My Genealogy Hound

HON. EDWIN HALLOWELL, of Willow Grove, Abington township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, was born on the family homestead, where he has resided up to the present time (1904). He is a descendant of John Hallowell, the emigrant, who became the progenitor of a numerous and influential family, and from whom descended most if not all of the Hallowells of Bucks and Montgomery counties.

John Hallowell, the emigrant, was twice married, as appears from the records of Abington meeting. His first wife, Sarah, bore him one child, John, born in England 12 mo., 8, 1672. His second wife was Mary, daughter of Thomas Sharpe, who came with him from Hucknow, in the parish of Sutton, Nottinghamshire, England, bringing a Friends’ certificate dated 12 mo., 19, 1682. Of this marriage there were nine children, the first three born in England, and the others in America, as follows: Sarah, born in 1677; Thomas, 1679; Mary, 1681; John, 1685; Elizabeth, 1687; Hannah, 1689; Samuel, 1692; Benjamin, 1694; Jane, 1696.

John Hallowell, on first coming to this country, settled near Darby. On 6 mo., 15, 1696, he bought from Silas Crispin, executor of the estate of Thomas Holmes, a tract of land containing six hundred and thirty acres in Abington township, adjoining Upper Dublin, and on the line of the Manor of Moreland for upwards of a mile, paying therefor 58 pounds and 16 shillings. Shortly after this purchase, John Hallowell removed to his new property, living at first in a rude cabin which he constructed partly in the ground on the sunny side of a hill, making a habitation which in early days was known as a cave, similar to those constructed by some of the early settlers of Philadelphia. This was at or near what has recently been the residence of the well known horseman, Philip R. Theobald, about a mile and a half southwest of Willow Grove, in one of the finest neighborhoods in Montgomery county. The Theobald farm formed a portion of the original Hallowell tract. Up to the time of the Theobald purchase from Benjamin Hallowell, son of Isaac and Sarah Hallowell, about 1850, the property had remained in the Hallowell family, and the adjoining one hundred-acre tract has remained in the family name for considerably more than two centuries. John Hallowell conveyed to his eldest son, Thomas, 8 mo., 1, 1702, two hundred and twenty acres of his tract with the improvements thereon. The remainder, four hundred and eight acres, he divided equally, 4 mo., 11, 1706, between two younger sons, Samuel and Benjamin, as they came of age.

Thomas Hallowell conveyed, 12 mo., 25, 1730, his two hundred and twenty-acre farm derived from his father to his eldest child, William, who purchased from William Dunn, in 1730, one hundred acres in Moreland, which he conveyed, 6 mo., 3, 1736, to his son Thomas Weaver, who had previously occupied it. This tract was situated a mile northwest of Willow Grove, and is the farm which is now owned by Joseph Hallowell, father of Dr. William Hallowell, of Norristown, now long deceased, and on which he was born more than a century ago, he having been a son of Joseph Hallowell, and grandson of Thomas Hallowell. Thomas died in 1788, and his son Joseph in 1843, William dying fifty years later, so that the three generations of the same family, represented by these three individuals, owned the property for a time somewhat exceeding a century and a half, this being a very remarkable instance of longevity in one family.

Benjamin Hallowell, the youngest son of John and Mary (Sharpe) Hallowell, born 10 mo., 31, 1694, died 10mo., 18, 1758. He settled in Abington and married Mary, daughter of John and Mary Rodgers, at Abington Friends’ Meeting, 10 mo., 26, 1715. Mary was born 2 mo., 10, 1690, and died 1 mo., 23, 1766. Their children were: Sarah, born 7 mo., 17, 1716, married Benjamin Holt; Mary, born 9 mo., 11, 1718; Martha, born 3 mo., 29, 1721, married James Hawkins; Hannah, born 9 mo., 9, 1723, married Thomas Palmer; Elizabeth, born 6 mo., 16, 1725; and Benjamin, born 1 mo., 10, 1728.

