HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



577 



West Chester State Normal School, gradu- 

 ating in 1895, after which she taught school 

 in Hulmeville for eight years. She was 

 married September 23, 1903, to John H. 

 Geil of Rutledge, Delaware county, Penn- 

 sylvania, a solicitor for the Land ritle and 

 Trust Company of Philadelphia. 



WILLIAM H. SHERM, a retired farm- 

 er residing in Chalfont, was born in New 

 Britain township, November 30, 1839, and 

 is of German lineage. His paternal grand- 

 father was John Sherm. His father also 

 bore the name of John Sherm, and was 

 born in Germany in 1806, crossing the At- 

 lantic from that country to America in 

 1823, at which time he took up his abode 

 in Plymouth, Montgomery county, Penn- 

 sylvania. A few years afterward he estab- 

 lished his home near the Henry Fretz mill 

 in Bucks county, and learned the milling 

 trade under the direction of Mark Fretz. 

 He followed that business for six years, 

 after which he married and located upon 

 a farm in New Britain township, carrying 

 on agricultural pursuits throughout his 

 remaining days. He was a member of the 

 Lutheran church, active and influential in 

 its work, and doing everything in his pow- 

 er to extend its influence. For twelve years 

 he served as a member of the church coun- 

 cil. His political allegiance was given to 

 the Democracy. He married Miss Barbara 

 Rickert. 



William H. Sherm, son of John and 

 Barbara (.Rickert) Sherm, was educated in 

 a private school in Quakertown, Pennsyl- 

 vania, and after his graduation engaged m 

 teaching, being thus identified with the in- 

 tellectual development of the county for 

 some time. He taught at Sellersville for 

 four years, was in charge of the Newville 

 school for three years, and at the Foun- 

 tainville school for one year. Following 

 his marriage he concentrated his energies 

 upon agricuhural pursuits, settling on a 

 farm in New Britain township, where ne 

 lived for a third of a century. He then 

 removed to another farm in the same town- 

 ship, and has since been identified with 

 agricultural interests, having a good tract 

 of land well developed. Mr. Sherm has 

 been actively interested in community af- 

 fairs, and his efforts have proved an ef- 

 fective factor in promoting the general 

 good He served as school director for 

 fifteen years, and the cause of education 

 ever found in him a warm friend. A Re- 

 publican in his political views, well in- 

 formed on the questions and issues of the 

 day, he has always given to the party 

 stanch support.- He was judge of elec- 

 tions for many years, and was elected 

 county auditor, filling that position for three 

 years. A devoted member of St. Peter s 

 Lutheran church, he has acted as both- dea- 

 con and elder, and thirty years ago was 

 elected a trustee of the church and has 

 since acted in that capacity. He is also 

 37-3 



treasurer of the cemetery company con- 

 nected with the same church, and is in- 

 terested in everything relating to the pub- 

 lic good and to the development and im- 

 provement of his locality. 



Mr. Sherm was united in marriage to 

 Miss Elizabeth BOnd, a daughter of Neri 

 and Hannah (Lutz j Bond, the latter a 

 daughter of Frederick Lutz. Four chil- 

 dren have been born of this marriage: 1. 

 Maggie, born June 21, 1S67, became the 

 wife of Frank S. Hartzell, a son of Will- 

 iam and Leah (Sheets) Hartzell. There 

 are eight children by this marriage : Will- 

 iam Henry, J. Stanley, Frank S., Elizabeth, 

 Neri R., Leah Gertrude, Percy and Leroy. 

 2. Alice, born December 27, 1869, is the 

 wife of Aaron S. Overpeck, and they have 

 two children, Elizabeth and Blanche. 3, 

 Neri, born February 26, 1872, deceased. 

 4. Hannah, born November 12, 1881, is the 

 wife of Arthur B. Sheip, a son of Francis 

 P. and Mary Margaret (Swartley) Sheip. 



DAVID N. KRATZ. Among the fertile 

 and productive farms which abound in 

 Doylestown township, Bucks county, Penn- 

 sylvania, which section was embraced in 

 tne lands conveyed to the Free Society of 

 Traders by William Penn in 1681, may be 

 mentioned the one owned by David N. 

 Kratz, who was born in Plumstead town- 

 ship, same county, June 23, 1843. The first 

 of the name of whom there is any authen- 

 tic information was John Phillip Kratz 

 (great-great-grandfather), born in 1707. 

 His son, John Valentine Kratz, (great- 

 grandfather) was born in 1732 and died 

 m 1812. 



John Kratz (grandfather) was born No- 

 vember 22, 1765, in Bucks county, Penn- 

 sylvania, where he resided all his life, 

 his active career having been devoted to 

 farming. He was an earnest and consist- 

 ent member of the Mennonite church. He 

 was twice married. His first wife, whose 

 maiden name was Anna Fried, bore him 

 four children : Abraham, born March 7, 

 1791 ; Solomon, born May 8, 1792; Debor- 

 ah, born November 6, 1793; and Susanna, 

 born February 18, 1796. His second wife, 

 a Swartzlander, bore him eight children : 

 David, born May i, 1801, died in infan- 

 cy; Philip, born November _ 2, 1802, men- 

 tioned hereinafter; Joseph, born June 25, 

 1804; Anna, born September 28, 1805, be- 

 came the wife of James Stover; Isaac, 

 born September 10, 1807 ; Catherine, born 

 May 2, 1809, became the wife of Enos 

 Stout; Rachel, born January 6, 181 1; and 

 John, born February 24, 1813. 



Philip Kratz (father) was born in Plum- 

 stead township, Bucks county, Pennsyl- 

 vania, November 2, 1802. This region of 

 valley, plain and winding creeks is now al- 

 most one hundred and eighty years old ; 

 the lower an-d middle parts were settled 

 mainly by Friends, and the upper part by 

 Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, and later by 



