zeal, and when Joseph Ritner was elected Governor by that party he received the appointment of Register of Wills in January, 1836, and held it three years, his son Thomas acting as his deputy and clerk. This was the last public office he filled.

It only remains further to refer to Mr. Boileau's exalted private life, sum up his political career, and record his peaceful death. In sterling integrity, patriotic aims, ingrain Republican principles, and unselfish benevolence, Mr. Boileau has had few if any superiors in our county. One that knew him best of any says: "He was very benevolent. The indigent never went away from his door empty handed; he gave to the poor as long as he had anything to give. He worked on the farm in haying and harvest till past mid-. dle life. He was very industrious and never idle; was very handy with tools for working in wood; made nearly all his farm implements, even wagons, carts, plows, harrows, etc. He was the most capable and trusty business man of the time to settle estates, act on arbitrations, and the like." Another neighbor says: "Mr. Boileau's moral and religious character was as high as any man's could be for honesty, integrity and good will to men; he was benevolent to a fault, for he seemed to give when he had nothing to bestow. No man more than he had the confidence of his friends." After the temperance reform arose he was an ardent advocate of the cause; was many years President of the Montgomery County Temperance Society, and a member of the Bible society. The latter quoted friend further says of him: "His estate was largely sunk by efforts to reform his prodigal son. He went West to look after his welfare, then returned and died with his niece at Abington, whose husband was sexton of Dr. Steele's church, to which he (Mr. Boileau) had long been a worthy member and supporter. As his money left him, so did his friends; and of all he knew in the days of his wealth and influence, there were not enough present at his funeral to carry him to the grave without his relatives assisting."

In person Mr. Boileau was rather under than over the medium stature, well built, dark, florid complexion, stooping somewhat in his old days, and in figure and countenance resembled the portraits of John Quincy Adams. In society he was social, cheerful, and could adapt himself to all grades of people, often bringing himself down to the capacity and moods of children, and jesting with them to their great delight. His want of rigid care of property in his old days was perhaps a weakness, but an amiable one, for his wealth

lasted nearly as long as he had use for it, and when the summons came he had no idol to bind him to earth as many have.

The most interesting remains of this truly great and good man are two oil portraits in the possession of Mr. William Sprogel, of Hatboro, one of them taken early in life and the other when he was Secretary of the Commonwealth; and the large Bible containing family records in the bold, clear handwriting of this eminent man, as also a painted life-size portrait of Mr. Boileau's first wife, are now in possession of Mr. John Jacobs, of Norristown, whose wife is a sister of the wife of Thomas L. Boileau, deceased.

Thus died in poverty Nathaniel B. Boileau, who was born rich, married two wealthy wives, was industrious, honest, frugal, and patriotic. He outlived all his early friends and relatives except his unfortunate son, till he was nearly left alone in the world, and went up like Lazarus to his reward on high. As his life was no sham, so there are no "lies" nor fulsome eulogies on his tomb-stone, the inscription on which, in Abington Presbyterian church-yard, reads as follows:

N. B. BOILEAU,
DIED MARCH 16TH, 1850,

In the 88th year of his age.

PHILIP HOOVER, Esq.

"No man knows his own strength or value but by being put to the proof. The pilot is tried in a storm; the soldier in battle; the rich man knows not how to behave himself in poverty.-Seneca.

Philip Hoover was born July 20th, 1782, in Hilltown township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. He was a son of Henry and Margaret Hoover, the maiden name of the latter being Hern. Their parents came from Germany. In the year 1794 the family removed to Gwynedd township, Montgomery county, where he purchased a farm containing two hundred acres. Philip received a common -school education, and was a close student, which in his after life was of great advantage to him. He became a member of Boehm's (German Reformed) church on September 13th, 1804, and such he continued while he lived. He was first elected a deacon, and then an elder, which latter position he held at the time of his death, being a member of the consistory over forty years. He was delegate

to many of the ecclesiastical bodies that convened during that period.

Mr. Hoover married Mary, second daughter of Hon. Frederick Conrad, of Worcester township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, on November 13th, 1804. They had thirteen children, named Frederick W., Julian, Susanna, Maria, Henry C., Ann, Catharine, Hiram, Conrad, Albert C., Ann Elizabeth, and Andrew J. Only six, however, lived to manhood and womanhood, four sons and two daughters, to-wit: Frederick, Hiram, Albert, Andrew, Maria, and Ann Elizabeth. At the death of the progenitor, Henry Hoover, the property was divided into two parts, Philip taking the old mansion with one hundred acres of land, upon which he lived nearly all his life. He removed to the city of Philadelphia, however, and kept a grocery store one year. Preferring farming as an occupation

he returned, and there remained till 1830, when he removed to new buildings which he had erected on the place, and retired from the active duties of the farm for awhile. He had also been elected to the State Legislature, in which position he served three years, the customary term. While sitting there he opposed granting such unlimited franchises to corporations, believing it was dangerous to invest a corporate body with power that could, and most likely would, be used to enhance their own interest regardless of the welfare of others. He served as an officer in a rifle regiment under command of General Cadwallader during the war of 1812-14. He was considered a useful and good citizen, serving his neighbors in various ways, and filling nearly all the positions of township officer, juror, and the like, during the whole period of his adult life. Between the ages of sixty and seventy he traveled considerably, taking delight in seeing the improvements of the country. He helped to defend against British aggressions. His faculties were unimpaired. down to his death-bed, when he died in his 83d year.

