My Genealogy Hound

ROBERT BOWNE HAINES, deceased, was born in Germantown, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, 2d mo. 16, 1827. The progenitor of the family in this country was Richard Haines, who sailed with his family for America, leaving Oxfordshire, England, in 1680. He never reached this country, however, as he died on the voyage and his body was buried at sea. Margaret Haines, his widow, and children settled at Rancocas, Burlington county, New Jersey, and the descendants are now widely scattered in that state, Pennsylvania and elsewhere. The line of descent from Richard and Margaret Haines is as follows: John, who married Esther Borton; Josiah, who married Martha Burr; Reuben, who married Margaret Wistar; Casper Wistar, who married Hannah Marshall; Reuben, who married Jane Bowne, and they resided in Germantown, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania. The last named were the parents of Robert Bowne Haines.

Robert B. Haines graduated from Haverford College, a well known institution of learning, in 1844. His father having died when he was a mere child, his training so far as the home was concerned devolved upon his mother, who was a woman of rare ability for such a task. Immediately after completing his studies he accompanied an employee of the firm of Wood, Bacon & Co., of Philadelphia, on a collecting tour, traveling one thousand miles on horseback through the southwestern states in the interest of the firm. In early manhood, a few years after leaving college, he became attached to a scientific expedition which was to go to the then comparatively unknown northwest, and which was in charge of State Botanist C. C. Parry, Dr. B. F. Shumard, mineralogist, and H. Pratton, ornithologist. They journeyed through that country mostly on horseback and in Indian canoes made of bark. Records of the discoveries of the expedition were preserved by Mr. Haines, which are full of interest. In the same year he accompanied Professor O. M. Mitchell in the survey of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, assisting in that work under some difficulty, owing to swollen rivers, flooded prairies, and intense cold on the setting in of winter. The party overcame all obstacles, however, and carried out successfully the purpose which they had in mind. In the following year (1849), Mr. Haines accompanied Thomas Wistar and Alfred Cope on their mission to investigate and settle the claims of the Menominee Indians at Green Bay, Wisconsin, making this trip at the urgent request of Thomas Wistar. These were adjusted after the most thorough and careful investigation, and Messrs. Wistar and Haines, returning to New York, carried back the money of the Indians, paid by the general government, to the amount of forty thousand dollars in gold coin, and distributed it by authority of President Taylor to the Indians, to their satisfaction and that of the government. By invitation of Mr. Albert K. Smiley, proprietor of Lake Mohonk House, which was located in the state of New York, there was held a conference on the subject of our North American Indians, in which Mr. Haines had a deep interest and sympathy with this humane effort for the better conditions of the Indian race. These conferences have been held for many years in the past and are still kept up, and are attended by eminent and philanthropic men representing several states of the Union.

In 1850 Mr. Haines purchased from the late Amos Jones his farm of one hundred acres in Cheltenham township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and in the spring of 1852 removed from his ancestral home at Germantown, Pennsylvania, to take up his residence on his new possession. It was on part of this farm that Mr. Haines established his nurseries, in 1857, which are still in successful operation. He was for twelve years an active member of the Cheltenham township school board, and for some years its president. For a quarter of a century he was an active member of the board of managers of Haverford College, his alma mater, being thus connected at the time of his decease.

His most important work, however, was in connection with religious and charitable objects. In 1870, at the age of forty-three years, he entered into the service he believed was required of him with zeal and enthusiasm. In company with his friend, Isaac Robson, of Huddersfield, England, then on a religious visit to America with a minute from his meetings in that country, he spent the greater part of the winter of 1870-71 in attending Friends’ meetings in the states of North Carolina, Tennessee and others bordering on the Mississippi river as far as Southland, in Arkansas. He always retained an active interest in the institution established by Friends for the benefit of colored people at that place, and encouraged Alida and Calvin Clark in their work for the education and uplifting of the down-trodden race. In 1872 he visited North Carolina, and was present at the yearly meeting of Friends. In 1875, with Stanley Pumphrey, he attended North Carolina yearly meeting, and with him visited the subordinate meetings of that state. He attended North Carolina yearly meeting again with Stanley Pumphrey in 1878, it being held at Friendsville, Tennessee, that year. In conjunction with his two friends, Edward L. Scull and E. H. Farnum, of Philadelphia, he purchased a fine old mansion in Maryville, Tennessee, and placed it in the hands of trustees for educational purposes, the education of white children of both sexes, an institution being established which was known as the Maryville Normal School, and has proved a blessing to many of the young people of that part of the country, affording them educational advantages which they could not otherwise obtain.

In addition to the religious visits mentioned, Mr. Haines attended the yearly meetings of New England, Baltimore and North Carolina; was twice present at those of New York, Ohio and Indiana; and in 1878 was at Canada yearly meeting and at Virginia half-year’s meeting. He was greatly interested in all these yearly meetings, as well as his own. He also took a deep interest in the cause of education, contributing largely of his means for the advancement of the same, in the spread of the Gospel, of which he was such an effective minister, and the spiritual life of the meetings. He scrupulously lived up to the scriptural injunction “Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth,” and carried on his benevolent work so quietly and unobtrusively that it was known only by its effects. He gave his thought, time and means for the benefit of his fellow beings as was required without a hope of reward, except that which flows from the consciousness of having lived in accordance with one’s best impulses. He loved little children, and never allowed an opportunity to pass of giving them a kind word or a pleasant smile. He was very fond of distributing books as gifts, and these were so appropriate that they were highly valued by their recipients. His influence was at all times in accordance with the spirit of gentleness and peace which characterized him throughout life. As a minister he was brief, fervent and to the point, and his words carried with them the sense of being prompted by the right source and centre of all truly spiritual life. Wherever known he was beloved and respected.

Robert Bowne Haines married Margaret Vaux, daughter of Dr. Caspar and Lydia (Jones) Wistar, and a descendant of two very old Pennsylvania families of Friends. Her great-great-grandfather was Caspar Wistar, who emigrated from Baden to America, landing in Philadelphia, September 16, 1717. Her mother’s family are of Welsh descent. She was also a lineal descendant of Samuel Carpenter, who came with William Penn, and a member of the provincial council and treasurer of the province.

Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Haines, as follows: Caspar Wistar, Robert Bowne, Jr., who married Mary West Huston, they having four children: Isabelle Pennock, Robert Bowne (3d), Margaret Wistar, and Charles Huston Haines; Mary Morton; William Jones, who married Catherine Wirt Cheston, they having one child, Murray Cheston Haines; Jane Bowne, and D. Jansen. Robert Bowne Haines, father of these children, died at his home in Cheltenham, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, 8th mo. 9, 1895, in his sixty-ninth year. Mrs. Haines survives him.