My Genealogy Hound

HENRY S. SASSAMAN, a justice of the peace residing at No. 371 North Evans street, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is a member of an old family of German origin long domiciled in the upper section of the state. He was born in Douglass township, Berks county, May 24, 1843. He is the son of Christian and Maria (Sassaman) Sassaman, both natives of the vicinity in which their son was born. They had six children, four sons and two daughters, as follows: Willoughby; Augustus, deceased; Mary, wife of Henry Hoffman; Lucy, wife of Joel W. D. Whitman; Henry S. Sassaman; and John S. Sassaman.

His brother, Augustus S. Sassaman, was a practicing lawyer in Berks county for many years, and was once elected assistant law judge for a term of ten years in the Berks county courts. He died at the age of sixty-one years.

Christian Sassaman (father) was a tanner by trade and later a farmer in Berks county, where he died, March 17, 1890, aged eighty years. His wife died in 1893, lacking two months of being eighty years of age. They were member of the German Reformed church, as are all the family.

John Sassaman (grandfather) was born in Germany and came to America at the age of fourteen years, settling in Berks county, where he followed blacksmithing and afterwards farming. He died in Berks county, aged sixty-eight years. His wife was Barbara Geyer, who was born in Swamp, New Hanover township. They had three sons and one daughter.

Henry Sassaman (maternal grandfather) lived in Berks county and died there at an advanced age, leaving a large family of children.

Henry S. Sassaman was reared in Berks county on his father’s farm, and lived there until he was forty years of age. He attended the public schools of the vicinity and followed the occupation of a teacher for nearly twenty years in the winter months, commencing work of this kind when he was but sixteen years of age. He also followed milling through the same period, gave some attention to farming and engaged in other pursuits prior to his removal to Pottstown.

On November 4, 1861, he married Sarah Neiman, daughter of Frederick and Charlotte (Yorgey) Neiman. The couple had eight children: Emma, Franklin, George W., Ada M., Ralph, Henry, Lucy E. and Maurice E. Emma died at the age of twenty-five years. Franklin married Anna Emes. They live at Reading, where he is employed in a puddling mill. They have five children living: Lottie, Edith, Lester, Stanley and Ruth. George W. died at the age of nineteen years. Ada M. married Charles A. Keim, now deceased. They had two children, Franklin L. and Lillie G. Franklin is a student at Girard College, Ada M. married (second husband) William Bergey. They have three children, George A., Henry Emerson Bergey and an infant son. Ralph died at the age of nineteen years and, two months. Henry died at the age of five years and six months. Maurice E. married Nettie Maiger.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sassaman and their children are members of the Reformed church. He is a member of the Order of Heptasophs. Politically he is a Democrat. Mr. Sassaman is an assessor and has served twelve years in that capacity. He was judge of elections in Douglass township, Berks county. He went to Pottstown in 1883 and was elected justice of the peace, in which office he is now serving his eighteenth year, having been appointed twice to fill vacancies and elected the remainder of the time. He has always been very careful in his decisions and few, if any, have been reversed.

On November 15, 1883, Mr. Sassaman met with an accident which has crippled him for life. While cutting wood to build a fire the ax glanced and cut him on the knee of the right leg, the injury confining him to his bed for eleven months. He has no action in the knee. He owns a substantial brick residence, No. 371 North Evans street, in which he resides.