My Genealogy Hound

REV. THEODORE HEYSHAM, PH. D., second son of Robert and Sarah Elizabeth Heysham, was born January 14, 1864, near Cold Point, in Plymouth township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.

When he was quite young his parents removed to Norristown, where he was educated in the public schools, first at Sandy street school, and later at Oak street. On account of his health he did not remain in the high school to graduate, but went into the country, remaining there several years. In the winter of 1886 he joined the Lower Providence Baptist church. Believing himself called to preach the gospel, he entered on a course of preparative study. In the spring of 1887 he entered the National School of Elocution and Oratory in Philadelphia, and in the autumn of the same year entered Bucknell Academy at Lewisburg. After a three years’ course of study he graduated with honor in 1890. While at that institution he won two prizes; the David P. Leas prize for the best declamation, and the William E. Martin prize for the best oration at commencement. He was also largely instrumental in forming the Adelphia Literary Society, and was one of its presidents.

In 1890 Mr. Heysham entered Bucknell College, passing through the freshman and sophomore years. He engaged in all the activities and sports of college life; and was a member of the football team, of the Euepia Literary Society, the Young Men’s Christian Association, and the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. In the freshman year he won the William C. Gretzinger prize for the best declamation, and the C. L. Williams prize for the best essay. In consequence of the death of his father in 1892 he entered the junior class of the University of Pennsylvania. At that institution he won the second prize for oratory in the junior year, and was elected a member of the honorary fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa, in the senior year. He was also a member of the Zelesophic Society, of the Red and Blue staff, and was one of the three representatives of the University of Pennsylvania in the first inter-collegiate debate with Cornell at Ithaca in 1894, in which the decision was given to the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated in June, 1894, with the degree of A. B. In the autumn of that year he entered Crozer Theological Seminary, also taking up work in the Department of Philosophy of the University of Pennsylvania. A serious illness of three months interfered somewhat with Mr. Heysham’s studies at Crozer, but in June, 1897, he graduated with honor in the regular course, being one of the speakers at commencement. In the summer of the same year he was ordained to the gospel ministry by a council in the Lower Providence Baptist church. In June, 1898, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy was conferred upon him by the University of Pennsylvania, the subject of his thesis being “St. Augustine and his Doctrine of the Will.” After supplying churches at Wayne, Germantown, Swarthmore and Philadelphia, Dr. Heysham was called to the pastorate of the First Baptist church of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, and accepted it September 10, 1899. The congregation grew rapidly under his ministry of five years. The church building was remodeled and considerably enlarged, the cost of the improvements being about $7,000. Of this amount $5,000 was paid and the balance provided for. There were large additions to the membership of the congregation, and the church prospered in every way.

On October 24, 1900, Dr. Heysham married Ella May Reese, daughter of William J. and Anna R. Reese, in the Lower Providence Baptist church, Rev. William M. Courson, the pastor, officiating. They have two children, Anna Stewart, born July 30, 1901, and Theodore, Jr., born January 9, 1904.

In addition to his pastorate, Dr. Heysham has interested himself in many kindred lines. He is a member of the Philadelphia Conference of Baptist Ministers, and has read several papers before it; he is a member of the North Philadelphia Baptist Association, and also of the Baptist Ministerial Union of Pennsylvania, being first vice-president in 1903-4. He is a member of Charity Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons; of Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch Masons; and of Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Templar. He organized the Citizens’ Committee which took action to put a stop to the outrages committed by the so-called “Shirt-Waist Gang,” of Bridgeport, in January, 1904. He is connected with the Alumni Societies of Bucknell University, the University of Pennsylvania and Crozer Theological Seminary, and is deeply interested in the improvement of the Sunday school system.

On February 1, 1904, Dr. Heysham presented his resignation as pastor of the Bridgeport church, on account of ill-health, which he believed would be benefited by a change of scene. His last sermons were preached on February 29, 1904. The church presented a written testimonial of appreciation of the retiring pastor’s work, and of sorrow because of the necessity for separation from his congregation, which was published in full in Norristown Daily Herald of February 29. His letter of resignation had been published in the same paper in the issue of February 22, and an earnest tribute from a prominent member of the community on February 24, 1904. On March 9, 1904, Dr. Heysham left Norristown for southern California, for the purpose of recuperating his health, visiting during his travels the principal points of interest in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and southern California and other states. He returned home July 14, of the same year, after visiting St. Paul and Minneapolis. Several letters descriptive of Dr. Heysham’s experiences in traveling have been published in the Norristown Daily Herald.

