i-Ioberts.] OOU [Feo. 19, 



AN OBITUARY NOTICE OF CHARLES B. TREGO. 



By Solomon W. Roberts. 



{Read before the American PMlosopMeal Society, Feb. 19, 1875 ) 



Charles B. Trego was born near Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsyl- 

 vania, November 25th, 1794. 



His ancesters were French Huguenots, who emigrated to England and, 

 some of the family having become members of the Society of Friends, 

 came over to America in the time of William Penn and settled at Ches- 

 ter, on the Delaware, and afterwards removed to Bucks County. 



His boyhood was passed on his father's farm, and he went to school in 

 the neighborhood ; but not liking the occupation of farming, and anxious 

 to improve himself, he began when young to teach school, and at the 

 same time to study German ; which was the language commonly spoken 

 by many of the farmers. His handwriting was remarkably regular and 

 beautiful, and continued to be so even to old age. 



About 1821 he removed to Philadelphia, and taught a school in the city, 

 living for a time in the same house with a German teacher of languages, 

 and adding to the study of German, that of French, Spanish, Latin, 

 Greek and Hebrew. 



He taught school until he was about forty years of age, and studied 

 Geology, Mineralogy and Botany, making a special study of Geology. 



Although much occupied in studying and teaching, he took a lively in- 

 terest in public affairs. In 1835 a political change took place in Pennsyl- 

 vania, and the party to which he belonged was successful, electing the 

 Governor and controlling the Legislature ; and Mr. Trego was elected a 

 member of the House of Representatives from the City of Philadelphia . 

 He was also re-elected in the following year. 



Soon after his election he introduced and was mainly instrumental in 

 having enacted into a law, the Act for the first Geologic xl Survey of 

 Pennsylvania. It is understood that the post of State Geologist was 

 offered to him by Governor Ritner, and declined by Mr. Trego. Profes- 

 sor Henry D. Rogers, received the appointment, and began the survey in 

 1836. In 1837, Mr. Trego became an assistant of Professor Rogers, and 

 he continued in the survey until 1841 ; when he was again elected to the 

 Legislature, and was re-chosen, year after year, until 1847 ; when he de- 

 clined a re-election, and was succeeded by the writer of this obituary 

 notice. 



Mr. Trego was an intelligent, careful, pains-taking and honest legis- 

 lator, and a faithful servant of the City of Philadelphia and of his native 

 State. His knowledge of the different parts of Pennsylvania, and the 

 character of his culture, gave him broad views, and added to his influ- 

 ence with his fellow members, and to his usefulness as a member from 

 the city ; as in many cases members from the country show an unwilling- 



