was deeply felt in the community, and at his funeral his late preceptor, the well known Rev. Samuel Aaron, paid the highest tribute to his fidelity as a student and a christian. The death of Abel Fitzwater, which occurred November 2, 1840, was so remarkable in its connected circumstances as to deserve special attention.

It will be remembered by elderly people that the most destructive ice freshet that ever happened on the Schuylkill occurred early in January, 1839, at which time many bridges and dwellings on the banks of the river and confluent creeks were swept away. The newly sprung-up village of Lumberville, which had been built on part of the farm and close to the Fitzwater mansion, was almost totally submerged, and it was exposure amid the floating ice in his endeavors to assist the helpless inmates of the surrounded houses on that eventful day that lay the seat of a disease that eventually caused his death, November 2, 1840. That he bore his sufferings and affliction with marked resignation and fortitude, only realized by the true christian, may be inferred from the following extract from notes found among his papers after his death. He had taken observations of the progress of his disease at various times during his illness, and a few months prior to his death, after mentioning some of the remedies that had been applied, he writes:

"But may I be assisted to look to that physician who can alone supply a sovereign remedy for every disease of body and soul, and through his grace may I be enabled patiently to await the time when my suffering here shall cease, and when through his assistance I may be prepared to enter on a new scene, not like here, of suffering and sorrow, but of glory and immortality. Oh, my father, help me to be patient for thy son's sake. Amen!"

Abel Fitzwater was a man of high christian character and enlarged benevolence, always ready to be in the foremost ranks of workers in the temperance, anti-slavery or other works of reform. Runaway slaves ever found an asylum in his hospitable dwelling, and many poor fellows, after having their lacerated backs bathed and wounds dressed, were for

warded on the underground railroad to a safer and more northern home.

For many years he was a deacon in the church of his choice, and held in the highest estimation by his religious brethren and fellow-citizens generally. His wife survived him thirtynine years, dying November 13, 1879, aged seventy-four years.

It now becomes our duty and right here to record the further history of Abel Fitzwater's only remaining son, Joseph Fitzwater, who has permitted us to draw this family memorial. Joseph Fitzwater was born at the family homestead, already described, May 25, 1829, where he still lives to this writing. His education was derived from such tutors as Elijah F. Pennypacker, of Chester county, and later Samuel Aaron, of Norristown. He was married October 19, 1852, to Frances B. daughter of Nathan and Elizabeth Pennypacker, of Chester county, and there have been born to them two children, Albert and Ada M. Albert married Letitia Vanderslice, and they have children, Carrie M. and Joseph A. Joseph Fitzwater, ever

since arriving at manhood, has been carrying on the farming business exclusively at the old homestead until about 1870, when he embarked in the hardware and agriculture implement business at Phoenixville, having leased his farm for that purpose. About 1880 he gave his son Albert an interest in the business in Phoenixville, and conducted the hardware business in connection with the implement and drilling of wells by steam-power for a period, when the hardware branch was disposed of and the well-drilling continued, superintended by his

son.

For many years Mr. Fitzwater has been one of the directors of the National Bank of Phoenixville, and President of the Phoenixville Bridge Company. He was three years one of the School Directors of Upper Providence, during which three school houses were built, partly the result of his exertions. Mr. Fitzwater, though filling with great acceptance these local and business trusts, has never aspired to those of a public or political nature. In politics he has always been an anti-slavery Whig or Republican, with a decided leaning to the Prohibition party of late years. In religion he and his family adhere to the church of his father and mother, at Green Tree.

His farm is one of the best improved in that part of Schuylkill valley, and although badly cut by the new Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley railroad, he has secured a station near his house, which makes some amends.

Mr. Fitzwater will pardon the author for adding, of his own knowledge, that he is a man of most genial nature, kind and hospitable to all who visit his domicile, intelligent and well posted upon all public questions, of decided literary taste, and an active member of the County Historical Society, in short, a man who has seen much of life, and yet not "spoiled by contact with the world."

MILFORD H. GREGG.

