7o6 



HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



Brannan, who was also a native of New 

 Jersej', and was of Welsh lineage. She 

 survived her husband for but a short 

 time. They reared four children. El- 

 wood, born July 31, 1818, who resides in 

 Wilson county, Kansas, having for a 

 long period been a leading farmer of that 

 localitj^; Nathan, born August 31, 1823; 

 Mrs. Elizabeth Ewing, born May 18, 

 1836; and Lenora, born July 14, 1838, 

 who died unmarried. All were reared in 

 the faith jof the Friends meeting, from 

 which they never departed. 



Nathan Holbert (2), born in New Jer- 

 sey, was reared in Bucks county, Penn- 

 sylvania, remaining under the parental 

 roof up to the time of his marriage, 

 when he began farming on a tract of 

 rented land. He remained for a long 

 period upon the farm on which he set- 

 tled, and after many years devoted to ag- 

 ricultural pursuits came to Warrington, 

 where he purchased a mercantile enter- 

 prise, renting a building in which he 

 conducted business with the assistance 

 of his son, William, for a number of 

 years and eventually disposing of the 

 store to his son. He was ever a man 

 of marked industry and in early life was 

 a practical and successful farmer who for 

 many years attended the Philadelphia 

 market. He conducted an extensive dairy 

 business and his butter commanded the 

 highest market prices. His capably con- 

 ducted business affairs resulted in the 

 acquirement of a very desirable com- 

 petence. He adhered to the religious 

 faith of his ancestors, and his political 

 support was given to the Republican 

 party. In his locality he was recognized 

 as one of its leading advocates and he 

 filled some township offices, but was never 

 an aspirant for political preferment. Of 

 social, genial nature, he enjoyed the 

 friendship of those with whom he came 

 in contact, and they found him a con- 

 siderate neighbor and kind friend. He 

 was benevolent and charitable to the 

 poor and needy and, honored and re- 

 spected by all, he died February 5, 1899, 

 at the age of seventy-five years. He 

 passed the evening of life in the home 

 of his son. William, but his death oc- 

 curred while he was visiting a daughter. 

 In early manhood he wedded Sarah 

 Yonker, who was born in Huntingdon 

 Valley, Montgomery county, Pennsyl- 

 vania, and was a daughter of William 

 Yonker, who was one of the early set- 

 tlers of Warwnck township, Bucks 

 county, where he became widely recog- 

 nized as a leading and influential farmer. 

 He was also highly respected in social 

 circles and was known as "the Quaker 

 fiddler," because of his skillful perform- 

 ance on the violin, the young people of 

 the neighborhood depending upon him 

 to furnish the music for their dances. 

 His children were: Mary, the wife of 

 J. C. Worthington; Thomas, who died at 

 the age of eighteen years ; Emma, who 



died unmarried; Mary J., who became 

 the wife of Joseph Flack, and Sarah, 

 wife of Nathan Holbert. The last named 

 passed away in June, 1881, about eighteen 

 years prior to the death of her- husband. 

 They were the parents of five children: 

 Thomas, of St. Louis, Missouri; Maria, 

 wife of John Cravens; William M., Agnes 

 Y., and Jane. 



William M. Holbert was born near the 

 Warwick postoffice in Bucks county, Jan- 

 uary 21, 1854, attended the common 

 schools and was reared in his parents 

 home, accompanying them on their re- 

 moval to Warrington. He had prev- 

 iously assisted in the labors of the fields 

 on the old home farm, and after settling 

 in Warrington became his father's as- 

 sistant in the conduct of the store. 

 Eventually he purchased the stock and 

 engaged in business on his own account, 

 renting the store until 1899, when he pur- 

 chased the large block which comprises 

 both a store and residence. He carried 

 a large and well selected line of general 

 merchandise, such as is required by the 

 village and country trade, and is a prac- 

 tical, enterprising merchant, following 

 modern methods and utilizing every op- 

 portunity that tends to honorable suc- 

 cess. He has contributed to the material 

 improvement of the town as well as to 

 his individual prosperity by the erection 

 of a number of houses which he rents. 

 He is likewise a director in the Warring- 

 ton Mutual Telephone Company, and his 

 recognition and utilization of business 

 opportunities have been salient features 

 in the acquirement of the desirable com- 

 petence that now crowns his efiforts. 



Mr. Holbert strongly endorses Repub- 

 lican principles, and in as far as possible 

 aids in the party work in his locality. In 

 1886 he was appointed postmaster of 

 Warrington, which position he yet fills, 

 and is also auditor of his township. Fra- 

 ternally he is a worthj^ member of the 

 Masonic lodge at Hatboro. 



William M. Holbert was married in 

 1889 to Miss Sallie V. Radclifife, who was 

 born in Warrington, Pennsylvania, De- 

 cember 8, 1857, a daughter of Elias H. 

 and Emily L. (Coulter) Radclifife, the 

 latter named having been married July 

 7. 1850. Elias H. Radclifife was the son 

 of Robert and Mary (Cline) RadclifTe. 

 Robert Radclifife, who in early life 

 learned the tanner's trade, which he fol- 

 lowed in his young manhood, lived re- 

 tired many years previous to his death 

 with his son, Elias H., in Warrington. 

 Robert Radclifife died August 31, 1878, 

 aged ninety-two years, his wife having 

 died at the same place, March 26, i860, 

 aged si.Kty-five years. Elias H. Rad- 

 clifife resided with his parents at Hat- 

 boro up to the time of his marriage to 

 Emily L. Coulter, at Germantown. Sub- 

 sequently he purchased a farm at War- 

 rington known as the old historic Ben- 

 jamin Hough homestead, its former 



