My Genealogy Hound

JOSEPH MAURICE HAYWOOD, publisher of the Ambler Gazette, is a native of Ambler, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, having been born on his father’s farm, now within the borough limits, April 25, 1872.

Claudius William Haywood, grandfather of Joseph M. Haywood, was born in England August 5, 1795, and came to this country early in the thirties. His wife died not many years after. He was a cutlery manufacturer, and the owner of a large plant at Sheffield, England, where he conducted a successful business, which he sold on removing to the United States. He purchased a farm in the vicinity of Philadelphia, which he sold later, purchasing another at Germantown, which he also disposed of, thereafter becoming the owner of a farm in Lower Merion township, Montgomery county, which is still in the possession of his grandson, Joseph M. Haywood. His last purchase of property was a farm in Lower Gwynedd township, lying on the opposite side of the road from the home of Joseph Haywood. He passed away on his eighty-second birthday, August 5, 1877. He was a well-preserved man, whose strong convictions manifested themselves in what are regarded as eccentricities. One of these peculiarities was his opposition to the attendance of his children at public or private schools, they being taught by him at home. He was, however, a practical business man, with a cultivated taste for music, which he encouraged also in his children, teaching them music, and each of them could play on an instrument of some kind. He had in all eleven children, most of whom died young. William lived to the age of seventy-two, dying in 1899, and Joseph, father of Joseph M. Haywood, is the only survivor of the family.

Joseph Haywood, father of Joseph M. Haywood, after being schooled under the care of his father, was employed at farming, commencing with a small tract of land and adding to it by another purchase until he had sixty-eight acres, all of which was included within the borough of Ambler, at its incorporation. He was an advocate of the organization of the borough, but declined the honor of being its first burgess. Later, however, he served three years as burgess, afterwards was elected a town councilman, and on the expiration of his term was unanimously re-elected, but declined to serve any longer, although at that time a member of the body. For the past twenty years he has been connected with the First National Bank of Ambler, was one of its incorporators, and a member of the board of directors from the beginning. He served as secretary of the board of directors for several years, and later was elected its president, serving in that capacity until January, 1904, when at his own request he was relieved from the duties of that office, but consented to remain as a member of the board. He takes an active interest in the Ambler Presbyterian church, of which his wife was a charter member, and has served as president of the board of church trustees from its organization. He also served for a number of years as secretary and treasurer of the Ambler board of health. Mr. Haywood is an independent Republican in politics. He is now seventy-two years of age.

On March 17, 1865, Mr. Haywood married Caroline Hartzell, daughter of Samuel and Mary Hartzell, whose family consisted of the following named children: Samuel, David, Thomas, Matilda (Mrs. Ward) . Caroline (Mrs. Haywood), Sarah, and Frank. Samuel Hartzell was a mason by trade; for a number of years he lived in Rockhill township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, but later removed to Manayunk, where he and his wife died. Shortly after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Haywood removed to London, Ontario, Canada, where they remained four years, and where their first child was born. Their children were: John Lincoln, who died at the age of two years and was buried in Canada. Claudius William, born March 2, 1869, resides at Ambler on the homestead, and is engaged in the operations of the Philadelphia Arms Company, at Wayne Junction, being treasurer of the same. Joseph Maurice, born April 25, 1872, mentioned at length hereinafter. Venie, born July 16, 1877. Caroline, born September 29, 1878. Mary Maud, born July 20, 1881. The last three named are unmarried. Mrs. Haywood, the mother of these children, died suddenly on October 26, 1902.

Joseph M. Haywood was reared on his father’s farm, attending the public school of Lower Gwynedd township, and later Sunnyside school, at Ambler, conducted by the Misses Knight, from which he was graduated in the year 1889. He at once entered the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1893 with the degree of Bachelor of Science, having pursued the Wharton school course in finance and economy. In 1894 he entered the establishment of Arthur K. Thomas, proprietor of the Ambler Gazette, and remained with him until February, 1897, when he purchased the newspaper plant and has conducted the same up to the present time (1904). He has made many improvements, increasing the facilities for the publication of a good newspaper, and thus largely increasing the circulation and making progress generally. The paper enjoys a large patronage in one of the most intelligent and thickly populated communities of Montgomery county. The Gazette is generally regarded as one of the very best of the weekly newspapers of the county. There is connected with the office a job printing plant, which also comes in for a large share of public patronage. Mr. Haywood is a Republican in politics and served the borough of Ambler for five years as secretary and treasurer of the board of health.

Mr. Haywood married, October 15, 1902, Elizabeth B. Godfrey, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Godfrey, of Ambler, and granddaughter of the late Andrew Godfrey, who was for many years a hotel proprietor in Germantown, in which place his death occurred. The children of Samuel and Elizabeth Godfrey are as follows: Annie (Mrs. C. W. Haywood); Margaret E., unmarried; Dr. Andrew, of Ambler; and Elizabeth C., aforementioned as the wife of Joseph M. Haywood. Mrs. Haywood is a member of Trinity Memorial Episcopal church, at Ambler, Pennsylvania.