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HENRY B. LAPP

            HENRY B. LAPP, of Fricks, is proprietor of one of the leading productive industries of his part of the county, and has worked his way upward from a humble financial position to one of affluence, his success being achieved through determined and honorable purpose and unfaltering diligence.  His ancestry is traced back to John LAPP, who was probably a native of Germany and settled in New Britain township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where he purchased two hundred acres of land on the 23d of May, 1747. The name of his first wife, the mother of his children, in unknown.  He was married again about 1780 to Mary HOCKMAN, of Bedminster township, Bucks county, who survived him.  His death occurred in March, 1793.  His children were John, Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Mary, Barbara and Christina.

            John LAPP (2) son of John LAPP, Sr., settled on land which he purchased of his father in 1785, and there carried on farming for a number of years, but sold his property in New Britain township in 1817.

            Abraham LAPP (3) son of John and Catherine LAPP, purchased land in New Britain township in 1802.  He first became owner of fifty-three acres, afterward bought one hundred and seven acres, and in 1810 purchased seventeen acres adjoining.  He was a weaver by trade, and also gave his attention to the supervision of his agricultural interests.  His death occurred in 1855.  He married Ann Rosenberger, and they had seven children namely: 1. John, who died in New Britain in 1883, married Ann WEISSLER, and their children were: Eliza, wife Abraham MOYER; Maria, wife of Abraham HIGH; Jonas W.; John W.; Samuel W. Catherine, wife of Henry LEATHERMAN, of New Britain; Joseph W., who is living near Chalfont; Henry W., a resident of Kansas; and Samuel W., who makes his home in Iowa. 2 Joseph, who died in Warrington, married Sarah HALDEMAN, and their children are: Rachel, the wife of Elias SHADDINGER, of Plumstead; Mary, deceased wife of William OVERHOLT; John H., who is living in New Britain and married Kate RUFE; Joseph, of Philadelphia, who married Ammie CLYMER; and Susan, wife of Eli NICE, of Doylestown township, Bucks county. 3. Elizabeth, married David RICKET, of Hilltown and had three children, and she and her husband are now deceased.  4. Abraham, now deceased, lived for a time on the old homestead, and afterward in Hilltown.  He married Christiana GODSHALK, and they had two children; Tobias deceased; and Sarah Ann, the wife of Joseph L. KUIP, of Bedminster.  After the death of his first wife, Abraham LAPP married Annie MOYER. 5. Samuel, lived and died in New Britain. 6. Jacob is the father of Henry B. LAPP, whose name introduced this review. 7. Henry, married Barbara WISLER, resided for a time in New Britain, afterward removed to Bedminster and died in Doylestown township in August, 1889, while his wife died in September, 1894.  They had two children: Joseph LAPP, Jr., who was born in Bedminster township in 1855 and is now living in Doylestown township.  He married Sally GODSHALK.  Samuel married Sallie SWARTLEY, and resides in Warrington.

            Jacob LAPP (4) son of Abraham LAPP was born in Hilltown township October 13, 1813, and in his youth learned the carpenter’s trade, which he followed throughout his entire business career.  He purchased a property in Blooming Glen, where he lived for many years, and afterward bought a home in Fricks, Bucks county, where he spent his remaining days, his death occurring, January 17, 1893.  He married Esther BERGY, who was born April 8, 1817, and died in New Britain township, January 4, 1899.

            Henry B. LAPP (5) was born in Hilltown township, February 20, 1853, in the house in which he is now living and was educated in the public schools of this part of the county.  When but nine years of age he was bound out to a farmer in New Britain township, with whom he remained until sixteen years of age, being allowed the privilege of attending school for five month during the winter, while throughout the remainder of the year he was employed at farm labor.  He worked on the farm until he went to learn the harness-making trade under the direction of Henry GROSS, at Danboro, Pennsylvania.  When he had completed his apprenticeship he worked as a journeyman in Philadelphia, but during the great financial depression of 1873, when so many business houses throughout the country were closed, he lost his position and he spent all his savings while looking for work.  Unable to secure employment at his trade, he began husking corn and thus worked until he had saved thirty dollars, when he began business on his own account in a room of his house at Fricks.  This was in the fall of 1873.  In 1879 he built a small shop where his factory now stands, and he has added to this building four times in order to meet the increased demands of his trade.  His business has steadily grown, both in volume and importance, and his sales now amount to about fifty thousand dollars a year.  There are orders which now come to him that he cannot fill, and his business has long since reached profitable proportions, making him one of the prosperous citizens and representative manufacturers of Fricks.  His life history illustrates what can be accomplished through earnest purpose and the utilization and mastery of opportunity.  Mr. LAPP gives his political support to the Republican party, and while deeply interested in its success, is without political aspiration for himself.  He belongs to the Mennonite church.

