members of the First Presbyterian Church, and have been for many years.

JOSEPH E. RAPP.

The joys of earth can never last;

Like autumn leaflets in the blast,

They're scattered from us far and fast,

And leave us all neglected.-L. F. Bittle.

A busy life has been that of the kindly unpretending gentleman whose name stands above.

Joseph Eastburn Rapp was born in Schuylkill township, Chester county, May 17th, 1834. His parents' names are Jo seph H. and Margaret Supplee Rapp, and doubtless are of German extraction paternally. In his early years Joseph had but the advantage of common schools till well grown, when he was sent one winter term to the boarding school of Jesse Phillips, and one at Treemount under Rev. Samuel Aaron. When grown to proper age he learned the wheelwright trade with his father, and followed it, including the time served, five years. He taught school during the fall and winter of 1858 and 1859, and in the spring of the latter took the "gold fever" and joined an emigrating party destined for Pike's Peak, which was then the El Dorado of all enterprising adventurers. This was an exciting but tiresome journey, overland by ox-teams, and camping out in the midst of savages, who being kindly treated did not molest them. After a tedious journey the peak was reached, but voted a humbug, and Mr. Rapp journeyed on to California to inspect the extreme Occident, after a journey of six months. Looking about for a season, he afterwards tried his hand at California farming. The last year he

was so extensively engaged that in company with John and Jesse Christman he raised twenty-seven hundred bushels of wheat, eight hundred bushels of barley, and one hundred tons of hay. This was in Santa Clara Valley, near the Alameda quicksilver mines. Not liking the Pacific region, however, he started near the close of 1863 on his return by way of the Isthmus, the railroad through Central America, and thence by the ill fated steamship Ariel, which on her outward voyage had been captured and plundered by the pirate Alabama, of all her treasure and supplies. He, however, arrived safely at home in time to spend Christmas and attend the wedding of a younger

brother.

After remaining through the spring of 1863 at his father's, and assisting him in his business and to build an addition to his residence, he followed the brothers' example by marrying on the 7th of May, Miss Rachel Anna Phillips, daughter of Jesse Phillips, late County Treasurer of Chester county, the latter of whom is a brother of Rev. Josiah Phillips, now of North Wales.

In February, 1864, Mr. Rapp came to Norristown to engage in business. About this time the late John Potts, Esq., who for some years had been pursuing the coal business at the foot of Lafayette street, on Stony Creek, was appointed Internal Revenue Assessor for Norristown, and desiring to close out Mr. Rapp bought his coal, stock and fixtures, and purchasing the yard of Mr. Wentz began the retail coal business with great spirit and energy. In less than two years thereafter a devastating flood occurred in Stony Creek, which almost in a moment swept away his coal, fixtures and nearly all his capital, the savings of years, and the visitation nearly cost him his life also, which was at one time in imminent peril. Kind friends stepped in and offered to contribute by subscription to his relief, but he declined, preferring to build up again from the foundation as before. Having good credit he was enabled to go on as at first, and soon repaired his losses.

Accordingly without any delay Mr. Rapp rented from the heirs of Jesse Bean, deceased, the former site of Bean & Wentz's saw mill, at the foot of Washington street, where he fitted up

under cover, and on the line of the railroad, perhaps the most complete coal yard in the borough, where also, till the present time, he has pushed with great vigor the coal trade, wholesale and retail. On the rear of this capacious yard, which fronts on Stony Creek, he erected a large ice-house, in 1877, thus adding another source of income to his business, as also employing his hands and teams through the dull season of winter.

In the spring of 1869, Mr. Rapp bought out a brick-yard, established by Haws & Rittenhouse, at Marshall and Stanbridge streets, and since then has carried on both the coal and brick business with great energy and success. Mr. R. has all the qualities needful for a successful dealing man, to wit: industry, perseverance and integrity joined to great suavity and kindness of manners.

Being a stockholder and patron of the Western Market Company he was elected Treasurer in 1875, subsequently Secretary and Treasurer of the same, which he fills at the present time.

Mr. R. has never been a politician, though always a consistant Republican and temperance man. His fellow citizens placed his name in nomination, however, and elected him a School Director, a post he filled with fidelity and usefulness three years, but declined re-election as he could not, as he thought, attend to public duties without neglecting his own proper calling. While filling this office he was actively instrumental in enlarging Sandy street school-house, assisting to beautify the surroundings of several of the school buildings with iron fence, shade trees, and the like, as also reducing the aggregate of the school debt.

Mr. Rapp and wife united with the Baptist Church of Norristown by letter soon after settling with us, and he has been for several years on its Board of Trustees, and a teacher in the Sunday school.

Joseph E. Rapp and wife have had five children, named Margaretta, Eleanor, Hannah A., Mary Elma, Joseph Lewis, and Jesse Phillips. It only remains to add that Mr. R. has proved himself a public spirited, benevolent citizen, ever ready to cooperate in all enterprises of public or private concern.