My Genealogy Hound

ABRAM WALT, a descendant of one of the best known families of the early settlers of Montgomery county, and a veteran of the war for the Union, is a native of Limerick township, where he was born November 23, 1843. He was reared to farm pursuits and received such an education as the ordinary schools of the vicinity afforded at that time. He is the son of Henry S. and Elizabeth (Stauffer) Walt, both his parents being of German descent.

Henry S. Walt (father) was born in Upper Salford township, December 6, 1806. He remained there until his removal to Limerick, at the age of fourteen years. His father died when he was a mere lad, so that his educational facilities were very limited, being confined to a few months each year in early boyhood at neighborhood schools. His presence on the farm was a necessity, winter and summer, as he grew older, he being the chief dependence of a widowed mother. After renting the homestead farm for two years as he grew older, he removed to another belonging to his grandfather Schwenk in Skippack, which he cultivated for ten years. In 1842 he purchased a farm in Limerick, removing to it, and there his son Abram, subject of this sketch, was born. This farm he cultivated and greatly improved, devoting a period of thirty years more to its tillage and retiring in 1872. He married, March 26, 1829, Elizabeth, daughter of Abram Stauffer, of Limerick township, by whom he had the following children: Esther Ann (Mrs. Josiah Evans), Elizabeth (Mrs. Augustus Kehl), Matthew, Ann Jemima (Mrs. Jeremiah Krause), Henry, Andrew, Sarah Ann, Abram, Mary M. (Mrs. E. F. Dismant), and J. Warren. Mr. H. S. Walt was a Republican in politics, serving for several years as a school director of his township. For more than a half-century he was identified with St. James Lutheran church as elder, deacon and treasurer. He died in 1888, aged eighty-two years. His wife died two years earlier, passing away in 1886, at the age of eighty-five years. A few years prior to the death of the couple they made their home with their daughter, Mrs. Dismant, where they both died.

Andrew Walt (grandfather) resided in Upper Salford township, where the greater part of his life was spent in the occupation of farming. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Abram Schwenk. Their children were: Catharine (Mrs. Jacob Smith), Elizabeth (Mrs. D. Reifsnyder), Abram, Mary (Mrs. George Brandt), Henry S., Samuel, Fanny (Mrs. Abram Anderson), Jacob.

Henry Walt (great-grandfather) was the immigrant. His wife was named Catharine. The couple had several children.

Mrs. Henry S. Walt was the daughter of Abram Stauffer, of Limerick. Mr. Stauffer’s children were: Abram, of Hatfield; Elizabeth (mother); Henry (deceased), of Ohio; Hannah (Mrs. H. G. Hunsicker); Mary (Mrs. B. Schlichter); Jemima (Mrs. John Markley).

Of the children of Henry S. Walt, who have been mentioned, Matthew is a farmer in Limerick; Henry is a retired coal dealer and merchant at Batavia, Illinois; Andrew is a farmer of Lower Pottsgrove township; Sarah is unmarried; Jacob W. resides at Parkerford. All are yet living and Henry is very near the old homestead.

Abram Walt was reared in Limerick township, remaining under the parental roof until 1861, when he enlisted in Company C, Fifty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, going into camp at Harrisburg. On November 16 and 17, the regiment moved to Annapolis, Maryland, and thence sailed for Hatteras, North Carolina, going through that arduous campaign, and, returning, were incorporated with the Army of the Potomac. The regiment was at the battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, encountering very severe losses. Mr. Walt was wounded in the right leg, but, when he had recovered from his injuries, he went with the regiment to Knoxville, Tennessee, where, the terms of the men having in the meantime expired, the entire regiment re-enlisted for three years or during the war. All came home for a time on furlough. On their return, they became again a part of the Army of the Potomac, serving through the memorable campaign of General Grant, which led up to the capture of Richmond, and the complete overthrow of the Confederacy. Mr. Walt was again wounded in the battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, June 3, 1864, this time in the hip and groin on the left side. He was also shot through the body. He was discharged from the Carver Hospital, at Washington, D. C., August 12, 1865. Thus his career in the army ended honorably. He retains as souvenirs of the service he rendered to his country the two minie balls by which he was wounded, one of them having been cut out of his leg, the other having passed through his body and lodged in his haversack. Mr. Walt saw some exceedingly hard service, being in no less than thirty engagements in all, during the time for which he enlisted. He underwent the hardship and exposure which belong to a soldier’s life, and while he has never entirely recovered from the effects of the wounds which he suffered and the privations he endured, and has, therefore, never been able to perform hard manual labor, he has not lacked for employment at any time. He was employed for ten years by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company, in looking after telegraph poles along its lines.

Mr. Walt married in 1877, and later settled on a farm, conducting that for five years, and then selling it and removing to Royersford, where he has been constable and tax collector for a number of years. He engaged in the restaurant business for three years, but his physical condition compelled him to abandon that employment. He served as burgess of Royersford three years, and was a member of the town council six years. In 1896 he built the commodious residence in which he lives. In addition he owns a double tenant house, and Rockford Hall block, a stone building four stories in height, erected in 1884, renting it for a printing office and stores. He is an active Republican, and takes an interest in all the public questions of the day, as becomes a good citizen. He is a member of Grand Army Post, No. 45, of Phoenixville.

Mr. Walt married Miss Caroline Rambo. She was born May 28, 1844. Mrs. Walt is a daughter of Benjamin and Louisa (Eastburn) Rambo her father being the son of Aaron Rambo, of Swedish descent. The children of Aaron Rambo: Benjamin (father of Mrs. Abram Walt), Maryann (Mrs. Rogers), Walter, Ross. Louisa Eastburn was a daughter of Samuel Eastburn, the family being originally Friends. The Rambos were members of the Episcopal church. The children of Benjamin and Louisa Rambo: Mary, who died young, Eliza J. (Mrs. Linsenbigler), Caroline (wife of Mr. Walt), Samuel A., a farmer, Benjamin F., a farmer.

Mr. Walt draws a small pension from the government, but it is not in proportion to his injuries incurred in the service of his country. Mr. and Mrs. Walt have no children. Mrs. Walt is a member of the Episcopal church.