            Mr. LAPP was married September 18, 1879, to Miss Susan Louise SWARTZ, a daughter of Abraham F. SWARTZ, who is of German descent, and a descendant of Andrew SWARTZ, a native of the fatherland who came to America and settled in Pennsylvania early in the eighteenth century.  His son, Andrew SWARTZ, Jr., was born in Germany and emigrated to America in 1727.  He located in Franconia township, Montgomery county, where he purchased one hundred and fifty-five acres of land, then a part of Salford township.  He married Catharine KLINE and they became the parents of ten children.

            Abraham SWARTZ, son of Andrew and Catharine (KLINE) SWARTZ, was born on the old family homestead in Montgomery county, and made farming his life work.

            Abram SWARTZ, grandfather of Mrs. LAPP was born in Franconia township, Montgomery county, April 16, 1790.  He was a clockmaker following that trade when every part of the clock was made by hand, even to the castings for the wheels.  Later, however, he turned his attention to farming in Lower Salford township, Montgomery county.  He married Susanna B. FRY, who was born January 28, 1796, and his death occurred in 1812, while his wife died September 26, 1861.  They were the parents of seven children.

            Abram F. SWARTZ, their seventh child, and the father of Mrs. LAPP, was born in Lower Salford township, Montgomery county, March 12, 1832, and was reared by his uncle upon a farm at Silverdale, Bucks county, going to his home when six years of age.  He was educated in the subscription schools and in Washington Hall boarding school at Trappe, Montgomery county, and afterward learned the trade of cabinet-making.  He largely followed carpentering, however, in the summer months, and in the winter seasons engaged in teaching school, being thus identined with the educational interests of his county for many years. Following his uncle’s death he purchased the farm upon which he was reared, and made it his home until 1897, when he removed to Blooming Glen, where he has since lived retired from business cares.  Abram F. SWARTZ was married to Catharine A. SIEGRIED, a daughter of John H. SIEGRIED.  Her death occurred in 1873.  There were six children by that marriage, the eldest being Mrs. LAPP.  The others are: Mary S., born September 23, 1857, is the wife of Isaac B. BEIDEMAN and has nine children, Frank, Estella, Harry, Alice, Abram, Raymond, Edna, Bertha and Harvey.  Isaac Franklin, born April 27, 1860, married Amansa Elizabeth BISHOP, a daughter of Jacob BISHOP.  John S., born April 27, 1864, died June 2, 1866.  Abraham Lincoln, born June 22, 1866, married Elemanda J. CRONTHAMMEL and they have two children-Mamie, who was born and died in 1894, and Abram Warren, born October 20, 1896.William Henry, born May 31, 1868, died April 15, 1878.

            Abram F. SWARTZ was married again, December 23, 1882, his second union being with Mary C. SWARTZ, a daughter of Andrew S. and Catharine B. (CASSEL) SWARTZ.  They have two children: Norman S., born October 12, 1883; and Maurice S., who was born December 10, 1884, and died March 27, 1885.

            To Mr. and Mrs. Henry B. LAPP six children have been born; Nelson S., July 28, 1880; Estella S. March 26, 1882;Agnes S., June 25, 1883; Esther S., October 17, 1884; Martha S., June 5, 1887; and Walter S., November 4, 1893.  The eldest, Nelson, was married June 8, 1894, to Ida WEIKEL, a daughter of Henry WEIKEL, while Estella LAPP was married to Abraham O. FREDERICK, a son of George FREDERICK, February 7, 1900.

Text taken from page 594 to 595 of: 

Davis, William W. H., A.M., History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1905] Volume III

Transcribed October 2006 by Joan Lollis as part of the Bucks Co., Pa., Early Family Project, www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/bucksindex.html

Published October 2006 on the Bucks County, Pa., USGenWeb pages at www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/

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