362 



HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



ELLWOOD WILLIAMSON MIN- 

 STER, postmaster of the borough of 

 Bristol, the duties of which responsil:>le 

 position he has discharged with credit 

 to himself and to the entire satisfaction 

 of all concerned since his first election 

 to the office in March, 1899, is a native 

 of Bristol township, born August 3, 1856. 



The progenitor of the family in America 

 was Nicholas Minster, who came from 

 Germany, settling in Chester county, 

 Pennsylvania. His son,. John Minster, 

 a resident of Bristol township, married 

 a Miss Burton, and they reared a family 

 of four children, namely: John, An- 

 thony, Mary and William. Anthony 

 Burton Minster, second son, was born 

 in Bristol township, December 14, 1794. 

 He was educated in the private schools 

 of that vicinity, and his active career 

 w^s devoted to agricultural 'pursuits. 

 He served as supervisor of his town- 

 ship several years. He enlisted in the 

 war of 1812, serving with credit and 

 distinction. On April i, 1824, he mar- 

 ried Ann Starkey, who was born in 

 Solesbury, Bucks county, August 14, 

 1802, and nine children were the issue 

 of this union: Margaret and- Martha 

 (twins), born December 3, 1825; Will- 

 iam S., born July 10, 1827; Anthony D., 

 born March 3, 1829; Sarah Ann, born 

 April 9, 1830; Eliza B., born November 

 I, 1832; Pemberton, born January 13, 

 1835; Mary Jane, born May 26, 1837; 

 and Edward, born July 8, 1840. The 

 parents of these children died respec- 

 tively June 16, 1874. and April 30, 1874. 



William S. Minster, eldest son of An- 

 thony Burton and Ann (Starkey) Min- 

 ster, was born July 10, 1827. He at- 

 tended the schools of Bucks county and 

 by close application to his studies be- 

 came thoroughly proficient and well 

 qualified to accept the position of 

 teacher, in which capacity he served for 

 many years. He received an appoint- 

 ment in the Custom House in Phila- 

 delphia, served faithfully and efficiently 

 for an extended period of time, and was 

 the incumbent of the office at his de- 

 cease, in 1881. He was a Presbyterian 

 in religious faith, and a Republican in 

 politics. His wife, Clarissa (Parsons) 

 Minster, born in Bucks county and 

 educated in public schools thereof, bore 

 him seven children, as follows: B. 

 Frank, Ellwood Williamson, Ann 

 Starkey, Kate, Harry, Maria Louisa, who 

 died in infancy, and Sarah Boyd. 



Ellwood Williamson Minster, second 

 son of William S. and Clarissa (Parsons) 

 Minster, obtained a practical education 

 in the public schools of Falls township 

 and Pierce's Boarding School in Bristol 

 township. He then engaged in the milk 

 business, which he followed for ten years 

 with more or less success, and in 1886 

 was elected prothonotary for Bucks 

 county, serving three years. Later he 

 received the appointment of factory m- 



spector and after four years of faithful 

 service in that capacity, in A 'rcn. 1899, 

 was appointed postmastei ^- the 

 borough of Bristol, was rea d in 



April, 1903, and is still servir ,rm 



thus far extending over a . of 



almost six years. Mr. Minster , been 

 prominent in the political affairs of the 

 Republican party, both state and na- 

 tional, and particularly active in those 

 of Bristol borough and the towns of 

 Bucks county, he always being found 

 in the front ranks of those who are 

 strenuous in the service of his party. 

 He is connected with the Presbyterian 

 church of Bristol borough, contributing 

 freely to the support of the same. He 

 is also actively connected with many of 

 the business enterprises of Bristol, and 

 is president of the Bristol Company, or- 

 ganized for the manufacture of ice from 

 distilled water, their plant for the pur- 

 pose being one of the finest in that 

 vicinity. Mr. Minster is a member of 

 Lodge No. 25, Ancient York, F. & A. 

 M. of Bristol; Mohegan Tribe of Red 

 Men; and Ancient Order of Mystic 

 Chain, Beneficial Society. He is a great 

 lover of horseflesh, and at various times 

 has been the proud owner of many fine 

 specimens of the same. 



Mr. Minster married, October 20, 1892,. 

 Olivia Goslin Highland, of Bristol, 

 Bucks county, daughter of Eugene and 

 Louisa (Goslin) Highland, and their 

 children arc : Ellwood Gilkeson, born 

 August II, 1893; and Clarissa High- 

 land Minster, born March 22, 1901. 

 Eugene Highland, father of Mrs. Min- 

 ster, was a butcher by trade. He served 

 as clerk of quarter sessions court of 

 Bucks county, for many years. He was 

 very popular in politics, also in social 

 life, and was respected and esteemed by 

 all with whom he was brought in con- 

 tact. In 1861 he enlisted in Captain 

 Beatty's company and served until the 

 close of the war. At the end of his 

 service he was presented with a Henry 

 Rifle by the government for his valiant 

 and courageous conduct as a soldier. 

 This token of esteem is retained and 

 highly prized by his widow. His 

 death occurred May 24, 1894. 



JOHN A. GROSS. The Gross family 

 has figured in connection with the 

 material and moral development of 

 Bucks county for four generations. 

 Jacob Gross, the founder of the family 

 in America, was a native of Germany, 

 whence he emigrated to this country, 

 about 1761. He first settled at Skip- 

 pack, Montgomery county, subsequently 

 resided in Germantown and thence re- 

 moved to Bedminster township, Bucks 

 county, where he spent his remaining 

 days. He was a shoemaker bj- trade 

 and followed that ])ursuil in connection 



