iv INTRODUCTORY 



and intelligent research, by giving some authentic account of most of the 

 families that have participated in those events, and following these genealogical 

 and historical sketches with some account of the present gei '.'ation, on whom 

 and their descendants the grand old county must depend for the maintenance 

 of the high standard of citizenship that has characterized her in the past. An 

 effort has also been made to give some account of the descendants of Bucks 

 county ancestry who have wandered from their alma mater and distinguished 

 themselves in the various- walks of life in other sections. We believe, therefore, 

 that we have rendered a lasting service to posterity in gathering together and 

 placing in enduring form much valuable information that would otherwise soon 

 have been irretrievably lost through the passing away of many custodians of 

 family and other records, and the consequent dispersion of such matter. 



The publishers desire to express their appreciation of the assistance ren- 

 dered them and their editors in the preparation of this work, by various persons 

 wdio have placed at their disposal the result of valuable researches made on 

 genealogical and historical lines for private purposes. As stated therein, much 

 of the data in reference to the Holland families who w^ere the first actual settlers 

 on the Neshaminy in Northampton, Southampton and adjoining parts of War- 

 minster, Bensalem, Middletown and Bristol townships, is the result of more 

 than twenty years of research conducted on these lines by R. Winder Johnson, 

 of Philadelphia, very little if any of which has been heretofore published. 

 Again, much of the data in reference to the early German settlers in upper 

 Bucks, whose part in the history of the county has probably never received 

 proper recognition, is the result of exhaustive researches made by Mr. Ely, in 

 which he was materially aided by the Rev. A. J. Fretz, of ]\Iilton, New Jersey,, 

 who has devoted years of unselfish work to these lines. ]\Iany others have con- 

 tributed more or less to the value of the work by giving us the benefit of their 



valuable researches. 



THE PUBLISHERS. 



