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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



township, in 1855, a daughter of James 



C. and Mary E. (,Gargus; i'ell, boUi na- 

 tives of Bucks county. Her father was a 

 prominent farmer, whose active and hon- 

 orable business career was in harmony 

 with his professions as a member of the 

 Friends meeting. He died in February, 

 1897, at the age of seventy-four years, while 

 his wife survived until June, 1904- Her 

 death occurred while she was visiting in 

 South Carolina, but her remains were in- 

 terred in Doylestown cemetery.- Their chil- 

 dren were: Abram, a farmer; Caroline, 

 wife of Joseph Ellis; Ella, the wife of 

 Hugh Carroll; Fanny, the wife of E. 

 Bodine; and Clarissa, the wife of Edward 



D. Wor^tall. Mr. and Mrs. Worstall have 

 but one child, Joseph F., born May i, 1884, 

 who is now assisting his father in the store 

 and postoffice. 



ADAM MARTIN, who is engaged in 

 farming near Chalfont, was born in New 

 Britain township, March 20, 1853, and is 

 of German parentage. He is a son oi 

 George and Harriet (Bailmyer) Alartin, 

 bofh of whom were natives of Wittenberg, 

 Germany, where they were reared and mar- 

 ried. Following the birth of two of their 

 children they came to America, crossing the 

 Atlantic about 1850. George iNlartin estab- 

 lished his home in Bucks county, where he 

 worked as a day laborer for some time. 

 Subsequently he purchased a small tract of 

 land at New Galena, built a house and afcer 

 a few years sold that property and bought 

 again at Eden, where he also erected a 

 dwelling. After residing there for many 

 years he retired from business life and now 

 makes his home in AUentown, Pennsyl- 

 vania. He was employed by the Reading 

 Railroad Company for many years in dif- 

 ferent capacities, and now with a com- 

 fortable competence saved from his earn- 

 ings is enjoying a well merited rest. He 

 proved his loyalty to his adopted country 

 when in 1863 he offered his services to the 

 government, becoming a member of the One 

 Hundred and P"ourteenth Pennsylvania 

 Regiment of Infantry. The command was 

 assigned to the Army of the Potomac and 

 he served until the close of the war, en- 

 during deprivations and exposures such as 

 are meted out to the soldier. He did his 

 full duty as a defender of the stars and 

 stripes, and after the close of the war he 

 returned home and resumed work with the 

 Reading Railroad Company. In politics n<s 

 has always been a Republican, and he is a 

 member of the Reformed church. His life 

 has been an honorable and upright one, and 

 at the age of eighty-two years he enjoys 

 the respect and confidence of all. His 

 wife also is eighty-two years of age, and 

 they reside with a daughter in AUentown. 

 She is likewise a member of the Reformed 

 church. George and Harriet Alartin be- 

 came the parents of seven children : Car- 

 rie, wife of M. Mclntire; Michael, a farmer 

 of Chalfont; Lizzie, who married A. 



Rhodes; Adam; Amanda, deceased; Mrs. 

 Emma Hotelter, who cares for lier fatner 

 and mother in Alientown; and Anna. 



Adam Martin was reared m Bucks coun- 

 ty and when only seven years ot age be- 

 gan working on tarms. He spent the win- 

 ter months at home, attending the public 

 sciiools, but Irom the early age of seven 

 years he has been dependent upon his own 

 resources for a living and is entirely a self- 

 made man. As the architect of nis own 

 fortunes he has buildcd wisely and well, and 

 his life record is an illustration of what can 

 be accomplished through determination 

 and earnest purpose. He did work as a 

 farm hand until about eighteen years ol 

 age, when he was apprenticed to learn the 

 carpenter's trade with David High. When 

 his term of service was ended he worked as 

 a journeyman at different places in Phila- 

 delphia, being thus employed for more than 

 eleven years. Soon after his marriage, how- 

 ever, in 1876, he purchased a farm through 

 the assistance oi a friend and for eight 

 years remained upon his first place, alter 

 which he sold it to Charles Holdeman, and 

 bought the farm upon which he now lives. 

 He at first had fifty-five acres, but to this, 

 has added, and now has a good tract oI 

 land of seventy-five acres, he has remod- 

 eled and added to the buildings which are 

 now in a good state of repair, and his fields 

 are highly cultivated. At times misfortune 

 has overtaken him, for periods of prosper- 

 ity and adversity come to all, but he has 

 manifested a most determined and per- 

 severing spirit and is now one of the sub- 

 stantial farmers of his community, prac- 

 tical and progressive in his work. He at- 

 tends the Philadelphia market, thus placing 

 his products on sale. 



Mr. Martin gives his influence and sup- 

 port to the Republican party, warmly es- 

 pousing its principles and he has filled the 

 positions of constable of New Britain town- 

 ship, of court constable under G. Ely, 

 sheriff, and for thirteen consecutive years 

 in Warrington township has been super- 

 visor. He was afterward school director, 

 but later resigned and became a candidate 

 for the office of county commissioner, to 

 which he was elected. At this writing in 

 1904 he is township auditor, and his election 

 is an evidence of the office seeking the man. 

 His capability has been recognized by his 

 fellow townsmen, who have selected him 

 for local positions of honor and trust, and 

 in office he has been most loyal, discharg- 

 ing his duties with promptness and fidelity. 



Mr. Martin was married to Miss Abigail 

 R. Sherm, who was born in this county, 

 September i, 1853, a lady of intelligence and 

 culture, who has been a faithful helpmate 

 to him. She is a daughter of John and 

 Barbara (Rickard) Sherm, the latter a na- 

 tive of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Her 

 father was born in Alsace, Germany, and 

 with his mother and stepfather, Jacob 

 Steifer, he came to America in 1826. After 

 his arrival here he was emploj'ed in a mill,, 

 cnlering the services of Henry Fritz, with 



