My Genealogy Hound

DR. SAMUEL C. SEIPLE. The Seiple (original form Seibel) family were among the earliest settlers of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. They are of German origin, and possess in a great degree the hardy virtues of the race from which they sprang.

John Seiple (grandfather) was a native of Hilltown township, Bucks county. He was educated in the schools of the vicinity, and on leaving school became interested in agricultural pursuits, which he followed through life. He married Miss Bryan, the couple having twelve children, among them Enos B., father of Dr. Samuel C. Seiple, the subject of this sketch.

Enos B. Seiple was born on the Hilltown homestead in 1805, and died March 23, 1848. He was a teacher by occupation, and engaged very successfully for several years in that pursuit. Later in life he was employed at the carpenter trade, which he had learned in the intervals of teaching. In politics Mr. Seiple was a Democrat, and held the positions of assessor, collector of taxes and other minor offices. In his later years he resided in New Britain township, Bucks county. Mr. Seiple married Miss Louisa Cressman, also of Bucks county. The couple had three children: Hannah, E. Monroe and Samuel Clinton, the subject of this sketch.

Dr. Samuel C. Seiple was born in New Britain township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, April 10, 1842. He was educated in the public schools of the township, and also took a course in the normal and classical school of Rev. A. R. Horne, at Quakertown, in Bucks county. He then engaged in the occupation of teaching, which he followed for five years. He entered, in the autumn of 1865, the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, graduating from that institution in 1867 with honors. In the autumn of 1867 he located at Centre Square, in Whitpain township, opening an office there, and has practiced very successfully ever since, his patrons residing in adjoining townships as well as in the village and its vicinity. He has the reputation of a safe, careful, practical and thoroughly alert medical man. In the course of his practice extending over nearly forty years, he has had wide experience, and has given eminent satisfaction to his patrons. It may be said of Dr. Seiple that he as a man and a physician enjoys to the fullest possible extent the confidence of the people with whom he comes in contact. He is not only an excellent physician but a wise counselor in matters of business, and a progressive member of the community, always interested in whatever promises to benefit those around him. He is now looking forward to retiring from active labor in his profession and leaving his practice entirely to his son. He has built up an extensive and lucrative practice which Dr. J. Howard Seiple, from long association with his father, is perfectly capable of holding and increasing if need be.

Dr. S. C. Seiple married, in 1867, Miss Mary A. Haenge, daughter of ex-County Commissioner Tobias G. Haenge, of Hatfield township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Their children are: Dr. J. Howard Seiple, who married, in 1892, Miss Mattie Magee; Mary Algemine, wife of Dr. George F. Sieberling, a well-known physician of Allentown, Pennsylvania; Lillian M., who died at the age of twenty-one years; Blanche, who died in infancy; Margie Alma, residing with her parents, who is a graduate of the high school of Whitpain township, and attended Maryland College, near Baltimore.

Dr. S. C. Seiple, like his forefathers, is an ardent Democrat in politics. He is a member of the Medical Society of Pennsylvania, of the Montgomery County Medical Society, and of the American Medical Society. He is also a member of the Alumni Society of the University of Pennsylvania. He stands deservedly high among the members of the medical profession everywhere, and is regarded by his professional brethren as one of their most progressive members.

His qualifications as a financier led to his selection a number of years ago as a member of the board of directors of the Montgomery National Bank of Norristown, and in addition to his extensive medical practice he has transacted much business in the way of settling estates. He and his family are Lutherans in religious faith, and they attend St. John’s Evangelical church, near Belfry station, on the Stony Creek Railroad. He is a member of Charity Lodge, No. 190, Free
and Accepted Masons, of Norristown.

Dr. Seiple is also a member of Norristown Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Norristown, and of Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Templar, of that borough. He is a member of Quakertown Council, Junior Order of American Mechanics, and of Centre Square Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1863, when the state was menaced by the army of General Lee, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served three months during the emergency. He is in every sense of the word a self-made man, his parents dying when he was but a mere child, fifteen years of age, and he being obliged to depend almost entirely on his own resources. He was left to make his own way in the world as best he could. After completing his studies in order to become a physician, he found himself about a thousand dollars in debt, but he had his profession to depend upon, and he has been all his life an excellent financier, his thrift and enterprise securing him an independent and influential position in the community.

Dr. J. Howard Seiple is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, of the class of 1891. He located after his graduation at Conshohocken for a short time, and then at Pleasantville, in Bucks county, remaining there until the spring of 1894, when he formed an equal partnership with his father at Centre Square, and has ever since been engaged in practice very successfully at that place. He is a member of the Montgomery County Medical Society and of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. He is a Democrat also in politics, and is a member of the school board of Whitpain township. Dr. J. Howard and Mrs. Mattie Seiple have two children: Howell Lockhart and Frances Margaret.