HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY 



677 



ISAAC C. DETWEILER. Several 

 generations of the Detweiler family have 

 been residents of Bucks county. The 

 grandfather, George Detweiler, lived and 

 died in this county, being engaged in 

 general work through his active busi- 

 ness career. He married Miss Clem- 

 mens, of Montgomery county, Pennsyl- 

 vania, and their only child was John C. 

 Detweiler, who was born in Montgomery 

 county in 1844, and was brought to Bucks 

 county by his parents when but two 

 years of age. Here he has spent his en- 

 tire life engaged in general work. In 

 community afifairs he is deeply inter- 

 ested, taking an active and helpful part 

 in many of the movements. He is now 

 serving as a deacon in the Lutheran 

 church of Dublin, Pennsylvania. He 

 married Miss Esther Crouthamel, and 

 they became the parents of five children: 

 Isaac C. ; Anna M., the wife of Charles 

 Cassel, of Montgomery county; Esther 

 Elizabeth, the wife of Daniel Leather- 

 man; J. Aaron, of Philadelphia; and El- 

 vina. 



Isaac C. Detweiler was born near Dub- 

 lin in 1873, and pursued a common-school 

 education. In his youth he began farm 

 labor, and was thus employed until eigh- 

 teen years of age, when, thinking that 

 he would find mercantile life more con- 

 genial, he entered the employ of John 

 Bergstresser. at Pipersville, thus becom- 

 ing a clerk in a general store, where he 

 remained fpr a year and a half. On the 

 expiration of that period he went to 

 Blooming Glen, Hilltown township, 

 Bucks county, and for eight years was a 

 salesman in the employ of Bishop & 

 Brother. The experience which her-ac- 

 quired through his industry and- econ- 

 omy enabled him in 1901 to purchase the 

 business of Daniel Gross at Danboro, 

 where he has since conducted a general 

 mercantile enterprise. This has since 

 become one of the best quipped stores in 

 Bucks county, and Mr. Detweiler is 

 justly accounted one of its most pro- 

 gressive merchants, making a close 

 •study of the desires of the public, and 

 so purchasing his stock as to fully meet 

 the varied demands of the trade. His 

 business methods are thoroughly reli- 

 able, and have gained him a desirable 

 patronage. A'Ir. Detweiler married Miss 

 Ella May, a daughter of Reuben K. and 

 Amanda Stovgr. They have two chil- 

 dren: Willard S., born November 5, 1808; 

 and Ruth S., born July 25, 1901. The 

 parents hold membership in the Lu- 

 theran church at Dublin, and Mr. Det- 

 weiler is a Republican in his political 

 views. On the 2d of Jannar^-. tqoi, he 

 was appointed postmaster of Danboro by 

 President McKinley, as successor of 

 Daniel Gross, and is now the incumbent 

 of that office. His official service and 

 liis mercantile interests make him a lead- 

 ing and representative man of his town. 



JOHN B. SHERM. It is somewhat 

 seldom that the characteristics of a thor- 

 ough farmer and a successful business 

 man are found united, but that this com- 

 bination exists in the case of John B. 

 Sherm, of Chalfont, all his neighbors can 

 testify. Mr. Sherm is a grandson of 

 John Sherm, a native of Germany, who 

 spent his entire life in the fatherland. 



John Sherm, son of John Sherm before 

 mentioned, was born in 1806 in Ger- 

 many, and in 1823 emigrated to the 

 United States. He settled at Plymouth, 

 Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and 

 in a few years moved to Fretz's Mill, 

 Bucks county, where he learned the mill- 

 ing trade with Mark Fretz, and after- 

 ward followed it for six years. He then 

 settled on a farm in New Britain town- 

 ship and devoted the remainder of his 

 life to agricultural pursuits. In politics 

 he adhered to the Democratic party. He 

 was a member of the Lutheran church 

 and for twelve years was a member of 

 the church council. His wife was Bar- 

 bara Rickert, and they were the parents 

 of two sons: William H., and John B., 

 mentioned at length hereinafter. Both 

 Mr. and Mrs. Sherm were zealous in 

 good works, and possessed, as they de- 

 served, the sincere respect and cordial 

 regard of all their neighbors. 



John B. Sherm, son of John and Bar- 

 bara (Rickert) Sherm, was born Septem- 

 ber 2, 1844, in New Britain township, 

 where he was reared on the paternal 

 farm, in the labors of which he was 

 from boyhood trained to assist. He at- 

 tended the old Clymer schoolhouse on the 

 Messenger farm. This building, stored with 

 associations for so many of the inhabitants 

 of Bucks county, has since been torn down. 

 Mr. Sherm has been a lifelong farmer and 

 has reaped the success which comes from 

 practical ability and long experience. ' In 

 connection with his agricultural pursuits 

 he carries on the produce commission busi- 

 ness, having a flourishing trade and ship- 

 ping goods from Lansdale to Philadelphia. 

 His political affiliations are with the Re- 

 publicans, and he is a member of St. Peter's 

 Lutheran church at Hilltown. 



Mr. Sherm married, May 27. 1864, Cnro- 

 line, daughter of Jacob and Lydia (Snyder) 

 Savacool, and they are the parents of the 

 following children: i. Minerva, who was 

 born September 16, 1866, and became the 

 wife of Henry Hetrick. 2. Wilhelmina, 

 born May 31, 1868, married Samuel Camp- 

 bell, and is the mother of two children, 

 Irene and Willie. 3. Harvey S., .born De- 

 cember I, 1870. 4. Jacob S., born October 

 26, 1872, and married Christian Mull. He 

 and his wife are both deceased, leaving 

 three children — John George, Sylva and 

 Minerva. 5. Martha, born July 7, 1875. and 

 is now deceased. 6. J. Frame, born July 

 4, 1878, married Amy Cassel. 7. M. Eliza- 

 beth, born January 22, i88r. 8. William S., 

 born August 19, 1886. 



