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HISTORY OP BUCKS COUNTY 



owned until January, 1893. Shortly before 

 his death he removed to Quakcrtown, 

 where he died December 21, 1893. Henry 

 and Anna (Clymer) Detweiler were the 

 parents of nine children, viz. : Mary, wife 

 of Jacob Clymer; Aaron, of Quaker- 

 town; Mahlon C, the subject of this 

 sketch; William, deceased; Henry, of 

 Hagersville, Bucks county; Susan, de- 

 ceased; Annie, wife of A. Stciner, de- 

 ceased ; Catharine, wife of Samuel Sleif- 

 fer; and Frances, who died at the age 

 of two years. 



Mahlon C. Detweiler spent his boy- 

 hood days working on the farm, and at- 

 tended the district school of the neigh- 

 borhood, where he acquired a liberal ed- 

 ucation. He then worked with John 

 Barnes, of Milford, serving an appren- 

 ticeship to the carpenter's trade, and 

 following that vocation as journeyman 

 in Richland and Quakertown for many 

 years. Upon discontinuing that line of 

 work he engaged in the meat and pro- 

 vision business, and successfully fol- 

 owed that occupation twelve years at 

 Richland Center and Quakertown. He pur- 

 chased the Simon Sacks estate, but shortly 

 after taking possession of the property its 

 buildings were destroyed by fire and our 

 subject immediately replaced them with new 

 ones. Later he bought the Jacob Cress- 

 man property which he remodeled and en- 

 larged into a commodious market and 

 shop. He employed many men, had several 

 delivery wagons, and it is said that he was 

 the largest meat dealer ever in the place. 

 His honesty was never doubted, and he is 

 held in high esteem by his fellow-citizens 

 for his many sterling' qualities. In Sep- 

 tember, 1895, he was appointed postmaster 

 of Richland Center, a fourth-class office, 

 but in October of the same year it was 

 advanced to the third- class. As postmaster 

 he filled the position with ability and credit 

 to himself for foui^ years, and was con- 

 sidered the last and most efficient post- 

 master Richland Center has ever had. 



He built a large tenement- house in 1898; 

 he also purchased the Dr. Lott estate of 

 fifty acres, located on the west side of 

 Strawn street, and later sold a half interest 

 to Henry H. Souder. They cleared part 

 of the land, which was covered with a 

 dense forest, and built a half mile race 

 track, fifty feet wide, a ball ground, grand 

 stand, pavilion 50x100 feet, and placed 

 through the grove many seats along the 

 drive ways. The park is known as Lu Lu 

 Park, and is a popular pleasure resort in 

 the vicinity. In 1897 Mr. Detweiler sold 

 his interest to T. C. Leeland. president of 

 the Quakertown Electric Railway. He 

 subsequently built and equipped a new bak- 

 ery with all the modern appliances, and 

 engaged in the bakery business. Beginning 

 without any trade, through his energy and 

 business tact he in a comparatively short 

 time built up a large and lucrative business 

 which he conducted for three years, and 

 then sold out to William B. Kaehler, of 



Lansdalc, but in June, 1905, he repurchased 

 the plant and is now doing an extensive 

 business, consuming thirty barrels of flour 

 per week, and furnishing steady employment 

 to several hands. He was one of the few 

 men engaged in the bakery business who 

 received a certificate from the inspector of 

 the district complimentary to the cleanli- 

 ness and sanitary condition of his plant. 

 In July, 1904, he also engaged in the 

 coal business, and in this, like all his busi- 

 ness ventures, he -has ijiade a success. 

 Mr. Detweiler is in every sense a self- 

 made man. By his industry, careful atten- 

 tion to business and strict integrity in all 

 his dealings, he has acquired a competence 

 and won the esteem and confidence of the 

 people with whom he associates. He has 

 always taken an active interest in the town 

 in which he lived, _and has filled several 

 positions of trust and honor. In 1880, 

 prior to engaging in the meat business, he 

 served for six years as supervisor in Rich- 

 land township. In February, 1903, he was 

 elected to the officfe of chief burgess of 

 Quakertown borough for a term of three 

 years, and has made a popular and efficient 

 official. He and his family are members 

 of Trinity Lutheran church, in which he 

 has held the office of deacon since 1901. 

 Mr. Detweiler was one of the active pro- 

 moters of the organization and erection of 

 Trinity, church, being prior to that time 

 a member of Christ church, at Trumbauers- 

 ville. He was acting chairman and treas- 

 urer of the building committee. He is a 

 member of Pennsburg Lodge, No. 449, I. 

 O. O. F. : Secona Tribe, No. 863, I. O. R. 

 M., and has been for over thirty-seven years 

 a member of Lodge No. 149, O. U. A. M., 

 the only lodge in Quakertown that did 

 not forfeit its charter during the civil war. 

 Mr. Detweiler married May i, 1869. Eliza- 

 beth Trumbower. daughter of Samuel and 

 Catharine (Deily) Trumbower, of Rich- 

 land township. 



WILLIAM L. WALKER, of Newtown, 

 was born in Solebury township, Bucks 

 county, Pennsylvania, 5 mo. 31, 1837, and is 

 a son of Holcombe and Saralr Ann f Long- 

 shore) Walker, and a representative of 

 several of the old families of Bucks county. 

 The family of Walkers to whom William 

 L. Walker belongs have been members of 

 the Society of Friends since coming to 

 America, and were early settlers in Salem 

 county, New Jersey, and in Moreland, 

 Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania. George 

 Walker was one of the earliest members of 

 Abington Meeting, and one of its overseers 

 for many years. 



Joseph Walker, the direct ancestor of 

 the subject of this sketch, was at the time 

 of his marriage in 1722 a resident of South- 

 ampton township, Bucks county. August 21. 

 1722. he purchased 319 acres of land in 

 Middletown that had been the property 

 of his wife's ancestors, the Heatons. for two 

 generations, and lived and died thereon, his 



