North Wales Record, Unknown Date

The Zebley Property, North Wales

Jacob S. Zebley--Charles T. Massey--David Smith--John H. Booz--Mathais Booz--Philip Heist--Abraham Lukens

The buildings on the Zebley property are on the hill top which slopes upward on the southeast side of North Wales. They are within the town, but beyond the borough limits, being within Upper Gwynedd Here is a two story house stone or brick house, smooth plastered, close to the northeast side of the turnpike and well surrounded by shade trees. A lane past the house leads to the stone barn in the rear. The farm of 32 acres attached extends along the summit of the ridge to the cross road, or the extension of fifth street to the northeast, while the lower boundary is the road passing the Lutheran grave yard. The farm really comprises two tracts, one of 20 acres nearest the buildings, and another of 12 acres composed of several small lots. On one of these, near the lower road, up until November, 1904, stood an ancient log house of one story, when it was burned. The cause of the fire has never been ascertained. From this point a most extensive view of the land scans far to the north and northwest and also the southward may be obtained. This hill is part of a high ridge extending across the country from the Delaware to the Sckuykill, only dipping down to allow the passage of streams such as the Neshaminy and Wissahickon. Closely adjacent, the North Penn railroad passes through it by a deep cut.

This property is a fragment of a great tract of 720 acres granted in 17??. By William Penn to Robert Johns, a Welsh Quaker, who was then one of the 16 grantees of the whole township of Gwynedd. This tract extended across the whole width of the township. He lived near the Rhoads toll gate on the turnpike running to West Point, where he built a house in 1712, long the residence of Frank Meyers. His will of 1732 gave his land to his son, John Jones.

At what time improvements were made here is uncertain. In 1758 Abraham Lukens bought 120 acres of John Jones, covering most of the site of North Wales. Prior to the Revolution, or in 1772, Lukens sold the same to Philip Heist, a German.

In 1758 he had also sold 80 acres to his son Abraham Lukens Jr., and of which in 1772 the latter sold 70 acres to Philip Heist. For aught we know to the contrary Heist may have built a house here. His will was made in 1776 when he owned 120 acres. A Welshman named Humphrey Hughes bought the most of this, or a house and 100 acres, in 1780. He paid in inflated Continental currency the great sum of 16,800 pounds. In 1776 the assessor taxed Philip Heist for the 120 acres, two houses and four cows.

This site of the Zebley house and land surrounding was certainly part of a tract of 20 acres sold to Mathias Booz in 1781, by the execution of Philip Heist, and it was here that Booz, or Boaz, lived. He paid only 170 pounds, and may have built the first house. These 20 acres were bounded on the northwest for 43 perches by land of Humphrey Hughes, also by land of Hughes on the northeast for 78 perches; on the southeast was the land of Martin Schwenk for 31 perches, and the church lot, or grave yard, by 14 perches The great road ran past it for 62 perches. The executors of Philip Heist were Peter Heist, a wheelwright, of Marlboro, and Jacob Miller, of Upper Hanover. Booz was also probably of German extraction. His wife may have been a Heist.

Mathias Booz was a young man when coming here and he spent a long life thereafter on the hill top. This time was 40 years, or down till 1823. He left at least three sons: Jacob, Samuel and John. The two former, as their father’s executors, sold the property to their brother, John H. Booz. This deed, or release, however, was not given until 1839.

John H. Booz held the property until 1858 and is remembered by some on the very oldest people in North Wales. In that year he sold the farm to Silas C. Land for $4,000. The latter died without will in January, 1863. He left minor children: William B. and Howard Land, and for whom Jacob Acuff was made guardian. His administrators were George J. Land, John B. Land and Philip H. Dannehower. In 1863 Acuff sold the property, now increased to 32 acres, to David Smith, of Philadelphia, for $5,700. During his ownership Silas C. Land had built a new brick house.

In 1870 David Smith conveyed the property to his wife, Amanda Smith. They were the parents of Henry Smith, an early publisher of the North Wales Record. The next owner was Charles Massey, who bought in 1878. He was a painter and glazer of Philadelphia Then next year, 1879, the latter gave deed to Jacob S. Zebley, coming from the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey. The price was $6,00paid for 32 acres. Zebley lived here for a quarter of a century, reaching the very advanced age of 92 years. His death took place March 3, 1902. The house and 17 acres were sold in July, 1906 to A. H. Tyson, of Hoyt.

Meanwhile there is a separate history to be told concerning the acres that were added to the 220 acres that had been owned by Mathias Booz. This was composed of five small lots. A good portion were composed of the 10 acre lot, sold by George Maris in 1796 to John Martin. It was probably Martin who soon after built the log house lately burned. This house and lot was retained by Martin till his death about 1815. In 1817 John H. Booz bought the same for $360. To the house two acres were then attached. In 1820 Booz bought another acre lot of the Martin estate for $29 and which had temporarily come into possession of Jesse Johnson.

A third lot was bought by John W. Booz in 1821 for $116. It comprised five acres, which had come into possession of Olrich Schalter and who sold to John Selser in 1817. In 1820 Booz bought a fourth lot of one acres of Thomas Humphrey for $10. The last, and fifth lot, comprising two acres was bought by Booz in 1838 of Henry Dannehower for $40, which the latter had bought from the Martin estate in 1817.

In the will of Mathias Booz, made 1823, he gave to his wife the house and land, “whereon I now live.” Also a lot of woodland adjoining lands of Emanuel Stitely, Jacob Heisler and the new road and others. He mentioned sons, Samuel, Jacob, Mathias, Jr., Conard and John, and daughters, Phoebe, Catharine, Mary and Elizabeth. A later member of the Booz family was John W. Booz, well remembered in North Wales, who died July 3, 1884, leaving a widow Elizabeth and Isaac Wampole as his administrators. His children were: Mary, Emma, Amanda, Kate, Harry and Justus Booz. Kate became Mrs. McIntyre, living in Chester county, near Phoenixville.

Of the sons of Mathias Booz, Sr., Samuel lived on a small farm along the Morris road adjoining the one at the present owned by James Bisson, and where he was residing in 1851. Catharine, one of the daughters of John H. Booz, married William Hendricks. After her death he married her sister Mary. Other children of John H. Booz were Abraham and Margaret, wife Of Joseph Weigner. Abraham had a feed store in Lansdale He married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Derstine, of the latter place.

John H. Booz was born July 16, 1790. He died August 23, 1871, when in his 82nd year. His wife Margaret was born April 14, 1797. She died March 1, 1863. Both were buried in the Lutheran graveyard.

Both Silas H. Land, and wife died of spotted fever in January, 1863. His wife Barbara died January 20 closely following him. He was in the prime of life, being 46 years and nine months old, whilst she was but 40 years of age.

Transcribed by William C. Regli February 27, 2004

Source: North Wales Record from Montgomery County Historical Society
Scrap Book 93, Page 23 D Shelf 7.

Submitted by: Bill.