HOME

BUCKS INDEX

THOMAS KITCHIN FLOWERS

THOMAS KITCHIN FLOWERS, of Langhorne, was born in that town December 11, 1835, and is a son of William and Mary (KITCHIN) FLOWERS.  The FLOWERS family have been residents of Bucks county since 1774, when James FLOWERS, son of Charles and Catharine FLOWERS, of Long Island, came to Bristol township and married Rebecca GOSLINE, daughter of John GOSLINE, of Bristol.  He was a shoemaker by trade, and followed that occupation for many years in Bristol township, just outside of the borough, where he had purchased a home in 1775.  His son, John Flowers, born in 1780, located in Middletown township, where he followed the trade of a butcher in connection with farming, until his sudden death from heart disease on January 9, 1836.  His wife, Phoebe HIBBS, was born in 1781, and was a daughter of Abraham HIBBS.  John and Phoebe were the parents of seven children: Thomas; Hannah, who married Samuel STRADLING; Mary, who married Levi BOILEAU; William; Amos; John; and George.

            William FLOWERS, second son of John and Phoebe, was born and reared in Middletown township, and was an active business man, following the vocation of a butcher, merchant and farmer, successively, being for a number of years the proprietor of the principal general merchandise store in Langhorne, and also owned and operated a farm of seventy-four acres in Middletown.  He died December, 1872.  His wife was Mary KITCHIN, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth KITCHIN, and a great-granddaughter of William KITCHIN, who settled in Solebury early in the eighteenth century, where he died in 1727.  He was a protege of John WELLS, the first proprietor of the ferry at New Hope, and married in 1713 Rebecca NORTON, a niece of Mrs. WELLS, who bore him five children: Thomas, William, Ruth, Olive and Mary, who have left numerous descendants.  Rebecca, the widow, later married Thomas PHILLIPS, and from her are descended the PHILLIPS family of Solebury, for several generations proprietors of the mill that bears their name.  Thomas KITCHIN inherited his father’s real estate in Solebury, but sold it soon after his marriage and removed to Philadelphia county.  William and Mary P. (KITCHIN) FLOWERS were the parents of five children: Thomas K., the subject of this sketch; John, and three daughters.

Thomas Kitchin FLOWERS, oldest son of William and Mary, was born and reared in Middletown township, and acquired his education at the Newtown academy and at boarding schools at Pennington and Mt. Holly, New Jersey.  On finishing his academic education he entered his father’s store at Attleboro (now Langhorne) s a clerk, and after a few years succeeded his father as its proprietor, and conducted it for many years.  Subsequently he sold out the store and entered the employ of Peter Wright and Sons, of Philadelphia, agents for the American Steamship Company, as a clerk, where he remained until the company was merged into the International Navigation Company, and with the latter company until it was absorbed by the International Merchant Marine, the great steamship trust which now controls the principal steamship lines sailing from the ports of Philadelphia and New York.  Mr. FLOWERS is a Republican in politics, and while at the Langhorne store was appointed postmaster of that place by President Lincoln, and served several years in that position.  He still retains his clerical position with the steamship company, retaining in Philadelphia until the last consolidation above referred to, when he was transferred to the offices of the new company in New York city.  He is well known in marine circles, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of his employers and associates.  He married December 30, 1858, Sarah SCOTT, daughter of Amos V. and Elizabeth (HELLINGS) SCOTT, of Bensalem, and granddaughter of Jacob and Esther Scott.  This union was blessed with the birth of five children; William, born June 26, 1860, died in infancy; Amos Scott, born July 4, 1852, see forward; John Wilmot, born January 9, 1864 died young; Albert G., born October 31, 1868, deceased; George Russell, born November 30, 1871.  Amos S. and George R. were educated in the Friends’ school at Langhorne.

            Amos Scott FLOWERS was married October 9, 1884, to Frances Robinson, daughter of William Massey and Frances (PERRY) ROBINSON, who was born in England and came to Bucks county with her parents when quite young.  In 1884 Amos Scott FLOWERS bought a farm near Woodbourne, upon which he took up his residence, and has since followed the vocation of a farmer.  He and his wife have been the parents of two children—William Massey, born September 23, 1885, died March 21, 1898; and Elizabeth Ann, born August 27, 1887.

Text taken from page 554 to 555 of: 

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

Transcribed September 2006 by Joan Lollis as part of the Bucks Co., Pa., Early Family Project,

Published September 2006 on the Bucks County, Pa., USGenWeb