My Genealogy Hound

JOHN N. SHADE, for more than a dozen years superintendent of the Royersford Water Works, is descended from an old family in Montgomery county. He is a native of Limerick township, where he was born October 31, 1851. He was reared on a farm, varying such duties with work in a blacksmith shop, and attendance at a neighborhood school. He is the son of Jacob and Mary (Major) Shade, both of Montgomery county.

Jacob Shade (father) was the son of Jacob and Mary (Shunk) Shade. Both members of old families in that section of the county, of German descent. Jacob was a favorite name in the Shade family, some one of their number having borne it in each generation. Jacob Shade, great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, married a Miss Buck, of another old upper end family, the couple having the following children: Henry, Daniel, Jacob (grandfather); Elizabeth, Christina and Catharine, all died unmarried; Margaret (Mrs. B. Place).

Jacob (grandfather) was born in Upper Providence township. After several removals he finally located on a farm near where Royersford has since been built. He died in 1829. He was a member of the Reformed church, and stood well in the community. His widow married again, her second husband being Benedict Garber, a blacksmith located at first in Upper Providence township. He removed in 1834 to the vicinity of Limerick church, where he worked at his trade many years. He retired from business in 1848, and after a few changes of residence located in Royersford, built a residence, and lived there until his death. His wife died there also in 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Benedict Garber had two children-Francis, also a blacksmith by occupation, and Martha (Mrs. Evan Lewis).

Jacob Shade’s children were: Abel, died at the age of thirty-two years; Jeriah, a Reformed minister; Henrietta (Mrs. F. Isett); Charlotte (Mrs. Peter Cramer); Daniel, who learned the trade of a wheelwright and later became a practicing physician; Jacob, father of John Shade, subject of this sketch, who was an infant at the time of his father’s death, and was reared by his step-father, Benedict Garber, with whom he learned the blacksmith trade, and later succeeded Mr. Garber, remaining at the original stand near Limerick church from 1848 to 1860, and then removing to a location near Linfield, where he continued until 1901. He then retired from active labor, and settled at Royersford, where he still resides, enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life. He still owns the country home of six acres, in that vicinity. Mr. Shade was for many years a leading Democrat of Limerick, being prominent in party councils. He was nominated for recorder of deeds of Montgomery county by his party convention, and made a close race with his Republican opponent, but was defeated along with the rest of the Democratic ticket. He was a man of the highest integrity and honor, who performed every duty in the most satisfactory manner. In 1851 he married Miss Mary A. Major, an intelligent and cultured woman, who made him an excellent wife. She was born in Limerick township, August 10, 1827, being the daughter of Jacob and Mary (Schenck) Major. Jacob Major was a son of John Major, and the father of the last named came from Wales at the same time as the ancestors of the Evans family, also prominent residents of Limerick. John Major was a leading farmer of the township, and a strong Democrat. He filled a number of township offices, but never aspired to higher honors. His children were: Jacob, William, John, George, Hannah (Mrs. Daniel Miller).

Jacob Major was reared in farm pursuits, alternating this employment with work at the shoemaker’s bench. He followed that trade for some time afterwards. He died in Limerick in 1851. His widow survived him seventeen years, making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Jacob Shade. Mrs. Major died in 1868. She was a daughter of Matthias Schenck, a tailor by trade, and a native of Montgomery county, of German descent. He had but one child-Mary Magdalene, grandmother of John M. Shade. The children of Jacob and Mary M. Major: Matthias, died in 1863, leaving ten children, all of whom are living; John, a railway engineer, who died in 1899, leaving three children; Louisa, died young ; Mary A., mother of John M. Shade; Elizabeth (Mrs. Jacob Fout); David died young; Enos, of Spring City; Catharine (Mrs. N. Brant). They are all members either of the Lutheran or Reformed churches.

Jacob and Mary A. Shade had ten children as follows: John M., subject of this sketch; Zephaniah, foreman in the pattern-fitting department of the stove works; Charlotte (Mrs. William Saylor); Samuel, a stove mounter; Jacob A., died at the age of twenty-two years; Catharine (Mrs. Charles Hetrick); Mary E. (Mrs. Daniel Shelcap); Harriet, unmarried; Frederick, who has been employed by the Home Water Company of Royersford for seven years; Charles M., by occupation a blacksmith, but at present employed in the life insurance business at Spring City. The mother is a member of the Reformed Church.

John M. Shade is naturally ingenious, and soon acquired a knowledge of the use of tools which has been of great value to him in his subsequent life. He remained at home until he was fourteen years of age; he then worked as a farm hand, and when he was seventeen years of age he found employment at the stove works of March, Brownback & Co., at Linfield, being thus engaged for three years. He then spent a year in work on the construction of the Colebrookdale Railroad. He was then for a time at New Bedford, Massachusetts, engaged in the construction of a coal pocket for the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company. After recovering from an attack of typhoid fever he returned to March, Brownback, & Co., remaining there two years, during which time he married and located at Linfield in June, 1876. He then removed to Royersford (in 1878) and became employed with Schantz & Keely, stove manufacturers, being thus employed until 1880, when he took a position with the American Wood Paper Company of Spring City, being engaged eleven years with this firm, where he was engineer in charge of repairs, superintending the mill for two years. He was then one year with the Keystone Meter Company, of Royersford. In 1893 he took the management of the Royersford Water Company, in which he has continued ever since, being most emphatically the right man for the place. In 1878 Mr. Shade built a commodious residence in Royersford, which he occupies. He is a practical man, giving the closest attention to business, and doing all that is possible to promote the prosperity of the community in which he lives. Politically he is a Democrat, but has never been an office-seeker. He has filled several important positions, including nine years consecutively in town council, and director in the Water Company for a dozen or more years. He has also held several minor offices. Mr. Shade is a member of the Reformed church, where he is a deacon. He is also a member of the Masonic order, and of the Knights of the Golden Eagle.

Mr. Shade married Miss Annie C. Rau, a native of Chester county. She was born in November, 1852, being a daughter of John and Frederika (Bausman) Rau. The parents of Mrs. Shade are deceased. Both her parents were born in Germany. Their children: David, John, Harry, Mary (Mrs. John Grander); Lydia (Mrs. D. Hillborn); Annie C. (Mrs. John M. Shade).

Mr. and Mrs. Shade have the following children: Bessie and Mary E.