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Below is a family biography included in the Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania published in 1904 by T. S. Benham & Company and The Lewis Publishing Company; Elwood Roberts, Editor.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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DANIEL M. ANDERS, a commissioner of Montgomery county, was born in that county, near where he yet lives, November 1, 1856. He is a descendant of a Schwenkfelder family who came to America in 1734.

Balthasar Anders (great-great-grandfather) and his wife, Anna Hoffrichter, emigrated from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania. He followed his trade of shoemaker in Towamencin township for many years, and died there May 25, 1754, at the age of fifty-six years. His mother, who came with them to America, was buried in Philadelphia, September 30, 1734, eight days after their arrival. His wife died March 29, 1784, aged eighty-three years and nine months. Their children: George, born 1733, in Germany; Anna, born April 8, 1736; Abraham (great-grandfather), born April 1, 1739.

Abraham Anders (great-grandfather) married Susanna, daughter of Melchior Kriebel, November 25, 1765. She died March 28, 1813, aged seventy-three years, five months, and he died April 19, 1819, aged eighty years and six days. Their children: Benjamin, born November 30, 1766; Rosanna, born July 19, 1769, died December 24, 1853; Abraham (grandfather), born June 2, 1774; Anna, born April 13, 1780.

Abraham Anders (grandfather) married Susanna, daughter of Abraham Dresher, November 25, 1802, and lived on a farm in Worcester township, Montgomery county. He died August 2, 1852, aged seventy-eight year and two months, and his wife died October 26, 1831, aged fifty years and three months. Their children: George, born November 19, 1803, a farmer; Lydia, born July 6, 1805; Abraham, born September 2, 1807; Anna (Mrs. O. Dresher), born October 24, 1809; Samuel (father), born March 18, 1812; Susanna (Mrs. S. Shultz), born October 2, 1815; Sarah (Mrs. C. Kriebel), born August 8, 1820.

Samuel Anders (father) lived on his father’s farm until he was twenty-five years old. He married and purchased the farm where his son Daniel M. now, lives. He afterwards added to his first purchase, built large buildings, and improved the farm in every way. He sold milk, raised stock and did a general farming. He was a Whig and a Republican, and held some township offices. He was a stockholder and director in the Montgomery County Bank, and helped to organize the first National Bank of Norristown, of which he was a stockholder and director until his death. He was a stockholder and helped to erect and carry on the creamery near his home. Like all of his family he was a member of the Schwenkfelder church. November 20, 1838, he married (first wife) Lydia, daughter of Jeremiah Meschter, who was born April 6, 1813. They had one child, Charles, born January 10, 1840, died July 13, 1842. Lydia (Meschter) Anders died July 21, 1842. On October 17, 1844, Samuel Anders married (second wife) Christina, the sister of his first wife. Their children were: Sarah (Mrs. George H. Seipt), born October 3, 1845; Hiram M., a prominent farmer of Montgomery county; Aaron, born March 21, 1849, died August 28, 1850; Mary Ann, born January 26, 1851, died April 27, 1854; Susanna (Mrs. William H. Anders) ,born March 23, 1853; James M., born July 18, 1854, M. D., Ph. D., LL. D., a physician of Philadelphia; Daniel M., the subject of this sketch; Ellen (Mrs. John H. Schultz); Samuel, born August 4, 1860, died November 4, 1867. Samuel Anders (father) died April 12, 1888, at the age of seventy-six years, and his wife died April 22, 1887.

Jeremiah Meschter (maternal grandfather), was born August 27, 1777, and was the son of Christopher Meschter and Rosina, his wife. Christopher Meschter was the son of Melchior and Regina Meschter, who came to Pennsylvania in 1734. The family were all members of the Schwenkfelder church. Jeremiah Meschter married Christina, daughter of Jacob and Lydia (Yeakle) Kriebel, who was born February 24, 1789. They were married on May 9, 1811, and their children were: Lydia, born April 6, 1813, the first wife of Samuel Anders; Sophia (Mrs. A. Schultz); Samuel, died young; Jacob, born October 3, 1818, a minister of the Schwenkfelder church; Christina (mother), born August 11, 1821; and Jeremiah, a carpenter. Christina (Kriebel) Meschter died January 28, 1831, and her husband October 5, 1849. He was a prominent farmer and brick manufacturer in Upper Hanover township, Montgomery county.

