HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



315 



term of office in 1870, he did not return 

 to his farm which he had rented, but 

 purchased a new home, the beautiful 

 "Roseland" property at Hartsville. where 

 he lived until his sudden death from 

 heart trouble in full vigor of mind and 

 body January 12, 1888. He married, 

 January 21, 1847, Lydia Harper Walton, 

 who was born in Horsham township, 

 November 28, 1826, and at this writing, 

 September, 1905, survives him, living in 

 Hatboro, Montgomery county,' Pennsyl- 

 vania. They had no issue. Mr. Barns- 

 ley was a man of clear-cut principles and 

 staunch integrity, of strong mental 

 powers with a philosophical bent, 

 brightened by a rich vein of humor. He 

 had a tender heart and generous nature, 

 becoming a public benefactor within the 

 circle of his influence. He was further 

 an individual of intense public spirit and 

 patriotism. A Republican in politics he 

 took a lively interest in the success of 

 his party. One of the best known citi- 

 zens of the township, his personal pop- 

 ularity led to his election to the state 

 legislature in 1858, 1859, and i860, up to 

 that time the first nominee of his party 

 to serve three successive terms from 

 this county. From earlj^ manhood he 

 had been called to fill various public 

 offices and positions of trust and con- 

 fidence. He was president of The Farm- 

 ers' Hay Market Company, of Philadel- 

 phia for eleven years prior to his death, 

 and director of Hatboro National Bank 

 from its organization. He lies interred 

 in the graveyard of St. Luke's Protestant 

 Episcopal church in Newtown. In his 

 will he bequeathed an ample trust fund 

 for the erection and maintenance of a 

 memorial library and reading room in 

 this town, the home of his boyhood 

 and last resting place of his parents and 

 family. 



GEORGE KNORR WILDMAN. 

 Prominent amongthe representative cit- 

 izens of Bensalem township, Bucks 

 county. Pennsylvania, who follow the 

 quiet but useful calling of agriculture, is 

 George K. Wildman.. a native of that 

 township, born on the homestead farm, 

 February 22. 1859. The founder of the 

 Wildman family in America was Martin 

 Wildman, who came from Yorkshire, 

 England, in 1683, accompanied by his 

 wife. Ann Wildman, and settled in Bucks 

 county, Pennsylvania, where he followed 

 farming as a means of livelihood. They 

 were honest and God-fearing people, 

 members of the Society of Friends, and 

 at their decease left to their children the 

 legacy of an untarnished name and rep- 

 utation. The line of descent is traced 

 through their son. John Wildman. who 

 was the father of a son. John Wildman. 

 who married Marjorie Knight, and 

 among their children was a son, John 

 Wildman, who was born in Bensalem 



township, Bucks county, March 28,. 

 1771, married Mary Knight, and died 

 May 21, 1842. Among their children 

 was a son, Joshua Wildman, who be- 

 came the father of George Knorr Wild- 

 man. 



Joshua Wildman (father) was born in 

 Bensalem township, Bucks county,. 

 Pennsylvania, August 3, 1819. He was 

 reared on the homestead farm, and in 

 the common schools of the day obtained 

 a good English education. He devoted 

 his attention to farming, and the income 

 thus derived provided his family with 

 the necessaries of life. On August 28, 

 1844, Mr. Wildman married Hannah 

 Johnson, who was born in Philadelphia, 

 Pennsylvania, August 28, 1823, daughter 

 of William and Catherine (Knorr) 

 Johnson, and granddaughter of John and 

 Rachel (Liozne) Johnson. Four chil- 

 dren were the issue of this marriage: 

 Catherine, deceased; Caroline, deceased; 

 Lavina, wife of Edward Comly, of By- 

 berry, Philadelphia county, Pennsyl- 

 vania: and George Knorr. whose name 

 heads this sketch. Edward and Lavina 

 Comly are the parents of four children,, 

 as follows: Joshua K. Comly, who died 

 in infancy: Edward Comly. who died at 

 the age of eleven years; Hannah Wild- 

 man Comly. and Deborah Ann Comly, 

 who died at the age of ten years. Joshua 

 Wildman. father of George K. Wild- 

 man, died February 26, 1867. 



George K. Wildman pursued his stud- 

 ies at the Friends' school in Byberry and 

 at the Friends' Central School at the 

 corner of Fifteenth and Race streets,. 

 Philadelphia. Having been reared on a 

 farm he naturally chose that occupation 

 for his life work, and in following the 

 same has acquired a large degree of finan- 

 cial success as a result of his prac- 

 tical and progressive methods and pains- 

 taking labor. Upon the deatb of his 

 father he succeeded to the fine old horne- 

 stead in Bensalem township, upon which 

 he now resides. His political affilia- 

 tions are with the Republican party. Mr. 

 Wildman wa? united in marriage, June 

 9, 1881, wth Rachel Ridge Comly. who 

 was born in Philadelphia county, near 

 Bustleton, was educated at Swarthmore 

 College, and is a daughter of John and 

 Emeline (Ridge) Comly. and grand- 

 daughter of Robert and Esther (Shall- 

 cross) Comly, who were the parents of 

 ten children. Robert Comly was a suc- 

 cessful business man, and his only 

 brother. Samuel Comly, was one of the 

 earliest to engage in the tea trade with 

 China, owning his own ships, and be- 

 came very wealthy. He. like his brother 

 Robert, was the head of a large family. 

 Esther (Shallcross) Comly was a 

 daughter of Leonard Shallcross. who was 

 a son of Leonard Shallcross. Both 

 father and son were tsrominent in the 

 business circles of Philadelohia in their 

 dav. Five children were born to Mr. 



