23^ 



HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



proportioned, of a social nature, enjoy- 

 ing the companionship of his friends, 

 ■while to the poor and necdj- he was 

 charitable and benevolent. His integ- 

 rity and honor were above reproach, and 

 he was a consistent and worthy member 

 of the Pennypack church for thirty or 

 fort}^ years, regularlj' attending its serv- 

 ices and contributing liberally to its sup- 

 port. His wiie died about five or six 

 years prior to his demise. She bore the 

 maiden name of Ann Benner and was a 

 daughter of John Benner, who died dur- 

 ing her early girlhood, leaving two 

 daughters, the sister of IMrs. Heritage 

 being Mrs. Hannah Campbell. Her ma- 

 ternal grandfather was Joseph Durman, 

 who was a captain of a company in the 

 war of the revolution, defending the 

 cause of the colonies. When at home on 

 a furlough he was taken from his bed 

 by the English and sent to an English 

 prison, but later was exchanged and re- 

 joined the American forces, continuing 

 to serve with the continental troops until 

 independence was achieved. Following 

 the establishment of the republic he set- 

 tled in Philadelphia county, where he fol- 

 lowed farming and spent his remaining 

 days. His farm remained in possession 

 of the family for many years. Seven 

 children were born of the marriage of 

 John F. Heritage and Ann Benner as 

 follows: Anna, wife of George Brooks; 

 Joseph, a carriage and coach manufac- 

 turer; Samuel, who is connected with 

 his brother Joseph in business; John B.; 

 George, a farmer; Mary A., who died 

 unmarried; and Emma C, who died at 

 the age of thirty-five years. 



John B. Heritage was born near Bus- 

 tleton' in Philadelphia county, Pennsyl- 

 vania. July 23. ■ 1835. In the public 

 schools he acquired his education, while 

 upon the home farm he was reared, early 

 becoming familiar with the duties and la- 

 bors that fall to the lot of the agricul- 

 turist. Thinking that he would find an 

 industrial pursuit more congenial he 

 learned the carriage painting trade, wliich 

 he followed for a number of years, but 

 his health prevented his continuance in 

 that line of activity and he returned to 

 agricultural life about three years after 

 his marriage. He rented a farm and 

 was engaged in its cultivation when he 

 was drafted for service in the rebellion. 

 but he hired a substitute and continued 

 his farming operations in Montgomery 

 county. In 1866 he purchased the farm 

 in Bucks county upon which he now re- 

 sides, its former owner having been 

 Morris Jarrett. Here he carries on gen- 

 eral agricultural pursuits, and also at- 

 tends the city market. His business af- 

 fairs are capably managed and are bring- 

 ing to him a good financial return. He 

 has never aspired to public ofiice, yet 

 his fellow townsmen elected him to the 

 position of supervisor. In politics he is 

 a Democrat. In i860 Mr. Heritage mar- 



ried Miss Mary L. Harris, who was borir 

 in Bustleton, January 13. 1836. and who 

 has been to hmi a faithful and devoted 

 wife. She is a daughter of Theophilus 

 and Ellen (Merritt) Harris, the former a 

 native of Virginia, and the latter of 

 Bucks county. Her grandfather, Theo- 

 philus Harris, was of Welsh descent 

 and was a leading divine of the Primi- 

 tive Baptist church. On leaving Vir- 

 ginia he removed to Bustleton, Pennsyl- 

 vania, where he engaged in church work 

 and also farming. He was likewise con- 

 nected with the cloth factory, and was 

 prominent in local afifairs in his com- 

 munity as well as in the church. His first 

 wife bore the maiden name of Mary 

 Long Harris and was of English descent. 

 She died in Virginia, and after his re- 

 moval to Pennsylvana he married a 

 daughter of Dr. Jones, of a prominent 

 Baptist family. By the first marriage 

 there was one son, Theophilus Harris. 

 By the second marriage the children 

 were: Mrs. Sarah Griffith; Mrs. Martha 

 Chilton; Mrs. j\Iary Bazier; and Mrs. 

 Ann Willstack, whose husband was a 

 wealthy resident of Philadelphia, and 

 he and his wife donated millions of dol- 

 lars to the city. To Mr. and Mrs. Her- 

 itage have been born four children: 

 Charles E., a farmer; Mrs. Mary E. 

 Schlotzhaur; John, a farmer; William 

 C, who is operating the old homestead 

 and who married Sallie Fenton, by whom 

 he has one child, Hannah May. Both 

 Mr. and Mrs. Heritage are members of 

 the Baptist church. 



Theophilus Harris. 'father of Mrs. Her- 

 itage, was a highly educated man who as- 

 sisted his father in business, acting as 

 bookkeeper in the factory and supervis- 

 ing other business enterprises. Later he 

 engaged in farming, giving to the culti- 

 vation of the soil his entire attention, 

 and in the evening of life retired from 

 active business pursuits, his children 

 conducting the farm. In politics he was 

 a Democrat, and he supported the Baptist 

 church, although he was not a member. 

 His wife died in 1858, and his death oc- 

 curred in 1865. Their children were: 

 Mary L.; Theophilus, of Philadelphia; 

 Mrs. Christiana Clayton, who died leav- 

 ing three children; Thomas, of Philadel- 

 phia; and Ellen, wife of George W. Her- 

 itage. 



PATRICK BREEN. who following the 

 occupation of farming in Warwick town- 

 ship, has also been active and influen- 

 tial in political circles, was born in 

 county Tipperary, Ireland. December 

 26. 1830, his parents being James and 

 Mary (Haj-s) Breen, both of whom are 

 natives of Ireland, where their marriage 

 was celebrated. Mrs. Breen was of a 

 distinguished family, one of her great 

 uncles being a general in the English 

 arnl}^ The paternal grandfather, John 