On October 6, 1904, the Central Baptist church of Minneapolis, Minnesota, extended a unanimous call to Dr. Heysham to become its pastor. After careful deliberation and a second visit to the field, the call was accepted October 16, and the work begun in November of the same year.

The Central Baptist church is one of the strongest and most influential of that denomination in the Northwest, having a membership of nearly 700. The Standard, of Chicago (Baptist), October 29, 1904, has the following: “Dr. Heysham is a man possessed by the spirit of Christ and furnished with the best from the schools. He is just at the threshold of a strong manhood, matured by training, experience and sincere Christianity. His single pastorate of five years at Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, proved him to be a man capable of marshaling all the forces at his command in such a way as to accomplish the utmost possible.”

The Norristown Daily Herald, October 20, 1904, observes: “Rev. Dr. Heysham will leave with the well wishes of his friends, who are legion in Norristown, where he has lived since childhood, and in Bridgeport, where he served so faithfully the Baptist congregation for several years, building it up spiritually and materially, as the membership was greatly increased during his incumbency as pastor, and the church building was practically renewed.”

“His popularity was not confined to his congregation, for his devotion to duty created for him many friends who held other church connections.”

The Heysham family are traced to Lancashire, England, where the name has left its impress upon many places of historic interest. The little hamlet or resort called “Heysham” is one of oldest settlements in that section of England, dating from early Saxon times. In the Domesday Survey it has the name “Hessam,” which signifies the house or home of Hesse or Hessa, the original proprietor who took possession of the rocky tract of land now called Heysham Point which projects into the sea. The old Saxon spirit lingers around the rugged coast at Heysham, and all the turmoil of modern life cannot drive it away. It is a pleasure, says a recent visitor, to betake one’s self to the graveyard of St. Peter’s church, beneath the shade of great trees. Nothing could be more picturesque than this hallowed ground on the crest of the cliff, the paradise of painters. Miss Tomlinson, in her description of the place, says: “It is mentioned in the Domesday Survey as Hessam, when, with Halton and the neighboring villages, it belonged to Earl Tosti, and subsequently to Roger of Poitou. The situation of the old village is charming, and it makes a pretty picture as it is approached from Lancaster and Morecombe road. It has been the subject of more than one of Turner’s beautiful paintings. The old parish church, which is dedicated to St. Peter, is very ancient, the older portions being Saxon. The Heysham Chapel must be either Saxon or Celtic, and its dedication to St. Patrick points to an Irish origin. Whether the Saint himself had visited Heysham and founded the chapel, or whether it was built by Irish missionaries who came over in the sixth or seventh century to convert the inhabitants of northern Britain, or whether it was erected, as some suggest, by Hesse, and is a Saxon church, cannot be proved. St. Patrick’s day was apparently observed at Heysham, for among the conveyances of land preserved in the record office in London, there is one of the date of 1272, from Adam de Hessayne to Thomas de Travers, for which the yearly tribute was an arrow on St. Patrick’s Day.”

There is a harbor at Lancaster called Heysham Harbor. There is also an estate in Lancashire, left by the Heysham family, the proceeds of which are distributed each year to the poor. Candelabra of brass bear the name of Heysham in the cathedral at Lancaster, and in the churchyard attached to the Carlisle Cathedral is a tomb bearing the following inscription:

“Here lie the remains of Christopher Heysham, Esq., late of Lancaster, who departed this life May XIth MDCCCII aged LXXVIII years.”
“Prepare to meet thy God in judgment.”

It is this Christopher Heysham who makes the connecting link between the families in England and America. He is the brother of Captain William Heysham, from whom the family in America trace their descent. Christopher and William Heysham were the younger brothers of an ancient English family who dated their entrance in to the island from the time of William the Conqueror. Being the younger brothers, and not having any inclination to serve his majesty in the church, army or navy, they became merchants at Hull. Christopher attended to the domestic and William to the foreign business. After a few voyages to Philadelphia and some of the southern ports, the brothers relinquished the business at Hull, and emigrated to America. In the early part of 1774 they were located on Water street, Philadelphia, as merchants. William married an American lady whom he met on one of his former visits. Christopher remained single. The brothers prospered and worked harmoniously until the war broke out between England and America. Christopher held firm to his king, but William esposed the cause of liberty. Christopher sold out his share of the business to William, and returned to the mother country. William continued in business and became a respected citizen, beloved even by his Tory neighbors.

