North Chester Borough.

D. R. Esrey

William, Joseph, Jonathan, Richard, Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary, Ann, and Sydney. Jonathan, of this number, was born, in 1791, in Delaware County, which was his life-long residence. His death occurred in 1851, while serving a term as sheriff of the county. He married Miss Margaret Newlin, and had one child, a son, Edmund. By a second marriage, to Miss Jane, daughter of William and Sarah Hawkins, his children were Sarah, Eliza Ann, George W., David R., Lydia, Henry F., Mary E., William, Jonathan, Jane, and Sydney. David Reese was born Dec. 4, 1825, in Ridley township, and at an early age removed to Wallingford, Nether Providence, where his youth was occupied in various industrious pursuits or in attendance upon the limited advantages offered by the country school. In 1844, at the age of eighteen, he left the paternal roof to enter a store at Brook Haven, Chester township. Continuing here for a number of years, he in 1850 purchased the stock of the owner, and remained disbursing goods to his various country patrons until 1866. Discerning, after an exceptionally successful career as a merchant, a profitable field in the business of a manufacturer, he in December, 1863, in connection with Hugh Shaw, purchased of Patrick Kelly, of Aston township, his interest in the Pennellton Mills, with the right to manufacture Powhattan jeans. In 1866 they erected a mill in the suburbs of the city of Chester, which was occupied immediately on its completion. In 1871 another mill, known as Mill No. 2, was erected, and in 1877, Mill No. 3, - meanwhile including doeskins and cassimeres among their products. The firm-name was in 1878 changed, and John Shaw, H. C. Esrey, and William H. Shaw admitted to a limited partnership. At the death of H. C. Esrey, in 1879, Charles S. Esrey was made a member of the firm. Mr. Esrey was, on the 25th of April, 1850, married to Margaret, daughter of Jonathan M. Marker, of Upper Darby. Their children are Jonathan M. (deceased), Henry C. (deceased), Charles S., William H., and Mary Ella (who died in infancy). Mr. Esrey was formerly in politics an Old-Line Whig, and later became a Republican. Though decided in his political views he has not aspired to public office, other than those immediately connected with the township. He is a director of the Delaware County National Bank. Mr. Esrey is a member of Madison Street Methodist Episcopal Church of Chester, and president of its board of trustees.

The North Chester Brick-yard was established by Samuel J. Rose in 1869, he having been engaged in the same business at Upland Street near Tenth, in the city of Chester. The present yard, under the management of S. J. Rose & Son, comprises fifteen acres of land on Providence Road and Twenty-first Street. Brick of all description used in ordinary building are here manufactured. Three kilns are required in the business, which gives employment to forty men and boys. Twenty-two thousand is the daily average of brick made in this yard.

Jacob Eckfeldt, the grandfather of Adam C., was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and manufactured bayonets for the army. He emigrated with his wife from Mecklenburg, Germany, and settled in Philadelphia. Among his sons was Adam, born in the latter city, who learned the trade of a blacksmith and machinist, which craft he followed in the city of his birth. He established a factory for the manufacture of wrought-iron nails, and by the excellence of his work obtained large contracts from the United States government for the construction of machinery for the United States Mint. He married Miss Margaret Baush, of Philadelphia, whose children were Sarah, Jacob R., Anna Mary M., Elias B., Susannah, Adam C., and Margaretta. Adam C. was born Aug. 26, 1812, in Philadelphia, where his youth was devoted to study, supplemented by a course at an excellent school at Doylestown, Pa. After a brief career in the commission business in his native city, he removed to Haverford township, Delaware Co., and in connection with his brother devoted his energies to the cultivation of a farm. In 1838, by the decease of this brother, he came into possession of the farm, which he continued to cultivate until 1865. Mr. Eckfeldt made his calling a matter of scientific study, and introduced all the modern appliances which serve to modify the labor of the husbandman. He returned again to Philadelphia for a brief period, and in 1868 purchased his present home in North Chester, where he has since resided. Mr. Eckfeldt was married in 1839 to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Jacob Sulger, of Philadelphia, whose children are Elias B., Anna S., and Margaretta. The first of these children enlisted during the late war in Company D, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, for a service of nine months, and fell at the battle of Antietam. Mr. Eckfeldt was a second time married on the 21st of May, 1851, to Miss Martha Ann, daughter of John Campbell. They have one daughter, Sarah E., wife of Dr. Charles Perkins. In his political predilections Mr. Eckfeldt is a Republican, having formerly affiliated with the Old-Line Whig party. He has refused various proffers of office, but served for ten years with acceptance as justice of the peace for Haverford township. He is an elder in the Third Presbyterian Church of Chester, and active in church and Christian work.