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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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CHARLES HANSELL, a well-known resident of Upper Merion township, was born June 7, 1832, in that section of Philadelphia formerly the township of Blockley. His father, Charles Hansell, fought in the second war with England in 1812. He married Catharine Sloan. Their children were: William S., Mary Ann, Eliza, Davis, Deborah, Rosanna and Charles, the last named the subject of this sketch. He married (second wife) Mary Rambo. Their children are: Rosanna, Davis H., George and Rosanna. The father died in Upper Merion, and was interred in Swedes Church cemetery. His first wife died in Philadelphia and was buried in Blockley cemetery. His second wife was buried in North Cedar Hill cemetery.

Davis H. Hansell enlisted in the Twentieth United States Cavalry and served three years; at the battle of Winchester he was shot through the body. He was in the hospital at Carlisle a long time, but went back as soon as he was well enough to do military duty, and served his term of enlistment. He was color sergeant when mustered out.

On the death of Charles Hansell’s mother, which occurred when he was fifteen months old, his father took him to the home of the child’s grandmother, who lived at King-of-Prussia. Here the child remained until the second marriage of the father, who had in the meantime removed to Upper Merion township, Montgomery county, and rented farms from different owners. After living with his father several years, he went to the home of an older brother, William S. Hansell, who kept the toll-gate at DeKalb street bridge, Norristown, remaining there two or three years, attending the public schools during that time. From there he went to live with Isaac Eastburn, where he spent two years working on the farm in the summer time and attending schools for three months in the winter. He then went to live with George B. Hampton, to whom he was apprenticed as a blacksmith, remaining four years and learning the trade thoroughly. After the end of his apprenticeship, he went to Philadelphia and secured employment in Baldwin’s Locomotive Works, in the blacksmithing department, as a forger. Two years later, he returned to Conshohocken, and was employed by Lewis Davis, as a blacksmith. Later he was in the employ of George B. Hampton, after which he worked at Swedes Furnace, for Ellwood and Andrew Norney, lime-burners, and on January 1, 1857, went to William B. Rambo’s, as blacksmith, remaining there four years, or until the breaking out of the Rebellion.

Charles Hansell enlisted April 20, 1861, as first lieutenant of Captain Reuben Schall’s Company D, of the Fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel John F. Hartranft commanding. The nucleus of the regiment was the six companies of the First Pennsylvania State Militia, which arrived at Harrisburg, April 20, 1861, having volunteered at the first outbreak of hostilities. The regiment was completed by the addition of other companies then at Camp Curtin and was organized and mustered into the United States service. The regiment left Camp Curtin on the evening of April 21, via Philadelphia, to Perryville, Maryland, to garrison that town. On the following day the right wing of the regiment went by steamer to Annapolis, where it was joined in a few days by the rest of the men, receiving clothing on April 28th. On May 8th the regiment went to Washington, D. C., and was quartered in the Assembly Buildings and the nearby church, remaining there a short time, and then going into camp two miles from the capitol, where the men were furnished with uniforms and camp equipage, and were drilled and disciplined. On June 24th, an attack on Alexandria being threatened by the Confederates, the regiment was ordered to that place. No attack was made, and the men were sent to Shuster’s Hill. On June 3oth, the pickets repulsed an attack by the enemy in which the regiment met with some loss. After this skirmish the regiment was assigned to the First Brigade, Third Division of McDowell’s army, and joined in the forward movement which resulted in the first battle of Bull Run.

The term of service of the men expiring on July 20, they were sent back to Harrisburg and mustered out of service. In all the movements of his regiment Lieutenant Hansell performed his part faithfully, and was mustered out at Harrisburg with the others on July 26, 1861, by reason of the expiration of his term of service. On his return from the army he found his wife very ill, and for two years thereafter she was under a physician’s care, which prevented him from re-entering the service as he had intended doing. The invasion of Pennsylvania by the Confederate Army in 1863 made it impossible for him to resist the call to arms, and he enlisted, June 2, 1863, to serve during the emergency as a private under Captain F. R. Haws in Company B, First Independent Cavalry Battalion, Pennsylvania Volunteer Emergency Troops, Lieutenant Colonel Richard F. Mason commanding. The battle of Gettysburg resulted in the defeat of Lee’s army, and its retreat to the Potomac river left little more for Mr. Hansell’s battalion to do but join in following up the retreat of the rebel army, which it did, and in doing so became engaged in a skirmish with the enemy’s rear guard. During both terms of enlistment he was always to be found at his post of duty, both as an officer and private soldier, and earned a reputation for faithful and soldierly conduct, of which his descendants may well be proud. Previous to the outbreak of the Rebellion, Mr. Hansell served for several years in the Pennsylvania State Militia, first in the “Wayne Artillery,” then in the “National Artillery.” After the term of his enlistment expired he returned to the employ of Mr. Rambo, with whom he remained, in charge of the blacksmithing and machinery, until his second enlistment. After the expiration of his second term he again returned to his former employer, and continued his labor until the year 1881. Mr. Rambo, having been elected secretary and treasurer of the Block & Tile Paving Company and not being able to secure a suitable person to manage his plant, he insisted on Mr. Hansell taking the position, which he accordingly did on November 1, 1881, and he has had continuous charge up to the present year, 1904. In politics Charles Hansell is a Republican, voted first for Fremont and has voted for every Republican candidate for president since that time. He has been inspector of elections.

Mr. Hansell was married August 14, 1856. Mr. and Mrs. Hansell had one son, Henry H., born March 10, 1860. He was educated at Oak Street school, Norristown. He also carried on the blacksmithing trade. He married Anna Rambo, daughter of Nathan and Sarah (Crozier) Rambo. Their children are: Charles H., born April 3, 1882, now a fireman on the Philadelphia and Reading Railway; Isaiah, born April 8, 1883, now employed by William McCoy; Mabel, born December 16, 1886, graduated in the fall of 1902, at Schissler’s College of Business, Norristown, and is now employed in Philadelphia. Henry H. Hansell died October 12, 1898.

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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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