Daniel M. Anders belongs to the fifth generation of his family from the immigrant who sailed from Germany in the ship “St. Andrew,” and landed in Philadelphia. He was reared on his father’s farm, and was educated in the common schools, and spent one year in the Washington Hall School at Trappe. After his marriage he rented the farm from his father. After his father’s death he received the farm by will, and has always lived there. He has erected a large and comfortable residence there which commands a beautiful view of all the surrounding country. He attends the Philadelphia market, raises stock and is a practical and successful farmer. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Norristown, and a director since his father’s death, in 1888, is a stockholder in the creamery near his home; a stockholder and director in the Norristown Market Company, treasurer of the Montgomery County Telephone Company, and president of the Farmers’ Union Horse Company. He is helping to organize a trolley line which will run between Souderton and Trooper, and is director of the organization. He is a Republican, and served as a school director for thirteen years in Lower Providence township. In 1902 he was elected a commissioner of Montgomery county. He is a member of the Schwenkfelder church.

In December, 1879, Daniel M. Anders married Catharine S., daughter of Henry L. and Catharine K. (Shutt) Heebner. She was born in Norriton township, Montgomery county, March 2, 1861. Their children: J. Leidy, born June 14, 1881, is a clerk in the First National Bank, Norristown; Wayne H., born January 17, 1883, died at the age of four months; Monroe H., born December 16, 1884, was graduated at Maple Tree and Perkiomen Seminaries, and is now a student at Princeton Seminary; D. Harold, born November 12, 1886, a student at the Norristown High School; Lorene H., born October 13, 1888, and K. Elsie, born October 16, 1890, both at the Maple Tree School.

Henry L. Heebner, the father of Mrs. Anders, was born December 8, 1825, and was the son of Joseph R. and Susanna (Letherach) Heebner. He was a well-known and prominent farmer, and filled the office of school director for a number of years. He was a Republican in politics, and a Schwenkfelder in religion, in early life, but later joined the Mennonite church. He married Catharine K., daughter of Jacob Shutt, December 7, 1851. He died at his home February 26, 1901, at the age of, seventy-four years, and his wife is still living at the age of seventy-eight, and resides on the homestead. Their children: Mary S., the second wife of Joseph H. Hunsberger, was born January 7, 1854; Martha S., the first wife of Joseph H. Hunsberger, was born November 17, 1856; Catharine K. (Mrs. Anders); Jacob Wayne S., a farmer who owns his father’s old home.

Joseph R. Heebner, the grandfather of Mrs. Anders, was the son of Abraham and Catharine (Rittenhouse) Heebner, of Norriton township, all Schwenkfelders, He married Susanna, daughter of Henry Lederach, March 21, 1826. He was born April 9, 1799, and was a well-known farmer. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Heebner: Henry L. (father); Abraham L., born September 5, 1828; David L., born August 25, 1830, died at the age of three days; Catharine L., married Abraham Kriebel, and was born December 24, 1831; Anna L., born February 9, 1834, still unmarried; Benjamin L., born August 17, 1835; Joseph L., born April 7, 1837; William L., born January 1, 1840, and Enoch M., born June 20, 1843. Jacob Shutt, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Anders, was a farmer. The family were Mennonites and Dunkards. His children: Catharine K. (Mrs. Henry L. Heebner); Mary (Mrs. J. B. Bean); John K., a farmer and miller now retired at Harleysville; Elizabeth K., married E. K. Freed, president of the Lansdale Bank; Sarah A. (Mrs. W. S. Delp) and Lavina K. (Mrs. P. R. Shelly). The wife of Jacob Shutt was Mary (Kline) Shutt.

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This family biography is one of more than 1,000 biographies included in the Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania published in 1904 by T. S. Benham & Company and The Lewis Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

View additional Montgomery County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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