My Genealogy Hound

DR. CHARLES Q. HILLEGASS, the well known dentist of Pennsburg, is a descendant of a family who have helped make the history of Montgomery county. He is the son of Dr. John G. and Catharine (Zeigler) Hillegass, and was born June 29, 1870, in Upper Hanover township, about one mile from where he now lives.

The family are of French descent, their ancestor having early emigrated to the Palatinate, where the brothers, George Peter and Michael emigrated prior to 1724 and John Frederick (great-great-great grandfather) several years later. George Peter Hillegass settled in the Northern Liberties, in the county of Philadelphia, and died in 1745. His children: Peter, Margaret, married George Passager, Catharine, married Philip Tull, Elizabeth and Susanna. Michael Hillegass was born in 1696, and after settling in Philadelphia became a prominent merchant, and owned a great deal of land in that city and vicinity. He died October 30, 1749, leaving a widow, Margaret. His children: Michael, born April, 22, 1728, died September 29, 1804, married Henrietta Bonde, was the first treasurer of the United States, 1775-1789; Susanna, married Frederick Kuhl, and Mary, married John Jennings. Michael Hillegass, Sr., was one of the founders of the Lehigh Coal Mine Company, which owned 6,000 acres of land now the property of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. He was buried in the Graveyard of the First Reformed church at Franklin Square, Pennsylvania.

John (Johann) Frederick Hillegass (great-great-great-grandfather) was born in Alsace, November 24, 1685. He and his wife, Elizabeth Barbara, with younger children, sailed from Rotterdam in the ship “William and Sarah,” with a party led by the Reformed minister, Rev. George Michael Weiss. They landed September 18, and took oath of allegiance September 21, 1727. They settled in Montgomery county, and prior to 1734 took up a tract of 150 acres on which he made the first improvement, and in the next few years by right of purchase became the owner of a large estate. He bought 165 acres containing a grist mill from George Gowen February 6, 1738, and 363 acres from William Parsons in 1749. He died January 6, 1745, leaving a valu able estate, and his wife died March 4, 1759. They were both buried in the cemetery of the New Goshenhoppen Reformed church.

In the direct line of descent from John Frederick is John Hillegass (great-grandfather), who was born in Upper Hanover township, about one mile west of Pennsburg, and was a farmer by occupation. He built a saw mill on his farm, and erected the first frame house in that section of the country. He afterwards erected a hemp mill, and still later the first linseed oil mill in the country. It has been rebuilt in recent years. He married Catharine Hillegass. Their children were: Jacob, Peter, John and two daughters.

Peter Hillegass (grandfather) was born near Pennsburg on the original property on what is now known as the Queen of the Valley farm, where he spent most of his life. Without much book knowledge, he had excellent judgment and practical insight of human nature. He became one of the most extensive and successful drovers and stock dealers in the country, and accumulated a considerable fortune. He continued the manufacture of linseed oil begun by his father. In politics he was a Democrat, and religiously, a member of the Reformed church. He married Maria, daughter of Jacob Gery, a Revolutionary soldier, and had the following children: Dr. John G. (father); Jacob, died young; E. Matilda, wife of Dr. James G. Mensch, and Maria C., wife of Dr. Henry Bobb. Maria C. is the only one living. Peter Hillegass was born on February 24, 1804, was married on October 7, 1827, and died April 13, 1883, aged seventy-nine years, one month and fifteen days. Both he and his wife were buried at New Goshenhoppen church.

