My Genealogy Hound

JAMES KILPATRICK, of Bridgeport, was born near Bellemony, County Antrim, Ireland, May 25, 1830, on a farm where his family had lived since the early part of the seventeenth century. The land was not owned by the family but they had been tenants so long that when Mr. Kilpatrick’s brother Alexander, the last of the name to occupy it, sold his tenant right, he received for it more than the same amount of land would bring in this country. Mr. Kilpatrick’s grandfather and many of his relatives served in the army at various times, and he well remembers playing, when a boy, with the arms and accoutrements worn by his grandfather. At one time there were eleven families of the name in the same town and now but one family remains.

Alexander Kilpatrick (father) was born and died in Ireland. He married Miss Margaret T. Twadall, a native of Bally parish, Antrim county, Ireland. Her family were of Scotch origin. Alexander Kilpatrick and Margaret Kilpatrick had three sons and three daughters: James is the subject of this sketch. Alexander (deceased) remained in Ireland and reared a family of seven children, all of those now living, except one, reside in Australia. The one child is the last of the name in Ireland. Margaret emigrated to America, married Mr. Daffy, reared a family and now lives in Norristown. Eliza, deceased, also emigrated to America, married Mr. Van Horn, and reared a family. John, deceased, came to the United States, married Miss Hutchison, and his widow and children now live in Norristown. Jane married in Ireland, came to America and settled in Ohio. Mrs. Margaret Kilpatrick, the mother, died in Ireland.

James Kilpatrick was nineteen years of age when he came alone to the United States, on the sailing vessel Afton, landing in Philadelphia after a voyage of five weeks to the hour, from Londonderry. Two days after his arrival he secured employment as a boatman on the canal, taking lime to Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey. He remained as a workman until 1852 and then rented boats, following the business on his own account until 1863. With the money thus earned he came to McGeestown in 1864 and entered into partnership with Daniel McGee in the lime business, remaining until 1880. In that year he removed to Bridgeport and rented the store now occupied by Mr. Whitman, where he carried on business until 1890. During this time he built his present home, and transferred his store to the present quarters, where he has been established ever since. He came to America on a ticket purchased on credit and has been the earner of his success as a business man, owing everything to his good management, honesty and industry. He has had losses by floods and bad debts but has never given up, and is today looked up to as one of Bridgeport’s successful and substantial citizens.

In politics he is a Republican and has voted for every Republican candidate for president since Lincoln, for whom he cast his first vote. He was elected school director, unanimously except for twenty-six votes, and has served in the town council. He and his family are members of the First Presbyterian church of Norristown and the family belonged for some time to the McGeestown church, where he was a trustee and treasurer.

James Kilpatrick married, January 25, 1855, Miss .Anna Elizabeth McKay, who was born in Upper Merion township July 19, 1836. They have had ten children: Margaret Jane was born December 21, 1855. Samuel Alexander, born September 23, 1857, is married and lives in Camden, New Jersey. James Henry, who was born June 13, 1859, and died February 16, 1890, married Margaret Barnshaw and they had one child, James Kilpatrick, who lives with his grandfather. Catharine, born October 16, 1862, died October 28, 1862. Mary Anna, born February 27, 1864, is unmarried and lives with her parents. William Thomas, born August 5, 1866, died August 23, 1868. John F., born August 5, 1868, died in September, 1890. Catharine L., born November 7, 1870, married Horace Wambold, and has one child, James Kilpatrick Wambold, who resides in Norristown. William Thomas, who was born July 31, 1873, and died August 23, 1900, married Charlotte Cowden, of Norristown, April 12, 1900. Robert Lincoln, born May 2, 1878, died December 20, 1882.