My Genealogy Hound

HORATIO SANDS, a civil engineer of Pottstown, residing at 245 Beech street, was born at the home where he now lives, on July 27, 1850. He is the son of William L. and Caroline (Missimer) Sands.

William L. Sands (father) was born in Long Swamp, Berks county, Pennsylvania. He was a general contractor and was for many years superintendent of the roadway department of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad. Late he was a car-builder in Pottstown. Among the large buildings that he constructed were: the Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia; the Insane Asylum at Norristown, and the first cable power stations in Philadelphia. He removed to Pottstown about 1844.

On July 13, 1845, William L. Sands married Caroline Missimer. Rev. L. L. Herman officiated at the ceremony. They were active members of the Trinity Reformed church, whose building at Pottstown Mr. Sands designed. In politics he was a Republican. He died at his home in Pottstown, on February 22, 1892, at the age of seventy-five years, three months and two days. His wife died November 19, 1899, at the age of seventy-seven years, eleven months, and twenty-one days. She was born in Montgomery county. Mr. and Mrs. William L. Sands had three children, all sons: Winfield Scott, Horatio and Joseph Bailey.

Samuel Sands (grandfather) was born in Berks county and was buried at Long Swamp. Like his son William, he was a carpenter and builder. He married Miss Lesher. The Sands family is of German descent. Samuel Sands was driven out of Germany on account of his religion and came to Berks county, settling at Long Swamp.

Joseph Missimer (maternal grandfather) was a native of Montgomery county. He married Mary Geist, February 17, 1811. His second marriage was with Catharine Geist, a sister of his first wife, August 11, 1816. Joshua was his oldest son, being the child of his first wife. Delilah, Mary, Cassimer, Caroline, Susan, Washington, Rebecca, Kate and Isabella were children of the second marriage. Joseph Missimer died on August 3, 1847, at the age of sixty-one years. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. His father was Henry Missimer, who was the son of Cassimer Missimer, the founder of the Missimer family in America.

Horatio Sands was reared in Pottstown and has spent all of his life, except eighteen months, in that borough. During this eighteen months he was a resident of Royerford. He was educated in the public schools of Pottstown, and in the Hill school at the same place. He studied civil and mechanical engineering and learned to build locomotives at the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, and for the last twelve years has practiced civil engineering. His first employment was at Lititz, Lancaster county, in the Lititz Water Works, and later he was employed in the following water works: the borough of East Greenville. Montgomery county; the borough of Honeybrook, Chester county; and Malvern, Chester county; Aberdeen, Maryland; and he was superintendent of the Home Water Works at Royersford.

On May 29, 1881, Horatio Sands married Miss Priscilla N., daughter of Henry Koch, of Pottstown. They were married by Rev. A. W. Kreamer, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, pastor of the First Reformed church. They have four children, namely: William Lesher, born September 29, 1886; Bell Bisbing, born March 12, 1888; Margaret Dull, born September 3, 1889; and Matthew Stanley Quay, born August 6, 1895.

Mrs. Sands and the children are members of the Trinity Reformed church, and Mr. Sands was reared in that faith. Politically Mr. Sands is a Republican. He was borough engineer of the borough of Honeybrook for one year, of the borough of East Greenville for two years, of Aberdeen, Maryland, one year. Mr. Sands occupies the home where his father and mother lived. Mrs. Sands was born at Gilbertsville, Montgomery county, and her parents were natives of Berks county.