~ CHALFONT

Chalfont - Chalfont Borough Municipal Building
Municipal Offices
40 N Main Street
Chalfont, PA 18914
215-822-7295
School District:Central Bucks

Daniel h. Sellers, s/o Philip and Hanna, was born in Montgomery co. in 1810, died at Chalfont, bucks co in 1897. he married Mary Ann bush in 1834, she was born 1814 and died 1891 children; Hiriam Francis, born 1835, married Mary Ann Oakford, Charles p .born 1839 unmarried, Alphonso b. born 1842, of new hope, married Adam. Philips, d/o Charles and Sarah (smith) Phillip, no children, Daniel w. married Elizabeth Brunner, harry a. married Carrie Dinkelacher.

DANIEL H. SELLERS (Edward1, John2, Enoch3, Hannah 4), son of Philip and Hannah (Roberts) Sellers, born in Montgomery County, Pa., in 1810, died at Chalfont, Bucks County, in 1897. He taught school for nineteen years, from 1833 to 1852. During five years of this period he taught in Philadelphia. In 1852 he purchased a farm in New Britain Township, near Chalfont, which he operated until 1883. In the latter year he removed to Chalfont, and lived retired until his death. He married in 1834

1928

Baburich,John,120447,Chalfont,Dec.28

Bevan,Harrison H,62022,Chalfont,June 5.

History of Bucks County Pennsylvania from the Discovery of the Delaware to the Present time. William Watts Hart Davis

page 60 - In 1720 John James and his eldest son Thomas purchased oe thousand acres in New Britain township, Bucks County, including a portion of the present boroughof Chalfont, and extending eastward at least two miles, and north westerly at its western end nearly as far, being in the shape of the Letter L. Between that date and 1726, when they made a divisio of the land between the, they conveyed nearly one half of this tract to the other three brothers, William, Josiah and Isaac, and William and Thomas had purchased other tracts adjoining on the northeast until the family owned nearly if not quite 10,000 acres, extending from Chalfont far into what is now Doylestown towship, and up across Pine Run and North Branch to the old highway leading through New Galena. Two of the brothers, Josiah and Isaac, do not seem to have left descendants in Bucks County, though both owned portions of the original 1,000 acre purchase. Josiah married, May 21, 1724. Elizabeth , daughter of Thomas Perry of Great Valley Baptist church, Chester county, and a year later she was received as a member of Montgomery church, but Jne 16, 1727, they received a dismissal to Great Valley and probably settled in Chester county.

Samuel James, youngest son of Thomas and Jane, received from his father a farm of about 150 acres just north east of Chalfont and died there in 1804. He married, April 8, 1765, Anna Keshien, a sister to his brother John's first wife and had five chidren: 1. Samuel, who married Elizabeth Shewell, and removed to Maryland, where he died in1847; 2. Levi, who married Rebecca Polk and was the father of Samuel P. and grandfather of Levi L., James, late a member of the bar, and father of Robert James, deceased, who son Louis H. was also a lawyer and Lydia, who married John G. Mann; 3. Elizabeth, married Isaac Oakford; 4. Margaret, married John Wolfe; and 5. Ann James. Levi married late in liSeptember 26, 2021

He inherited the homestead farm near Chalfont, and was a prominent and successful farmer, acquiring considerable other land in the vicinity. He married Mary Stephens, daught of David Stephens and granddaughter of Evan Stephens

page 161 - Thomas Mathew, youngest son of Si mon and Jane, was born in New Britain in 1728. He inherited the homestead farm near Chalfont, and was a prominent and successful farmer, acquiring consid erable other land in the vicinity. He married Mary Stephens, daughter of David Stephens and granddaughter of Evan Stephens, an early Welsh settler in New Britain. He died in 1795.

