My Genealogy Hound

WASHINGTON F. LEIDY, a merchant of New Hanover township, is the descendant of an old Montgomery county family, all of his ancestors having been prominent citizens. He was born February 18, 1847, being the son of Peter S. and Maria (Feather) Leidy.

Rev. John Philip Leydich (great-great-grandfather) was born April 28, 1715, in Briel, Holland, and came to America, September 15, 1748, accompanied by his wife, two children, and two sisters of his wife, one of whom afterwards married Casper Achenbach, and the other Andreas Sassaman. He was sent to America by the Reformed Synod of South Holland, and a collection was taken for the expenses of his voyage. The sum realized was 115 guilders, 15 stivers and four pence, which was given to him and which he used for his passage. He was assigned the pastorate of Falkner’s Swamp and Providence, where he preached at the same time. He selected a spot on the banks of Swamp Creek for his home, and on October 16, 1749, bought of Conrad Frick, of Germantown, 105 acres of land there in Frederick township. This tract had been bought on May 1, 1728, by Ludwig Engelhart, of Andrew Frey, and sold by him on November 2, 1748, to Conrad Frick. Mr. Leydich preached to his congregations until 1765, when he was succeeded by Rev. Nicholas Pomp, but he lived in Frederick township the rest of his life, and he and his wife are buried at Leidig’s graveyard, in Frederick township. In Holland he married Maria Catharina Hammichhaus, and they had the following children: Franz, born in Holland, March 26, 1745; Elizabeth, born in Holland October 10, 1746, married Alexander Dieffenderffer; Leonard, married Catharine Nyce, daughter of Zacharias Nyce; Philip (great-grandfather) married Rosina Bucher, daughter of George Diedrich Bucher; Maria Magdalena, married John Nyce; Catharine, born April, 1753, married Philip Miller, died August, 1823; and Sophia, married Gabriel Schuler. The Leidig private burial ground where Rev. Leydich was buried is the largest of its kind in Frederick township, containing a quarter of an acres of ground taken from four adjoining farms. It is enclosed with a stone wall. The location is in the southwestern part of the township, east of Swamp. It was established prior to 1764, as a draft of the lands of Christian Stetler, then made by David Shultze, shows that the land was taken from the farms then owned by Christian Stetler, Rev. John Philip Leydich, Henry Smith and George Michael Kuntz. Another quarter acre was given by the will of the late Christian Stetler. The wall was built in 1783. Included among the family names of those buried here are many prominent in the upper section of Montgomery county.

Philip Leidig (great-grandfather) lived on the old homestead, and followed the occupation of farming. He was one of the first to take up arms for his country and served with distinction through the Revolutionary war.

Samuel Leidy (grandfather) married Hannah Schwenck. The couple lived in Frederick township, where he was a farmer until he was fifty years of age, when he retired. He was a Democrat in politics, and held various township offices. They were members of the Reformed church. They had nine children, of whom two survive, Peter and Hannah. Those deceased are: Henry, who was a captain in the army during the rebellion; Philip, Sophia, Sarah, Daniel, Jesse, and Samuel, who died in the army during the rebellion. Sophia married Peter Harburger, her daughter being the widow of Major D. B. Hartranft and residing in Norristown. Captain Henry resided at Boyertown, Berks county, where he was a merchant; his daughter married Dr. Rhodes, president of the Boyertown Farmers’ National Bank, and her son, Dr. Thomas Rhodes is a practicing physician at Boyertown. Peter (father), a retired farmer, resides at Swamp. Jesse was in the marble business at Hatboro. Sarah was the wife of Mr. Reifsnyder, who resided in the west. Philip became the proprietor of a hotel at Cross Keys, and later at Roxborough, and subsequently managed the farm of Philip Krause, his father-in-law. Prior to his death he exchanged his farm for the Zieglersville flour mills. He married Elizabeth Krause, and had six children, of whom one was Ephraim, miller and farmer at Zieglersville, and another Lavinia, wife of Emanuel Brendlinger, proprietor of the Hotel Hartranft, Norristown. Philip died July 15, 1895, aged seventy-nine years.

Peter Leidy (father) was a farmer in Frederick township all his life. He was born in 1821, and his wife in 1823. He is a member of the Reformed church, and a Democrat in politics. He has filled the position of school director and other minor offices. He married Maria Feather and they had eight children, of whom five are now living: Milton, a farmer, residing in New Hanover; Washington F., subject of this sketch; Hannah and Peter, died young; Jacob, ex-postmaster of Spring City; Irwin, living in Berks county, where he conducts a creamery; Sarah, died young; Mary, married Milton Ritter, who resides in Alabama, where he has several thousand acres of coal land.

The maternal grandparents of Mr. Leidy were Isaac and Mary (Bickel) Feather who resided in New Hanover township, where he was a weaver, dying many years ago. The couple had four children, of whom only one is now living, Mrs. Peter Leidy. Mr. Feather was a Democrat and both were members of the Reformed church.

Washington F. Leidy attended the neighborhood schools until he was twenty-one years of age, and then turned his attention to teaching. Later he engaged in farming, the cigar business, and the cattle business. He located at his present place of business in 1887. Since then he has been conducting business there. He is a Democrat in politics, though not an aspirant for office. He is a member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, Council No. 976, New Hanover. He is a director in the Boyertown National Bank. He owns several farms, and is a very prominent citizen.

Mr. Leidy married, November 24, 1868, Mary Ann, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Zoller) Hollobush. Mrs. Leidy was born September 18, 1848. Her father, John Hollobush, was a farmer in New Hanover township. The Hollobush family, the name being variously spelled, are descended from an early settler in that section of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Leidy was the only child of her parents. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Washington F. Leidy: one died in infancy; Wallace; Mary, John, and John Washington, all three deceased; Clara, married Rev. W. H. Brown, and they live in Northampton county, where he has a charge, they having two children, Paul and Clara Cordelia.

The grandparents of Mrs. Leidy were Henry and Mary Hollobush. He was a farmer in that section of Montgomery county and a Republican in politics. His family were all members of the Reformed church.