442 



HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



years Mr. Weiss was actively engaged in 

 building creameries through Bucks county, 

 being one of the pioneers of that industry. 

 Of late years, however, he has led a less 

 active life, and devoted his time to the 

 management of his farm, which is known 

 as "Fairview," and which as a summet 

 boarding house is patronized by many peo- 

 ple from Philadelphia and elsewhere, Mr. 

 and Mrs. Weiss having the reputation of 

 being excellent providers and entertainers. 

 In politics Mr. Weiss has always been ac- 

 tively engaged as a Republican, but has 

 never sought or held office. By his mar- 

 riage to Frances Allebach, daughter of Ja- 

 cob and Ellen (Van Fossen) Allebach, 

 farmers, of Montgomery county, Pennsyl- 

 vania, which was celebrated March 12, 1859, 

 the following children were born : Joseph 

 Franklin, deceased : Ellen, deceased ; and 

 Elmira, born September 10, 1862, who mar- 

 ried Joseph B. Shelly, .son of Elias Shelly, 

 a farmer, of Milford township. Joseph B. 

 Shelly was engaged for a time in the hotel 

 business, but after several years retired 

 from that line of work and engaged in the 

 agency for farming implements and wag- 

 ons, building up a large business in and 

 about Quakertown. In politics he was an 

 ardent Republican, but never served in any 

 official capacity. He was a Mennonite ni 

 religion, member of East Swamp church, 

 and for several years took an active part 

 in religious affairs as teacher and superm- 

 tendent of Sunday schools at East Swamp. 

 ' Their children were : Herbert Arthur, Hen- 

 ry Eugene, Lilly Alberta, Frances Mabel, 

 George Joseph, Cora Irene, and Peninnah 

 May Shelly. Mr. Shelly died August 2, 

 1903, since which time Mrs. Shelly has suc- 

 cessfully conducted the business in which 

 her husband was engaged at the time of 

 his death. Mr. Weiss and his family are 

 members of the Mennonite church, at East 

 Swamp, Pennsylvania. 



JACOB KOOKER. One of the well- 

 known men of Solebury is Jacob Kooker. 

 The great-grandfather of Mr. Kooker was 

 Peter Kooker, a native of Germany, who 

 emigrated to this country in company with 

 a brother, Jacob Kooker, who settled near 

 Norristown, Montgomery county, on land 

 known as Big Meadows. Peter Kooker 

 (great-grandfather) settled in Nockamix- 

 on township, near Rufe's hotel (now Re- 

 vere). He was married three times; his 

 first wife was Elizabeth Raub, who bore 

 him one child, Jacob Kooker, mentioned 

 hereinafter. His second wife was Kate 

 White, who was a widow with several 

 children by her first marriage, and his 

 third wife was also a widow, Mrs. Myers, 

 who was the mother of one son by her tirst 

 marriage, Jacob Myers, who, at the peril 

 of his life ran back and rescued the tiag 

 of the One Hundred and Fourth Regiment, 

 Pennsylvania Volunteers, when they had 

 been driven back from their position by 

 the rebels during the civil war. 



Captain Jacob Kooker, 'grandfather of 

 Jacob Kooker, was captain of the Leopard 

 ivitiemen during the war of 1812. He was. 

 numbered among the good citizens of Bucks 

 county, and died of consumption at the early 

 age of thirty-nine years. He married Mary 

 Magdaline Calfe, who was born in Tinicum 

 township, June 2, 1790, died August 10, 

 1868, and her remains were interred at 

 Upper Tinicum churchyard. They were 

 the parents of nine children, as follows: 

 John, a carpenter and undertaker by 

 trade, who resided at Holland, New Jer- 

 sey, where he was married. Henry, men- 

 tioned at length hereinafter. Elizabeth, 

 wife of Jacob Sigafoos, of Tinicum town- 

 ship, Bucks county. Samuel, a farmer and 

 retired gentleman, who resided near Pine- 

 ville, Pennsylvania. Sarah, wife of Will- 

 iam Auld, of Carversville, Bucks county. 

 Annie, wife of Charles Slack, of Yardley,, 

 Bucks county. Margarette, wife of Joseph 

 Welsh, of Holland, New Jersey. Mary, 

 who died at the age of two years. Cathar- 

 ine, wife of Charles F. Smith, of Clay- 

 ton, Bucks county. These children with 

 their husbands and wives are all now de- 

 ceased with the exception of Louisa, wid- 

 ow of Samuel Kooker, who lives at Pine- 

 ville, Pennsylvania. 



Henry Kooker, father of Jacob Kooker,. 

 was born March 11, 1815, in Nockamixon, 

 and was a son of Jacob and Mary ]\Iagda- 

 line (Calfe) Kooker. When a boy he went 

 to live with an uncle, John Calfe, in Tini- 

 cum township, and there he grew to man- 

 hood. Later he went to Hunterdon coun- 

 ty. New Jersey, and for several years was 

 employed at (^odley's mills, ultimately be- 

 coming salesman for the mills. At the 

 time of his marriage he returned to Bucks^ 

 county, Penn.sylvania, and settled in Sole- 

 bury whence he removed to Clayton, Buck- 

 ingham township, remaining some years 

 and engaging in lime burning. Subsequently 

 he moved to Tinicum township, where he 

 resided nine years, then moved back to » 

 Buckingham township, and on his retire- 

 ment from business both he and his wife 

 made their home with their daughter, Ida 

 Roberts, wife of Charles S. Roberts, ot 

 New Hope, Pennsylvania. Until the break- 

 ing out of the civil war Mr. Kooker was 

 a Democrat in politics, but then became a 

 Republican. He was a member of boie- 

 bury Baptist church, in which body he 

 served as deacon for many years. He mar- 

 ried, November 5, 1840, Elizabeth Strouse, 

 who was born in Tinicum, Pennsylvania, 

 January 12, 1821, daughter of Frederick ana 

 Elizabeth (Sigafoos) Strouse, of Nocka- 

 mixon township, the latter named having 

 been born October 13, 1792, died August 

 10, 1868, and buried at Upper Tinicurrt 

 churchyard. After the death of his wife 

 Mr. Strouse went to live with his daugh- 

 ter Catharine, wife of Cyrus Foreman, 

 who resided in the vicinity of Harrisburg,. 

 Pennsylvania, and there resided until his- 

 death and was buried in that city. Mr. and 

 Mrs. Strouse were the parents of sever* 