Milford H. Gregg, who has achieved considerable distinction in Philadelphia as a monumental designer and constructor, was born at Chestnut Hill, April 29, 1856, and served his apprenticeship in Norristown, where he resided for several years. He comes from Revolutionary stock, both his great-grandfathers having been soldiers in the Revolution. His maternal great-grandfather, Joshua Butcher, was in the battle of Germantown, and it is recorded that after the battle he went to his home to change his linen, when he was followed by three British soldiers who began to batter down the front door, but were held at bay by a large mastiff until the family had escaped through a rear door. When they returned in a few days they found the house rifled, the feather beds cut open and the dog killed. His maternal grandfather, Samuel Butcher, held a commission as color-bearer in the war of 1812, and the noted company to which he belonged is still remembered by the old residents of Germantown. His father, John D. Gregg, though of Quaker ancestry, who had settled in the vicinity of Kennett Square, Chester county, was also imbued with military instincts, so when the war of the rebellion broke out he enlisted in the first three months' service and remained continuously during the war, participating in twenty-one engage

ments unharmed until in the very last battle fought on the soil of Virginia he fell mortally wounded at Five Forks April 1, 1865, while acting as First Lieutenant in the 11th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Col. Richard Coulter commanding.

Young Gregg, thus left an orphan at an early age, was sent to the National Soldiers' Orphan School at Gettysburg, where he remained nearly four years and received a liberal military education. In 1871 he returned to Germantown and shortly afterward entered the service of Edwin T. Freedley, who paid him, he says, the first dollar he ever earned. Desirous, however, of learning a trade and having a decided inclination for mechanical pursuits, he went to Norristown and indentured himself as an apprentice to James Moyer to learn the art of marble carving and served out his time with credit to himself and satisfaction to his employer. After learning the trade he started on a traveling tour through the state carving monuments and lettering tombstones until the autumn of 1879, when, while in Phoenixville, he received an offer from Van Gunden & Young, of Philadelphia, to superintend and manage their branch works at Thirty-ninth street and Woodland avenue, which he accepted. He remained with that firm for seven years, and during that period he contracted for and superintended the erection of a large amount of elegant monumental work in marble and granite, of which the West monument in Ivy Hill and the W. C. Allison monument in Woodlands Cemetery are illustrations. During this period he also perfected himself in drawing and became quite noted as an originator of appropriate monumental designs. Recently an opportunity occurred to purchase the works of which he had been manager, using for that purpose money that had been left him by his grandfather, and he is now carrying on business for himself. His friends, who include men like B. K. Jamison, W. C. Allison, and others, predict for him a bright future.

JACOB D. CUSTER.

CLOCK MAKER AND INVENTOR.

Unquestionably the most eminent and ingenious mechanic* that Montgomery county ever produced was Jacob D. Custer, the famous watch and clockmaker, of Norristown, and like his predecessor, David Rittenhouse, he was entirely untaught by others. He was born in Worcester township, Montgomery county, March 5, 1805. His ancestry were undoubtedly German Menonnists, who left the fatherland early in the last century. His father was John Custer, a respectable farmer, and his mother's maiden name Barbara Ann Detwiler, also of German descent and a Menonnist. They had five children, as follows: Jacob D., our subject, and a twin sister, who died in infancy; the others were Jonas, Mary and Isaac D., the last and youngest of the family still living in the far West.

As was customary with the plain German sects of Pennsylvania at the time of his youth, little attention was paid to education beyond enough tuition to enable children to read the Bible, which was almost the only book, with enough further instruction to write and cast accounts. So Jacob D. never went to school till near his sixteenth year, and then but a short term of two or three months.

The manner of his first introduction to watch repairing is thus described.

As was customary then, farmers grew considerable flax and wool, manufacturing their own clothing; so Jacob's mother was much engaged spinning, and soon trained him to assist at that labor also, he having a given number of cuts of thread to do daily as a task. In after life he related that his mind was constantly running upon other machinery than spinning wheels, so that in order to give vent to his natural inclination, he would often rise long before day and spin by the light of a "tallow-dip" in order that he might finish his task and have daylight to exercise his mechanical skill upon such things as boys are inclined to construct for themselves.

*David Rittenhouse is not rated a mechanic but a philosopher.