HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



36: 



with general farming up to the time of 

 his demise. While in Bedminster he 

 was ordained a minister of the old 

 Deep Run IMennonite church and was 

 afterward elected a bishop of that de- 

 nomination. His death occurred Decem- 

 ber 12, 1810, when he was sixty-seven 

 years of age and his remains were 

 interred in the church cemeter3^ He 

 gave his services without financial com- 

 pensation to the cause of the ministry, 

 and his influence was marked as a 

 potent element for good in the neighbor- 

 hood where he resided. His wife, who 

 bore the maiden name of Mary Krall, 

 died February 10, 1816, at the age of 

 sixty-three years. They were the par- 

 ents of six children: Christian, Isaac, 

 Mary, who became the wife of Abram 

 Nash ; Daniel, John and Jacob. 



John Gross, son of Jacob and Mary 

 (Krall) Gross, spent his entire life in 

 Bucks county, and during the greater 

 part of his business career carried on 

 agricultural pursuits in Fountainville, 

 Pennsylvania. He. too, was an ordained 

 minister of the Old Mennonite church 

 and officiated for years as pastor of the 

 congregation of that denomination at 

 Doylestown. He was married twice, 

 his first union being with a Miss 

 Leatherman, by whom he had the fol- 

 lowing children: John L., Jacob, Joseph, 

 Anna, the wife of Henry Godshalk; and 

 Mary, the wife of John Godshalk. For 

 his second wife John Gross married 

 Mrs. Myers, a widow, and their chil- 

 dren were: William and Samuel, twins, 

 and Sarah, the wife of Samuel \\\ Lapp. 



John L. Gross, the eldest son of John 

 Gross, was born in Fountainville, Penn- 

 sylvania. August 25, 1824. and in early 

 life he engaged in farming. He was 

 employed by Christian Leatherman and 

 others until he found opportunity to 

 engage in business on his own account. 

 In connection with general agricultural 

 pursuits he carried on the commission 

 business, carrying his products to the 

 Philadelphia market. About 1853 he en- 

 tered mercantile circles in partnership 

 with Henry H. Rosenberger, his brother- 

 in-law, establishing a commission busi- 

 ness at Dublin. About four years later 

 he purchased two acres of ground from 

 his father, constituting a part of the old 

 family homestead, and he erected there- 

 on a store building in Fountainville that 

 is still occupied by his son, John A. 

 Gross. There he carried on merchandis- 

 ing for about thirteen years, after which 

 he sold his business to John L. Kramer 

 and resumed farming, conducting agri- 

 cultural pursuits with good success for 

 ten years. At the end of that time he 

 purchased the stock that was in his 

 store building and resumed merchandis- 

 ing, in which he continued until 1891, 

 when he retired from business life and 

 sold his stock of goods to his two sons, 

 Daniel G. and John A. Gross. Starting 



out empty handed to make his own liv- 

 ing he continually progressed and as 

 the result of his capable management, 

 keen discernment and executive force 

 he won a full measure of prosperity. 

 He also took a deep interest in the moral 

 development of his community, and for 

 a long period served as an elder in the 

 Old Mennonite church, occupying that 

 position up to the time of his death, 

 which occurred on the 5th of December,. 

 1901. In early manhood he married Miss 

 . Esther Gotwals, and they become the 

 parents of four children: Daniel G., 

 Mary Ann, the wife of Henry Johnson; 

 John A., and Emma, wife of John F. 

 Mood. 



John A. Gross was born in the house 

 where he now lives and in which he 

 conducts his mercantile interests, his 

 natal day being October 28, 1865. He 

 acquired his education in the common 

 schools and early became familar with 

 commercial methods by acting as clerk 

 in his father's establishment. He was 

 thus employed until 1891, when he and 

 his brother Daniel purchased the busi- 

 ness of their father and for four years 

 conducted the store under the style of 

 Gross Brothers. On the expiration of 

 that period John A. Gross bought his 

 brother Daniel's interest and has since 

 continued as sole proprietor, conducting 

 one of the best general stores in this 

 part of Bucks county, his reliable busi- 

 ness methods and earnest desire to please 

 his patrons being among the salient 

 features of his successful career. On the 

 6th of December, 1888, John A. Gross 

 was married to Miss Anna E. Leather- 

 man, daughter of Isaac and Lydia 

 Leatherman, and they had one child, 

 Clarence L.. who was born November 

 5. 1890, and died June 27, 1896. Mr. 

 and Mrs. Gross hold membership in the 

 Salem Reformed church of Doylestown. 

 In politics he is a Republican and was 

 auditor of his township for three years. 

 In 1891 he was appointed postmaster 

 by John W^anamaker, then postmaster 

 general of the United States, and has 

 since occupied that position. 



CHARLES THOMAS IREDELL. 

 The name of Charles Thomas Iredell, 

 for more than a half a century an hon- 

 ored citizen -of Bristol, will ever be in- 

 separably associated with the financial 

 interests and institutions of Bucks 

 county. The name of Iredell is a very 

 ancient one and the following origin has 

 been ascribed to it: "In an old Norman 

 manuscript, mention is made of this 

 familj\ Sir Pierre d'Ancoma follow'ed 

 W^illiam the Conqueror and was pres- 

 ent at the battle of Hastings. The 

 king, being very pressed, and in danger 

 of his life. Sir Pierre is stated to have 

 rescued him by slaying those around 