Hiram C. Hoover, son of Philip and Mary Hoover, was born on October 23d, 1822, in Gwynedd township, Montgomery county,. Pennsylvania, and educated in the common and select schools of the neighborhood. He also studied vocal and instrumental music, which he afterwards taught for twenty-five years. Several choirs in neighboring churches were established by him, and he was a member of the first Sunday school organized in the neighborhood, of which he became teacher, and next Superintendent. He was admitted a member of Boehm's church in his 18th year, elected elder at an early age, and has been re-elected continuously at the expiration of

each term ever since. He has been President of the consistory during all the time except the first year.

On the 4th of March, 1847, he was united in marriage with Margaret, youngest daughter of the late Frederick Dull, Sr., of Whitemarsh township. To them were born four children, William A., Irvin W., Sarah D. and Mary M. Irvin died in the 3d year of his age; the three living are grown to manhood and womanhood. William and Sarah are married, the latter removing to Richmond, Virginia. All are members of the Reformed church. In 1849 Hiram C. Hoover purchased a farm in Norriton township, at the intersection of the turnpike and the Stony Creek railroad, on which he has erected a number of improvements. Soon after his removal to this place he was elected Superintendent of a Sabbath school at Burr's meeting house, where he continued several years. He also became a member of Penn Square Literary Society, in which he took great interest, participating in nearly all the discussions. He has served as school director eleven years, was President of the convention at which Professor A. Rambo was first elected County Superintendent of the schools of the county, was elected Justice of the Peace three times, and has been President of the Norristown and Centre Square Turnpike Company since its organization. He was elected to the State Legislature three times, serving during the sessions of 1862-3-4, and also served two terms of five years as an Associate Judge of the several courts of this county. He has also been a member of the Board of Trustees of Franklin and Marshall College, and also recently chosen to a like position on the Board of Ursinus at Collegeville. He has been connected with Sabbath schools the greater part of his life, and is at present teacher of the Bible class at Boehm's church, consisting of over thirty young men and women. This record shows that he is a very worthy descendant of his father, and also of his grandfather, Hon. Frederick Conrad.

ZADOK THOMAS, Esq.

"Old age, thine evening twilight, for him who has a Saviour, blends so undistin-guished with the sunrise, that there is scarcely a night between."-Tholuck.

Among the quiet, unpretending business men of the past two generations in this.locality, none have left a stronger ex-ample or brighter testimony to the excellency of uprightness and commercial integrity than he whose name stands at the head of this page. He was born in Newtown township, Delaware county, 1773. The family are of Welsh origin, and connected by blood or affinity with that of General Wayne,. having settled in the same locality with the ancestors of that great man. Very early in life, being of delicate frame, he was put into a store, to which business he was trained, and became a very successful merchant and expert book-keeper, always. adhering to the double-entry system.

In all his long intercourse with the world, the writer has. rarely if ever met with a more scrupulously honest or exact man than Zadok Thomas.* To a nice sense of justice and truth he added wonderful prudence and exactitude in details.. He was sought, therefore, for charitable trusts, and accordinglyfor nearly fifty years was Treasurer of the Montgomery County Bible Society, as also for many years Treasurer of the First. Presbyterian Church, and his accounts were always accurate to the half-penny.

Early in life Mr. Thomas was married to Ruth Thomas,. whose maiden name was the same as his own, and they had one son and two daughters. The first, named Azariah, he bred to store-keeping, and for a great many years he followed mercantile business in the Great Valley, and afterwards at

*Many years ago Mr. Thomas was a trustee of one of the Norristown churches, but not a member of its communion or of any church then, when the following question arose: A certain very prominent man, bearing about the same relation to the church congregation and property as himself, had assisted to lay off the grave-yard adjoining, specifying certain aisles or passages between the lots, which latter were proposed to be sold for the benefit of the corporation. Stakes had been affixed to these passages, and the survey was considered settled and final. Subsequently this leading individual desired to purchase a large lot close in the rear of the house of worship, and to extend across the middle avenue, forgetful or regardless of the meets and bounds of the yard. This almost demand came up as a question in the Board of Trustees, and at first a majority of the members, many of them eminent for their piety, were disposed to yield the point out of deference to a strong-willed, wealthy man, but Mr. Thomas still mildly protested, saying, "It is not right; Mr. ought not to ask such a thing. There is ground enough on each side, as much as he desires. Besides, Mr. -knowsthat he is seeking to break over the regulations he himself helped to establish." His arguments and firm uprightness prevailed. The wealthy gentleman was recon-ciled to a side lot and the rules of the corporation maintained.