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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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WILLIAM L. ABRAHAM. The Abraham family, one of the most numerous and influential in the township of Upper Merion, are the descendants of James and Margaret (Davis) Abraham, who settled there at an early date. The parents of James were Isaac (probably) and Sarah Abraham. The children of James and Margaret were Keziah, married Samuel Phillips; Miriam, Maria, Isaac (born in 1717) great-great-grandfather, married Dinah Havard, born in 1720, died in 1782; Elizabeth, married Joseph Walker; Abigail and Ezekiel. Isaac and Sarah Abraham came from Wales in 1682, settling in Bucks county.
The children of Isaac and Dinah Abraham were: James, born in 1751, died in 1827, married Hannah George, born in 1752, died in 1813; Margaret, married Benjamin Eastburn; Isaac, born 1756, died in 1813, married Jane Cornog, born in 1758, died in 1822; Dinah, married Abraham Cornog.
The children of James (great-grandfather) and Hannah (George) Abraham; Isaac, born 1775; George, born 1776; Catharine, born 1779, died 1832, married Jonathan Moore; James, born 1783, died 1812; Hannah, born 1784; Joseph (grandfather) born 1788, died 1850, married Ann Davis, born 1799, died March 30, 1873. James Abraham, Sr., came from Bucks county to Merion about the year 1700, and purchased the homestead which is still in the family.
The children of Joseph and Ann (Davis) Abraham; Anna, born 1820, married James Shannon; Sarah, born 1822, married Jonathan Phillips; James, born February 7, 1824, married Susan Eastburn and (second wife) Elizabeth C. Rambo; Benjamin D., born 1826, married Jane Eastburn; Isaac George, born 1827, married Mary Wager; Thomas D. (father) born 1830, married Emily Scott, who died April 19, 1880, and he married (second wife) Mrs. Mary Rambo Pechin. Eliza, born 1831, married Jonathan Supplee; Ann, born 1837, married Owen Evans, who died April 26, 1903; Matilda, born 1836, died in infancy; Emma, born 1842, died in 1860; Joseph, born 1842, died in infancy.
Thomas D. Abraham was born on the homestead farm where Joseph Abraham now lives. He attended neighborhood schools until he was fourteen years of age, when he entered Rev. Samuel Aaron’s and later Professor John W. Loch’s Treemount Seminary at Norristown, where he studied several years. He was appointed postmaster of Abrams, formerly Merion, and held the position until his death. He was succeeded by Joseph Abraham until 1898, when Ellwood P. Abraham. was appointed, and still holds the position. Thomas D. Abraham was a Republican in politics, and a member of the First Baptist church of Norristown. He was one of the founders of the Union church, Upper Merion, and for several years one of its trustees. In 1850 he became the owner of the saw and grist mil, operating them as well as his farm until 1878. Soon afterwards he enlarged and remodeled the mill, putting in a paper mill plant for manufacturing binders and box board paper. On November 24, 1859, Mr. Abraham married Emily R. Scott, daughter of George Scott, of Norristown, who died April 19, 1880, in her forty-seventh year. Nearly four years later, on January 18, 1884, Mr. Abraham married Mrs. Mary Pechin, widow of George Pechin, and daughter of Daniel and Hannah (Eastburn) Rambo, of Upper Merion. Mr. Abraham’s children, all by the first marriage, were: Elizabeth, born October 9, 1860, died January 28, 1867; George S., born February 25, 1862, married Caroline Moreland, they residing in Pittsburg; William L. (subject of this sketch); Ellwood P., born February 19, 1866; Walter S., born February 1, 1869, married and lives in Washington, D. C.; Thomas H., born January 5, 1871, married and resides in Philadelphia, having two children: Howard and George; Emily E., born September 18, 1874, died in infancy.
William L. Abraham was born December 4, 1863, on the home farm, on which he grew to manhood, attending the public schools of the neighborhood and Treemount Seminary, Norristown. He is a Republican in politics, and has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the township, holding several minor positions from time to time, although attending strictly to business rather than seeking political preferment.
Mr. Abraham married Fannie Pugh, a descendant of an old Radnor family, also of Welsh descent. She was born June 23, 1869, in Philadelphia. She was the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Dempsey) Pugh. She was married June 18, 1897. Their children: Caroline, born January 24, 1898; William L., born January 12, 1899; Thomas D., born January 1, 1900, died September 4, 1900; Mary M. and Elizabeth (twins), born November 3, 1900, died in infancy; Edward Pugh, born September 14, 1902, died in infancy.
