HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



689 



which he began business on his own ac- 

 count as a dealer in stationery and cigars. 

 From the beginning the new enterprise 

 prospered, and he conducted his trade for 

 twenty years, having a very large patron- 

 age. He was also distributor at German- 

 town for the Philadelphia morning papers 

 for ten years. In 1895 he purchased the 

 Continental Hotel at Yardley, of Aaron 

 Slack, being the second proprietor of this 

 hotel since its establishment in 1866. ' He 

 has found favor with the traveling public, 

 making his a good hostelry which secures 

 a liberal patronage. Mr. Insinger is well 

 known and popular in fraternal organiza- 

 tions, belonging to Washington Council, 

 No. I, Junior Order of United American 

 Mechanics at Germantown, and is the third 

 oldest member living of this council in 

 which he has passed all the chairs; Sem- 

 inole Tribe of Red Men, No. 30, of Ger- 

 mantown ; the Patriotic Order Sons of 

 America, No. 345, also of Germantown ; 

 and INIitchell Lodge, No. 296, F. & A. M., 

 of that place. 



In 1874 ^^^- Insinger was married to 

 Miss Hannah Mary Longacre, who is des- 

 cended from one of the old families, of 

 Chester county in the maternal line. Her 

 grandfather was Ezekiel Powell, who was 

 a prominent man of Chester Springs, and 

 her grandmother was a member of the 

 Moses family. Mr. and Mrs. Insinger have 

 one daughter, Margaret Lillian, who is a 

 graduate of the Germantown public school 

 and also of the Abrahanson Business Col- 

 lege of that place. For the past twelve 

 years she has been employed as a stenog- 

 rapher by William P. Buchanan, of Phila- 

 delphia. 



JOHN IRWIN, a practical and progres- 

 sive citizen of Bristol, Bucks county, Penn- 

 sylvania, is a worthy representative of that 

 class of men born in foreign countries, who, 

 upon their settlement in the town of their 

 adoption, become "loyal and zealous citizens 

 and are active in promoting all measures 

 that conduce to the general welfare. He 

 is a native of Kings Court, county Cavan, 

 Ireland, born April 5, 1866, a son of John 

 and Margaret (Simpson) Irwin. John 

 Irwin (father) came to the United States 

 from his home in Ireland when a boy, but 

 after a residence of ten years in the new 

 world returned to his native isle, where 

 he spent the remainder of his days. He 

 was largely interested in the livery business 

 in Kings Court, Ireland, this proving a 

 remuneratiye means of livelihood. About 

 the year i860 he married Margaret Simp- 

 son, and eleven children were born to them, 

 eight of whom are living at the present 

 time (1904). Mr. Irwin died in 1898; his 

 wife passed away in 1891. 



The national school at Kings Court. Ire- 

 land, afforded John Irwin an opportunity 

 for acquiring a good English education. In 

 1888, when twenty-two years of age, he 

 emigrated to the United States, and his 

 44-3 



first position in the land of his adoption 

 was that of clerk in a hotel in the city of 

 Philadelphia, where he remained one year. 

 In April, 1889, he served as coachman for 

 D. Landreth & Sons, of Bristol, Pennsyl- 

 vania, remaining in their employ five. years. 

 He was then engaged for a short period 

 of time in the wholesale grocery estab- 

 lishment of B. S. Janney, Jr. & Co., of 

 Philadelphia. From 1894 to 1900 he was 

 engaged in the business of baker, becom- 

 ing the proprietor of two establishments, 

 through which he conducted an extensive 

 and lucrative trade. After disposing of this 

 business to advantage he became proprietor 

 of the livery stable in connection with the 

 Closson House, Bristol, and for several 

 years he has received the largest patronage 

 in this line of any man in the town. He 

 is a member of the Protestant Episcopal 

 Church, and his political affiliations are 

 with the Republican party. His strict integ- 

 rity and energy are known and fully appre- 

 ciated by the many who come in business 

 contact with him. Mr. Irwin married, June 

 6, 1894, Mary McLees, of Bristol, daugh- 

 ter of Thomas and Rose McLees. Their 

 children are : Margaret Elizabeth, born Sep- 

 tember 13, 1895 ; Rose Thompson, born July 

 26, 1897; George John, born August 17, 

 1900; and Lillian Frances, born March 28, 

 1904. 



" JOHN S. KRATZ, a practical and pro- 

 gressive agriculturist, who was born in the 

 township in which he now resides. New 

 Britain, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, Feb- 

 ruary 2, J840, is a son of Abraham and 

 Sarah (Swartley) Kratz, and grandson of 

 V'alentine Kratz. 



Abraham Kratz (father) was born near 

 Naces Corner, New Britain township, Bucks 

 county. He selected for his life work the 

 occupation of farming, with which he was 

 thoroughly familiar, and to this he ever 

 afterward devoted his entire attention. He 

 was a member of the Mennonite church, 

 and, believing in the principles laid down 

 in the Republican platform, he cast his vote 

 for the candidates of that party. Mr. Kratz 

 married, September 25, 1838, Sarah Swart- 

 ley, daughter of John Swartley, and grand- 

 daughter of Philip Swartley, and their chil- 

 dren were as follows : John S., William, 

 Mary Ann, Henry, Levi, Abraham, Jr., 

 Oliver, and Jacob. The deaths of Mr. and 

 Mrs. Kratz occurred respectively : May 9, 

 1889, and in July, 1902. 



John S. Kratz received a common school 

 education and was reared to agricultural 

 pursuits. In 1888 he purchased the old 

 Henry Miller homestead whereon he has 

 since resided, and since attaining his twen- 

 tieth year has devoted his attention ex- 

 clusively to the produce commission busi- 

 ness, which has proved most profitable. He 

 has always manifested an interest in the 

 public welfare, and he is particularly inter- 

 ested in the advancement of the cause of 

 education, serving as school director of 



