My Genealogy Hound

EDWIN TWINING, one of the best known citizens of Horsham township, was born in Montgomery county, February 6, 1837. He is the son of Croasdale and Mary (Kirk) Twining, he of Bucks county and she of Montgomery.

Croasdale Twining was the son of Jacob and Margery (Croasdale) Twining. Jacob was a son of Jacob Twining, Sr., whose first ancestor of the name in the country was William Twining, who appeared in New England in 1643. His son William was a prominent deacon in the Presbyterian church. His son Stephen was born at Eastham, Massachusetts, in 1659, and died at Newtown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1720. He owned 800 acres of land at Newtown, and had been appointed an overseer and elder in Friends’ Meeting in 1713. His son William was born in 1704. The Twinings became very numerous in Bucks county.

Jacob Twining (grandfather) was born near Newtown, and after his marriage went to live at Wrightstown. His children: Croasdale (father); Charles C., Aaron, Stephen, Isaac, Mary A. (Mrs. Eleazer Wilkinson), Deborah (Mrs. R. Scarborough).

Croasdale Twining remained with his parents until he was married, and then caime to Montgomery county, where he purchased a farm and remained until 1864, when he sold it and removed to the home of his son. When he was making a visit to Bucks county, he died of heart failure. He was a Republican in politics, and filled minor township offices. His wife survives at the age of ninety-two years. She was a daughter of Isaac Kirk, of an old family of Friends. His children: Caroline, died unmarried at the age of ninety-six years; Mary (mother of Edwin Twining); Hannah, died unmarried; Sarah, (Mrs. W. L. Paxson); Louisa (Mrs. Thomas Snyder); Susanna (Mrs. C. Canby); Rush, a well-known farmer who died in Bucks county. The children of Croasdale Twining: Louisa, unmarried; Edwin, subject of this sketch; George Chapman, died unmarried; Margery (Mrs. William Kite); Caroline (Mrs. Williad Sharp); Jacob, went west and died there.

Edwin Twining remained with his parents until 1861, having been educated at public schools and at Loller Academy, Hatboro. The rebellion having broken out, he enlisted in the service of the United States Government, and assisted in raising a company of cavalry in Montgomery county. There was no room for them in the quota there, and they proceeded to Trenton, New Jersey, where they enlisted for three years, being Company A of that city, in the First New Jersey Cavalry. Their colonel was William Halstead. They were in the Army of the Potomac, in which they served three years and two months, seeing very hard service and being engaged in many skirmishes and hotly contested battles. Edwin Twining was wounded at the battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia, by part of an exploded shell which struck him in the ankle. He refused to go to the hospital and remained with his regiment. About ten days later he was captured by the Confederate troops while making a dash, owing to his horse falling. He was confined in Libby Prison at Richmond. After being there a short time he was taken to Belle Isle. Through neglect his wound became much inflamed, and he suffered much pain from it. Six weeks later he was paroled, and sent to Parole Camp at Annapolis, being sent later to Governor’s Island, in New York harbor, for better treatment at the hospital. He improved rapidly and rejoined his regiment at Belle Plain. At the battle of Rappahannock he was again captured, but by the exercise of cunning was able to escape from his captors. During his term of service he suffered much privation, being in the field, the hospital or on the march the greater part of the time. He was brigade commissary sergeant at the time his term of service expired. He returned to Trenton where he was mustered out of the United States service, receiving an honorable discharge. This was in 1864. He enjoys a pension. On his return to his home he located on the farm on which he still remains. He has had a checkered career. He is a Republican in politics, but has never sought or held office, except that he has been elected to minor township positions and to the office of supervisor, which he yet holds.

Mr. Twining married October 20, 1864, Hannah A. Iredell, of an old colonial family of English descent. She was born in Horsham township, September 16, 1839. She is the daughter of Abraham and Ann J. (Penrose) Iredell, both of Horsham township. Abraham Iredell was a son of John Iredell and Ann Jarrett, widow of William Jarrett. The immigrant ancestor of Mrs. Twining was Thomas Iredell, who emigrated from Cumberland, England, about 1700. He brought with him a certificate from the Friends’ Meeting at Cumberland to that at Philadelphia. He married Rebecca Williams in 1705, and located on a tract of 200 acres of land near Horsham Meeting. There he reared his family. By his first wife he had two sons, Thomas and John, and by his second wife he had two sons, Robert and Abraham, and five daughters. John Iredell, grandfather of Mrs. Twining, was born October 25, 1762. He married Mary Paul in 1792. After the death of his first wife he married Ann Jarrett, whose maiden name was Williams. Abraham Iredell, father of Mrs. Twining, had one sister, Tacy, who married George J. Mitchell, son of Dr. Mitchell, of Hatboro. Abraham Iredell was born in Horsham township, July 13, 1811, and was married, April 4, 1833, to Ann J. Penrose, who was born at the old Penrose homestead, Graeme Park, near Davis Grove, and was the daughter of William and Hannah (Jarrett) Penrose. This William Penrose was a son of Samuel and Sarah (Roberts) Penrose, who purchased a large tract of land which was a portion of Graeme Park, the original homestead of the first Governor of Pennsylvania, William Keith. Samuel Penrose located there about the year 1800. His children: Mary, Susanna, Samuel, Abel, Everard, Benjamin, Morris, Gainor and William, Jr.

The children of William and Hannah (Jarrett) Penrose: Ann J., mother of Mrs. Twining; Samuel, Jarrett, Abel, Hannah (Mrs. Hicks); William, Tacy (Mrs. Davis). By his will, William Penrose divided the property, Abel holding the buildings and a portion of the land, and Mrs. Twining’s mother receiving the farm on which the Twinings now reside, and which they own. The mother spent her declining years and died there. When she married Abraham Iredell they located on a farm in the east end of Horsham township, where they remained until his death in 1839 at the age of twenty-eight years, leaving his widow with two children. Mrs. Iredell then returned to the homestead and lived there for some time, when she removed to the home which he had provided for her by his will. She died about 1881. The children of Abraham Iredell were: John, who resided in Bucks county, where he died, leaving a widow and one child; Anna J., Mrs. J. Clark, and Hannah A., wife of Edwin Twining. Their children: J. Howard, a farmer in Bucks county; William P, and Iredell, who farm the homestead; Anna M., Mrs. F. Dager; Ida and Ella, unmarried. Mrs. Twining is a member of the Society of Friends, and attends Horsham Meeting.