Edward H. Pugh, Mrs. Abraham’s father, was born May 24, 1830, and died January, 1893. Mrs. Pugh, his wife, was born August 23, 1829, and died in June, 1897. Mr. Pugh was born in Radnor, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. At the age of seventeen years he went to Philadelphia and clerked in the grocery store of Michael Sloane. After his marriage he engaged in business with Brerk, Colket & Co. When Mr. Colket retired from the business, the firm became Brerk & Pugh, and after Mr. Brerk retired it became Pugh & Kuke. As the firm of Brerk & Pugh the house did business at Seventeenth and Market streets until their establishment was burned. Then they removed to 2116 Market street, where they remained until the death of Mr. Pugh. In politics he was a Republican but was not an office holder. He was president of the Radnor Garfield and Arthur Club, and took an active part in that campaign. His father was William Pugh, who married Mary Pugh. Their children were Samuel (deceased); John; Johanna, married Mr. Hibbard Hall, and lives at Norristown; Nelson; Sarah E. (deceased); Hunter (deceased); Roland J. and Addison Judson. Miss Sarah lives in Wayne. Edward H. Pugh, Mrs. William Abraham’s father, married January 7, 1852, and had children as follows: William I., born February 2, 1853, died February 25, 1854; Sallie F., born March 12, 1855, married Theodore Ramsey; Mary F., born April 27, 1858, died March 31, 1859; Lizzie M., born January 4, 1860, married Joseph M. Fronefield; Edward E. born September 17, 1863, died April 25, 1864; Lillie I., born January 5, 1865, died August 20, 1865.
Benjamin D. Abraham was born on the Abraham homestead February 6, 1826, and lived there until his marriage. He was educated in the public schools. February 6, 1851, he married Miss Jane Eastburn, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Ramsey) Eastburn. Jane Eastburn was born in Upper Merion township, August 19, 1828, on the Eastburn homestead. Soon after their marriage they removed to the farm which has been their home ever since. The farm consists of one hundred acres, and is a part of the original tract purchased by James Abrams. The father of Benjamin Abraham had built a stone house and barn on the tract. He added to these from time to time until no better farm buildings could be found in Upper Merion township. When he took the farm it was nearly entirely in its native state, but he cleared it, planted orchards and shade trees, and it is now one of the best farms for miles around. In religious faith he was a Baptist all his life, and in politics a Democrat although not an office seeker. He died February 7, 1900, and was buried in the Montgomery cemetery in Norristown. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Abraham were as follows:
Anna M., born November 12, 1851, died January 14, 1857; Margaret Julia, born November 27, 1853, married William B. Thomas. Margaret Julia had the following children: Benjamin A. and Francis L.
Josephine, born February 18, 1856, married Alfred Taylor. They had one child who died in infancy. Mrs. Taylor died April 8, 1880.
George, born March 28, 1858, died in infancy.
Emma Jane, born June 29, 1860, married Owen Evans. Their children: Clara Jane, Benjamin and Edward, twins, and Margaret.
Edwin, born November 27, 1865.
Owen E., born November 24, 1867, is unmarried and resides in Jersey City. He is a practicing surveyor.
Alice Lida, born February 17, 1870, married William B. Oberholtzer, and has one son, William A.
Edwin M., the sixth child of Benjamin Abraham, was born in the homestead, and attended the public schools of the neighborhood until he was ten years of age when he was sent to Treemount Seminary at Norristown, taught by Mr. Loch. After four years spent at this school he returned to the farm where he has since resided. He is a member of Montgomery Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has been a member for ten years, also a member of Beaver Tribe of Red Men, Norristown Lodge, No. 62. He is a Democrat in politics, and although his district has a Republican majority he was elected supervisor in 1902.
March 24, 1897, he married Elberta Davis, daughter of Jesse C. and Elizabeth (Bartholomew) Davis, members of an old Montgomery county family. Miss Elberta Davis was born May 25, 1865. Jesse C. Davis was born in Chester county, November 3, 1841, and his wife was born October 24, 1843, near Green Lee, in Upper Providence township, Montgomery county, where her family had lived for many generations. They had one child, Mrs. Edwin Abraham.
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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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