HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



317 



tive farm labor. His business career 

 was characterized by unfaltering dili- 

 gence and perseverance, and was 

 crowned with a very gratifying measure 

 of success. He sold his farm products 

 to wholesale dealers, and in connection 

 with general farming engaged in the 

 raising of stock. As the years passed, 

 his financial resources increased until he 

 has become the possessor of a good 

 estate. A Republican in his political 

 views, Henry Garges has filled a number 

 of township positions. He belongs to 

 the Presbyterian church at Doylestown, 

 and is a man of charitable spirit, kindly 

 nature and genial disposition, qualities 

 which have won him the high regard 

 and good will of those with whom he 

 has been associated. March 13, 1862, 

 Henry Garges married Mary E. Roberts, 

 a native of Bucks county, whose father 

 died during her infancy, so that little is 

 known concerning the history of the 

 Roberts family. Her people, however, 

 were identified with the Friends. Mrs. 

 Garges was an only child. She became a 

 member of the Presbyterian church and 

 passed away July 7, 1901, at the age of 

 sixty-eight years, but Mr. Garges is still 

 living, at the age of seventy-five years. 

 Their children are Anna L., the wife of 

 Frank Bodine; Edward; and Isaac Buck- 

 man, a merchant of Philadelphia. 



Edward Garges, the elder son of 

 Henry and Mary E. (Roberts) Garges, 

 was born in Doylestown township, April 

 6, 1865, and his elementary education ac- 

 quired in the common schools was sup- 

 plemented by study in the high school 

 of Doylestown. Under his father's di- 

 rection he gained practical and compre- 

 hensive knowledge of farm methods and 

 in April, 1889, he settled upon the home- 

 stead farm, which he cultivated for thir- 

 teen years. He then purchased the old 

 homestead property of John B. Walter, 

 deceased, and since 1902 has operated 

 this tract of land, giving his undivided 

 attention to the cultivation of field and 

 garden and to the sale of his products on 

 the markets. He is a practical and suc- 

 cessful business man, watchful of oppor- 

 tunities, and by the careful conduct of his 

 business affairs has gained a very desirable 

 competence. He raises stock for the support 

 of his farm. Mr. Garges usually exercises 

 his right of franchise in support of the men 

 and measures of the Republican party, 

 but is somewhat independent in his po- 

 litical views, and does not consider 

 himself bound by party ties. He be- 

 longs to the Presbyterian church of 

 Doylestown, and investigation into his 

 life record shows many points worthy 

 of commendation. 



Edward Garges married Miss Maria F. 

 Walter, who was born on the farm which 

 is now her home, her parents being John 

 B. and Adeline E. (Hoover) Walter, 

 both natives of Bucks county. Her an- 

 cestry can be traced back to George 



Walter, who was a blacksmith of 

 Doylestown in early manhood. He 

 worked at his trade on the Garges home- 

 stead before mentioned, now occupied 

 by Joseph Rich, while his wife run a 

 saw mill on the same place. It is said 

 he came there from Skippack, Mont- 

 gomery county, to operate these trades 

 for Mrs. Garges after her husband's 

 death. He afterward became a resi- 

 dent of Warrington township, where he 

 purchased a tract of land* of one hun- 

 dred and thirty-one acres, developing 

 this into a very productive farm, where 

 he also conducted his blacksmith shop. 

 His son, Samuel Walter, grandfather of 

 Mrs. Garges, was born on his father's 

 farm in Warrington township, and where 

 he spent his remaining days, his death 

 occurring before the death of his father, 

 George Walter. He passed away in 

 1851. His wife, who bore the maiden 

 name of Deborah Brunner, was a daugh- 

 ter of John and Elizabeth Brunner, her 

 father being proprietor of a hotel in 

 Philadelphia. He was also a farmer 

 and miller at Bridge Point, Bucks 

 county, now called Edison, where in 

 1800 they boarded the hands who built 

 the stone bridge which still spans the 

 Neshaminy at that place. Mrs. Samuel 

 Walter died in 1874. By her marriage 

 she had become the mother of six chil- 

 dren: John B., father of Mrs. Edward 

 Garges; George, a plasterer; Catherine, 

 the wife of W. A. Smith; Elizabeth, the 

 widow of John Marks; Anna M., the 

 wife of Joshua W. Scott; and Frances, 

 the wife of Preston Bissy. 



John B. Walter was born February 14, 

 1835, on the farm now owned and oc- 

 cupied by Edward Garges. This had 

 been purchased . by his grandfather, 

 George Walter, in 1805, and after his 

 death John B. Walter bought the prop- 

 erty at the sale. There were but meager 

 improvements upon it then, but Mr. 

 Walter began its further development, 

 and in due course of time made it a 

 splendidly improved farm. He repaired 

 the house and erected a barn, added 

 many modern equipments, and alto- 

 gether developed a farm whose value 

 was hardlj^ second to none of the size 

 in the county. He tilled the fields and 

 raised stock, having some very valuable 

 horses and cattle. He was particularly 

 fond of horses, and many specimens of 

 the noble steed were seen upon his place. 

 He was also a market man, and secured 

 a large patronage in the Philadelphia 

 markets. In matters relating to his 

 county he was public-spirited and pro- 

 gressive, and at all times his business 

 integrity was above reproach. He was 

 devoted to His home and' family, and 

 held friendship inviolable. Politically a 

 Democrat, he filled many township of- 

 fices and also served on the election 

 board. The moral development of the 

 community was likewise of deep interest 



