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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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JOHN H. DOYLE, a descendant of an old and honored family of Pennsylvania, was born in Warrington township, Bucks county, December 29, 1834. He is the son of William and Alice (Hoppock) Doyle, his father of Bucks county and his mother of the state of New Jersey. The Doyle family were of Irish descent. Their family name was given to the seat of justice in Bucks county, Doylestown.

William Doyle (father) was reared to the occupation of farming, but also learned the stone mason’s trade, following it in connection with farming for many years. Later he became a contractor and builder, which he continued until his death, December 7, 1838, in middle age. He was a practical business man, and had made a good start in life when overtaken by his last illness. He was a member of the Dunkard church, and politically a Whig, although not an aspirant for public position. He was a contractor on public works, including county and township bridges. His wife, who survived him many years, was the daughter of Mr. Hoppock, who married a Miss Buchanan. He was a shoemaker by trade, and later a hotel keeper in his native state of New Jersey. Still later he was the proprietor of the Harrow hotel in Bucks county, where he remained many years. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religious faith a member of the Lutheran church. His children: William, a farmer; Mary, wife of Dr. W. Lewis, a dentist; Joel, a harness maker; Alice (mother).

The children of William and Alice Doyle: John H., subject of this sketch; James B., who learned the carpenter trade, and later became a contractor and builder. He was a leading contractor in the construction of the buildings for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. He also had the contract for the construction of the new court house at Doylestown. After accumulating a considerable estate he retired from business, and became president of the North- western National Bank of Philadelphia, and was connected with other financial institutions. He was a Republican in politics, but never sought or held office, being too much occupied with business affairs to admit of it. With his brother, John H. Doyle, he made the tour of Europe, and spent some time in seeing the wonders of the old world, as he had already done in the new. He died in September, 1896, at the age of fifty- nine years, leaving a widow and two sons, who reside in Philadelphia.

After the death of William Doyle his widow married again, becoming in the course of a few years the wife of Jonathan Oram, of Bucks county, the two sons by the first marriage learning their trades. There were seven children by the second marriage, as follows: Emma, Maggie, Carrie, Alice, Winfield, Robert, Smith.

John H. Doyle had no father to advise with him or to mark out a course for him to follow through life, and was obliged to make his own way in the world. He is pre-eminently a self-made man, having been the architect of his own fortunes from the very beginning. He was apprenticed to the wheelwright trade at sixteen years of age, serving in that capacity until he reached the age of twenty-one years. He was then a farm worker for two years. On his marriage in 1857, a friend who had been observing his industry and application to business came to him with an offer of $3,000 as a loan with which he could make a start in life. He accepted it, renting a good farm, stocked it, purchasing all necessary implements, and at the end of three years had the money repaid. He continued renting until 1887, when he purchased the farm on which he still resides. The farm was situated near Horsham Meeting of Friends, the buildings being located on an eminence overlooking Horshamville. The farm contains seventy acres. Mr. Doyle has greatly improved the property, erecting additions to the buildings, planting new orchards, and setting out ornamental trees, whereby he has made a beautiful and desirable home for himself and family. The farm is now in a high state of cultivation. He is a trucker and general farmer, and has attended the Philadelphia markets for forty years or more. He was one of the organizers of the Hatboro Building and Loan Association, and has filled the office of president for many years. In politics he is a Republican, and has filled minor township offices, but has never aspired to the emoluments or honors of public position.

Mr. Doyle married, January 8, 1857, Miss Malinda Klotz, a native of Bucks county, where she was born December 30, 1837, being the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Smith) Klotz, the family being of German descent. Abraham Klotz was in his early life a freighter, using teams of horses to transport goods to different points. Later he engaged in farming, retiring ultimately and residing at Chestnut Hill, where he died in 1856, at the age of ninety-three years. He was a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Lutheran church. His wife died in 1832. Their children: Elizabeth (Mrs. E. Strauss), who resides at Chestnut Hill and is past eighty- three years of age; Susan (Mrs. John Mann), deceased; Lavina (Mrs. E. Bachman); Lucy (Mrs. John Dick); Sophia (Mrs. Stillmyer); Rosanna (Mrs. Kerbaugh); Rebecca, unmarried; Matilda, first wife of E. Strauss, who after her death, married her sister Elizabeth; Malinda, wife of Mr. Doyle; Joseph, a carpenter. Abraham Klotz served in the war of 1812.

The children of John H. and Malinda (Klotz) Doyle are as follows: 1. William, born August 16, 1857; he married, May 5, 1881, Lucy Martindale, and by this marriage has four children-J. Walter, born December 2, 1881, died December 13, 1886; Edith May, born January 4, 1883, died December 6, 1886; Ethel L., born February 9, 1889; Francis Florence, born October 12, 1894. 2. Elizabeth A., born November 6, 1858: she married Llewyllen Yerkes, and has one child, Malinda Yerkes, who married Albert Jamison, and has one child, Albert Llewyllen Jamison. 3. Howard, born December 16, 1862; he married, April 5, 1893, Laura Cline, and they have two children- Helen C., born May 5, 1896, and John H., born August 28, 1903. 4. John Warner, born November 4, 1866, died June 14, 1871. 5. Carrie R., born December 10, 1875; she married, April 16, 1902, William Kimbel.

Mr. and Mrs. Doyle are members of the Baptist church. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of the Golden Eagle.

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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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