AMOS S. BERINGER

AMOS S. BERINGER, one of the prominent and active business men of the little borough of Silverdale, was born in Hilltown near the location of the present borough on October 22, 1868, and is a son of Amos and Sophia (Sheip) Beringer, both of German origin and descendants of early settlers in that locality.Nicholas Beringer, the pioneer paternal ancestor of Amos S., came to Pennsylvania from Germany in the ship "Neptune," John Mason master, arriving in Philadelphia, September 24, 1754. He probably followed the trend of German emigration into Bucks by way of the present county of Montgomery.

The first authentic record we have of him is in the list of non-associators of Hilltown township in 1775. On June 29, 1777, he purchased 140 acres of land in Hilltown of John Penn, the deed for which is still in the possession of the subject of this sketch as well as a large portion of the land therein represented. Nicholas Beringer died on the Hilltown plantation about October 1, 1783, and his wife Elizabeth died in March, 1808. They were the parents of three sons, John, Henry, and George, and three daughters, Elizabeth, wife of George Cramer, a cabinet maker of Hilltown; Catharine, wife of Amos Miner, of Marlboro, Montgomery county; and Mary, wife of John Benner of Hilltown.John Beringer, the eldest son of Nicholas and Elizabeth, purchased the homestead farm of his brothers and sisters and lived thereon during the active years of his life. In 1820 he and his wife Elizabeth conveyed it to their sons Henry and George. John, the father, lived to an advanced age, dying in December, 1842, his wife having died some years earlier.

Their children were: John, Henry, and George; Henry died before his father, leaving a family.George Beringer, son of John and Elizabeth, was born on the old homestead in Hilltown and lived there all his life. He purchased ninety-nine acres of it of his father in 1820, and in 1858 conveyed it to his son Amos Beringer, reserving for himself and wife the "new dwelling and garden" for their use during the remainder of their lives. He died in December, 1864. He married Catharine Nunamaker, daughter of Adam Nunamaker, of Rockhill, and granddaughter of Henry Nunamaker, who had purchased a tract of land in Rockhill and Hilltown in 1782 which descended to his son Adam in 1807. Adam died in 1742, leaving several children, among whom was Catharine, wife of George Beringer. George and Catharine (Nunamaker) Beringer were the parents of two children, Amos and Mary.Amos N. Beringer, only son of George and Catharine, was born on the old homestead May 29, 1824, and lived there all his life, dying December 4, 1885. He purchased the homestead of his parents, April 21, 1858, and later acquired two lots in the village, now borough, of Silverdale, now occupied by the subject of this sketch. He was for many years a member of the school board of Hilltown and active in local affairs. He was twice married, first to Barbara Anglemoyer by whom he had two children, Ephraim and Mary, neither of whom survived him. He married (second) Sophia Sheip, of an old New Britain family, who survived him. Amos and Sophia (Sheip) Beringer were the parents of two children, Amos S. and Ellen.

The family were members of the Lutheran church.Amos S. Beringer, born on the old homestead which had been the home of his ancestors nearly a century, was educated in the public schools. His father dying when he was sixteen years of age, he at once assumed the superintendence of the farm which he has continued ever since and has never lived anywhere else. In 1893 he began pork butchering in connection with the conduct of his farm, which he has since continued with success, enlarging his business from year to year and marketing the product in Philadelphia. He has always taken an active interest in local affairs and has served in the town council of Silverdale since its organization, this being his third term. He is a member of the South Perkasie Lutheran church. Mr. Beringer married on October 29, 1887, at Quakertown, Sophia Hedrick, daughter of Oliver and Mary (Fretz) Hedrick, who was one of twelve children and was born September 1, 1868. Her paternal grandparents were Henry and Elizabeth (Heistand) Hedrick, the latter being a daughter of David Heistand, born January 24, 1788, died July 17, 1860, by his wife Susan Kephard, born January 15, 1785, died January 23, 1851, daughter of Rev. John and Elizabeth (Fretz) Kephard; and the former, born July 10, 1751, being for many years minister of the Mennonite congregation at Doylestown

.Text taken from p 328Davis, William W. H., A. M. History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago: The Lewis PublishingCompany, 1905] Volume IIITranscribed May, 2002 as part of the Bucks Co., Pa., Early Family Project, www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/bucksindex.htmlPublished May 2002 on the Bucks County, Pa., USGenWeb