page 221- Harvey W. Moyer, son of Levi S. and Caroline (Weinberger) Moyer, was born June 21, 1868, in Bingham, North ampton county, Pennsylvania, and was educated in the public schools of his birthplace. There also he was trained by his father to the occupation of a' butcher, and followed the business for four years. Beginning in a small way and on borrowed capital, his efforts were crowned with success, and he was enabled to discharge his obligations and build up a flourishing with success, and he was enabled to discharge his obligations and build up a flourishing trade. In 1894 he moved to Chalfont, and is now at the head of a large establishment, his con nections extending throughout the adjacent country. He is a successful business man and has built for himself a comfortable and attractive home. He is active as a citizen, and has been chosen by his neighbors a member of the town council, an office which he still holds. In politics he is a Republican, and in religion a member of the Mennonite church. Mr. Moyer married, December 29, 1892, Lizzie S., born November 23, 1871, daughter of Abram and Ellamina (Sleifer) Kulp, and three children have been born to them : Florence, who was born January 30, 1894; Grace Lorene, born October 14, 1896; and Ray K., born November 23, 198, and died July 19, 1900.page 222 - LEVI SWARTLEY, of Chalfont, Bucks county, is the only surviving child of John and Mary (Mover) Swartley, and was born in New Britain township, April 5. 1832. Philip Schwardley, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Eppingen, in Necker, grand duchy of Baden, Germany, October 28, 1764 and is supposed to have come to this country with his elder brothers John and Jacob in the ship "Minerva," arriving at Philadelphia on September 30, 1772. As, however, the list of pas sengers does not include the names of the two younger brothers, it is possible they may have followed their brother to Pennsylvania some years later. Philip was probably a resident for some years of Franconia township, Montgomery county, where he married Sarah Rosenberger, born January 24, 1765, daughter of Rev. Henry and Barbara (Oberholtzer) Rosenberger,

page 266 - ROBERT M. JOHNSON, one of the energetic business men of Chalfont, is a son of William Johnson, who was reared on a . farm, and upon the breaking out of the civil war enlisted in the Union army from New Britain township. He married Hannah Lutz, and their children were: Franklin L., Emma E., and Robert M., mentioned at length hereinafter. Franklin L. married Anna Lister. Emma E.. became the wife of Abraham Clymer. of Line Lexington, and after his death married John Lewis, of Hilltown. Robert M. Johnson, son of William and Hannah (Lutz) Johnson, was born July 13, 1859, in New Britain township, and was educated in the public schools of his biSeptember 26, 2021ation with David E. Hebner, of Chalfont, and after the expiration of his time he worked for five years as jour neyman at Line Lexington. In 1887 he purchased the store of William Bruner, at Chalfont, where he now conducts an extensive , plumbing and heating busi ness, carrying a large stock of stoves, heaters, ranges and similar articles. His patronage is not limited to Chalfont, but includes the surrounding towns. His political connections are with the Demo cratic party, and he is a member of the Pleasantville Reformed church.

CHURCHES

Church's fate 'in God's hands'

By FREDA R. SAVANA
The Intelligencer

Church's fate 'in God's hands'
By FREDA R. SAVANA
The Intelligencer

After nearly 150 years, St. James Lutheran Church is facing a financial crisis that may force it to close and its members to worship elsewhere.

Declining membership, a hefty mortgage and the rising costs of heating and maintaining the old building in the heart of the historic district, at Main Street and Park Avenue, have contributed to the congregation's considerable money woes, said Jim Karthaus, the church's treasurer.

“We're giving it our best, last effort,” said Karthaus. “If we can't raise enough we'll have to vote to hand it over to the synod. That could come within the next couple of months.

Karthaus said it's likely the synod (the church's parent organization) would sell the building, possibly to another church.

Church members are looking for support from within as well as in the wider community, hoping to reach a goal of some $300,000 to pay off a mortgage twice that size that it took in the late 1990s. The church borrowed more than $600,000 for a major renovation project that restored its original tin ceiling, added a reception area, two nurseries and a new entryway.

Andy Grove, president of the church's council, said raising the money would allow the church, the oldest in the tiny borough, to survive.

“I like to put it in God's hands,” he said.

Problems started as the congregation began to shrink over

the past decade. That was due in large part, said Grove, to a change in services that shifted from traditional to contemporary.

When the church decided to move away from a traditional Lutheran service, Grove said, many families left and membership plummeted from its high of 175 families to the 40 or so families it has today.

“We are wonderful and love who we are,” said Karthaus, “but the building may be too big for us.”

With dwindling members “it's just not enough to cover the mortgage, pay a full time pastor and heat the building,” he said. Utility costs alone reach $1,000 a month.

Should the church dissolve, both Grove and Karthaus said, members could move to a Lutheran church in nearby Hilltown or Dublin or stay together and worship in each other's homes or another location.

Pastor Jim Heckman of St. Peter's on Hilltown Pike will be available to meet with interested members from St. James to give an overview of the ministries at his church on Monday at 7:30 p.m.

While the congregation continues to hold its Saturday and Sunday services, it is also meeting each Tuesday night at 6:30 for prayer and conversation at the church.

Regardless of whether the church continues, Grove said the congregation is optimistic the landmark building will maintain its historical integrity, protected by its status in the historic district.

Donations can be sent to:
St. James Lutheran Church
14 Park Ave.
Chalfont, PA 18914
For more information, call (267) 221-8223 or (215) 345-0788

Freda R. Savana can be reached at (215) 345-3061 or fsavana@phillyBurbs.com.

January 21, 2007 6:09 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------