Benjamin Hallowell, youngest son of Benjamin and Mary (Rodgers) Hallowell, married Eleanor Tyson, seamstress, daughter of Peter Tyson, at Abington Meeting, 4 mo., 21, 1752. Eleanor was born____, and died 10 mo., 11, 1777. Their children were: Peter, born 1 mo., 22, 1753, married Rachel Taylor; Sarah, born 2 mo., 8, 1755, married Joseph Tyson, son of Rynear Tyson, at Abington Meeting, 10 mo., 17, 1782; Mary, born 2 mo., 22, 1757; and Hannah, born 2 mo., 2, 1760.

Peter Hallowell, eldest son of Benjamin and Eleanor (Tyson) Hallowell, married Rachel Taylor. Their children were: Julianna, born 9 mo., 2, 1782, died 3 mo., 1, 1785; Joel, born 5 mo., 26, 1784; Sarah, born 2 mo., 25, 1786, died 1856; Eleanor, born 11 mo., 11, 1789; Martha, born 5 mo., 21, 1792; Benjamin, born 2 mo., 3, 1795, died 1795; and Benjamin T., born 7 mo., 11, 1797.

Benjamin T. Hollowell, youngest son of Peter and Rachel (Taylor) Hallowell, was born in Abington township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, 7 mo., 11, 1797. He was educated in the neighborhood schools and at the Joseph Foulke Academy, a celebrated institution of learning in its day. He then taught school for some time in Abington and Moreland townships, after which he took up farming in Abington township, and subsequently purchased the homestead farm from his cousin, Thomas Hallowell. He resided thereon during the remaining years of his life, and his children have occupied it up to the present time. Mr. Hallowell was an enterprising and progressive citizen, and took an active interest in public affairs. He was an ardent supporter of the principles of Democracy, and was elected by his party to the office of justice of the peace, serving in that capacity for a number of years. In 1845 he was nominated for the position of assemblyman, elected on the Democratic ticket, served one term creditably, and succeeded himself in 1846. The following year he was again the choice of his party for the office, but was defeated. In 1848 he was again his party’s candidate, and was elected by a substantial majority. His whole career during his public service was marked with a high sense of duty and fidelity to his constituents.

Benjamin T. Hallowell married, in 1833, Eliza Buckman, daughter of Phineas and Letitia (Hough) Buckman, and their children were: Buckman, who married Mary Weckerly; Reuben, who resides in Denver, Colorado; he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, served honorably nearly three years, and was discharged after the close of the war. Edwin, born 4 mo., 2, 1844, mentioned hereinafter. Joshua I., who resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. Franklin, who resides in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Sallie, who became the wife of Davis W. Sill. Mary B. Benjamin T. Hallowell, father of these children, died 9 mo., 1884, respected and esteemed by all who knew him. Eliza (Buckman) Hallowell, the mother, died 9 mo., 1877. She was a most estimable lady of the old school type, and her decease mas regretted by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

Edwin Hallowell, third child and third son of Benjamin T. and Eliza (Buckman) Hallowell was born on the family homestead, near Willow Grove. He was educated in the neighborhood schools, and was reared to manhood under the parental roof. Upon attaining years of discretion he took an active interest in the management of his father’s estate. He became closely associated with the public interests of this section of Montgomery county and his thorough knowledge of the organization of the Democratic party being at once recognized, he was made the party candidate for the assembly in 1876. He was elected to this office and served creditably one term, and in 1878 was re-elected, serving his constituency during the second term with the same faithfulness and efficiency. He served in the capacity of chairman of the county committee, in 1888, was the delegate to the national convention, and in 1890 was chosen as the candidate for representative to congress from the Seventh district. Mr. Hallowell made a successful canvass, and was elected in a district which was largely Republican. He served throughout the Fifty-second congress, and in 1892 was again his party’s nominee for the same office, but was defeated by his opponent by a very small majority.

While Mr. Hallowell has not courted public office, he has at all times been an earnest advocate and supporter of Democratic principles. He also evinces a deep interest in the advancement and growth of the community in which he resides, and furthers every enterprise calculated to promote its social and material welfare. He is a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 400, Free and Accepted Masons, at Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.