Captain William Heysham died September 27, 1797. His wife, Mary, died March 27, 1791. Their children: William, Jr., died December 10, 1798; Captain Robert, died November 16, 1822, married Mary___; Mary, married ___Gibbons; Ann married Francis Bowes Sayre, M. D.; Jane, died September 26, 1764.

Captain Robert and Mary Heysham, of Philadelphia, had the following children : Robert, born October 3, 1798, died December 2, 1867, married Ann Stewart; Hamilton; John, who had a son William, and he a son Samuel; William; and Fannie, who married ____ Hampton.

The children of Robert (grandfather) and Ann (Stewart) Heysham: Robert, born February 24, 1824, died May 26, 1892, married Sarah Elizabeth Hoopes; Charles Stewart, born November 17, 1825, died July 27, 1887, married (first wife) Margaret Brooke, by whom one child survived, Elizabeth, and (second wife) Fannie P. Rushton, by whom one child survived, Grace; Elizabeth Greenleafe, born August 18, 1829, died October 22, 1845; Theodore, born September 21, 1834, died September 10, 1852.

The children of Robert (father) and Sarah E. (Hoopes) Heysham: Stewart C., born March 18, 1862, died November 25, 1884; Theodore, subject of this sketch; Horace Besson, born November 22, 1873.

Captain William Heysham emigrated to America before 1773, and was a merchant on Water street, Philadelphia. He was an enthusiastic friend of the American cause. He it was who removed the chime of bells from Christ church tower when Lord Howe with his army entered the city, that they might not be rung in honor of the King, and replaced them after the British evacuation. He was appointed warden of the port of Philadelphia, July 23, 1778; and was one of the commissioners for procuring a supply of salt for the city in 1779. He resided on the north side of Mulberry street, between Third and Fourth.

Captain Robert Heysham was born in Philadelphia about 1758 or 1759, and died in the sixty-third year of his age. He was captain of a volunteer company in the provisional army, June 11, 1798, holding his commission under President James Madison. His parchment commission is in the possession of Rev. Theodore Heysham, Ph. D., of Norristown.

Robert Heysham (grandfather) son of Captain Robert, died near Cold Point, in Plymouth township. His wife, Ann Stewart, was the daughter of Charles Stewart. They were married May 1, 1823, and she died May 16, 1838. He held a position in the Philadelphia custom house for a number of years, severing his connection with it May 20, 1853. He also held a naval office to April 15, 1846. At the time of his death he was living retired in the country with his son Robert, near Cold Point. Of his children, Theodore died unmarried, September 10, 1852, aged eighteen years; Elizabeth Greenleafe died unmarried, October 22, 1845; Charles Stewart was born in Philadelphia and grew to manhood there, studied medicine, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania as a Doctor of Medicine, and had a very large practice at Newton Square, Delaware county, Pennsylvania; his children surviving are Mrs. Elizabeth Jones and Mrs. Grace H. Yerkes.

Robert Heysham, Jr., (father) was born in Philadelphia and died in Norristown. Being delicate in youth he sought a home in the country, amid the healthful scenes of rural life. He secured a farm about a mile from Cold Point, on which he resided for many years. On September 27, 1860, Robert married Sarah Elizabeth Hoopes. About 1868 he removed to Norristown, and resided on the south side of Penn street, between Green and Arch, taking up the study of law with George N. Corson, but never applied for admission to the bar. In 1875 he removed from Penn street to No. 225 Jacoby street, where he resided at the time of his death. During his residence in Norristown he was engaged in real estate transactions. He was a Democrat in politics. He was a member of the association formed to celebrate the centennial of Montgomery county in 1884. He was also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Stewart C. Heysham, born at Cold Point, was educated in the public schools of Norristown. At sixteen years of age he entered the drug store of Atwood Yeakle, intending to devote his life to pharmacy, but later he entered the office of Dr. J. K. Weaver, and devoted himself to the study of medicine. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1882. He married Miss Lydie Adle, August 7, 1881, they having one child, Marion E., who was born August 2, 1882. Dr. Heysham practiced first at Port Kennedy, and later removed to Lansdale, where he opened a drug store in connection with his practice. After a short but successful career, he died of an attack of typhoid fever.

Rev. Theodore Heysham was very much beloved by his Bridgeport congregation, and they yielded with much regret to his resignation as their pastor. Candid, sincere and earnest in his work in the ministry, he has made many friends.