Dr. John G. Hillegass was born October 26, 1828, in Upper Hanover township, on the old homestead near Hillegass. He attended the schools of the neighborhood and Washington Hall Collegiate Institute at Trappe. Deciding to become a physician, he entered the office of Dr. Joel Y. Schelly, at Hereford, in Berks county, remaining there three years. He took a course in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1849. He soon built up a very large practice in Upper Hanover, in which he continued for almost a half century. In 1870 he established a hardware store, and in 1876 he engaged still further in mercantile pursuits at Pennsburg by erecting a warehouse for the sale of coal, lumber and feed. He married, in 1852 (October 26), Catharine A,, daughter of Jesse Ziegler, of Salford, who died April 26, 1896, aged sixty-two years, three months and twenty-four days. The couple had ten children, as follows: Dr. Eugene Z., a practicing physician at Mantua, New Jersey; Ida, wife of Dr. John G. Hersh, a well-known physician at East Greenville; Katie O., married Dr. William Hunsberger, of Pennsburg; Ella M., married E. V. Hendricks, of East Greenville; Dr. Jesse Z., a well-known veterinary surgeon and proprietor of the Allentown Horse Bazaar, Allentown; Charles Q., of Pennsburg, subject of this sketch; Howard C., the well-known author and war correspondent, now assistant city editor of the “New York Journal;” Calvin M., of Allentown; Mary L., married J. E. Esser, clerk of Quarter Sessions, of Kutztown, Berks county; and Dr. John P., a distinguished specialist and physician of Philadelphia (now deceased). Dr. John G. Hillegass was a Democrat in politics. He was defeated for state senate on one occasion by only thirty-two votes. Hz was one of the organizers of the Perkiomen National Bank of East Greenville, and was a director until his death, which occurred December 5, 1898. He was seventy years, one month and nine days old. He was buried at New Goshenhoppen cemetery.

Dr. Charles Q. Hillegass was educated in the public schools of Upper Hanover, and in Perkiomen Seminary at Pennsburg, under the care of Professor C. S. Wieand. At the age of sixteen he entered the Philadelphia Dental College, graduating in 1889, at the age of eighteen years, receiving the degree of D. D. S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery). He also took a course at the Medico Chirurgical College, intending to complete it, but abandoned that idea at the close of the third year. He immediately began the practice of his profession in Upper Hanover township, and at the end of one year removed to Pennsburg, where he has since remained. He soon had the patronage of nearly all the leading families in the vicinity, and built up an excellent practice. In politics he is a Democrat, and has always taken an active part in politics. In 1895 he was elected a member of council of the borough of Pennsburg. In 1897 he resigned as councilman, and was immediately elected to the highest office of the borough, that of chief burgess, being the youngest burgess ever elected in the borough. He also served one term as a member of the board of health of the borough. In 1900 he was elected a school director for a term of three years, and the last year he was elected president of the board of directors. He was the first chief of the Pennsburg fire company, which is one of the foremost and strongest fire companies in the Perkiomen Valley. He later served two years as treasurer of the fire company. He has been influential in the formation of the Pennsburg Building Company, and served as its treasurer for several years.

In the spring of 1903 he purchased the old homestead where his great-grandfather had built an oil mill as early as 1802, the oil business having been handed down from father to son for four generations, and several new mills were built in this time. The original homestead tract comprises a farm of 118 acres, which was always known as the best in the Perkiomen Valley, and the linseed oil mill. Soon after Dr. Hillegass took possession of the homestead, he named the farm the Queen-of-the-Valley.” He at once had all the oil mill machinery taken out of the mill, installed paper board machinery, and converted the mill into a paper mill, where bookbinder’s and trunk board is manufactured. The mill is now known as the Perkiomen Paper Mill. In this business he took his brother-in-law, William H. Siegfried, of Reading, as a partner. About April 1, 1899, in conjunction with Robert L. Singer, he founded “Town and Country,” an illustrated weekly newspaper, which has been conducted ever since with great ability and success, being one of the best country newspapers in Eastern Pennsylvania. After conducting the paper in partnership for two years, Dr. Hillegass purchased his partner’s interest, and took complete charge of the newspaper, retiring from the practice of dentistry.

Dr. Hillegass married, September 8, 1891, Ella, daughter of William Siegfried (deceased), of Monterey, in Berks county, and one son, Foster C., was born unto them, September 10, 1902. Dr. Hillegass stands very high in the community in which he lives. He is a member of the New Goshenhoppen Reformed church.