History of Berks County Pennsylvania United States of America

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Thomas Morris, senator, was born in Berks county, Pa., Jan. 3, 1776; the fifth son of Isaac and Ruth (Henton) Morris, and a descendant from Thomas Morris, who came from England to Massachusetts Bay colony, June 3, 1637, and on March 30, 1638, sailed from Boston for Quinnipiac (New Haven), settling there about April 15, 1628. He was brought up on a farm and received his early education from his mother. He enlisted as a ranger and fought against the Indians in 1792. He removed to Columbia, Ohio (now a part of Cincinnati), in 1795, and was a clerk in the first store established in the place. He married Rachel, youngest daughter of Benjamin and Mary Davis, and they had five sons and six daughters. His wife died Jan. 16, 1852. In 1800 he removed to Williamsburg, Clermont county, and in 1802 took up the study of law while carrying on his business as a farmer and brick manufacturer. In 1804 he gained admission to the bar and removed his family to Bethel, where he conducted a farm and opened a law office. He was a representative from Clermont county in the Ohio legislature, 1806-07; from Clermont and Champaign, 1808-09; from Clermont, 1810-12, and 1820-21; was a state senator from Clermont, 1813-15, 1821-23, 1825-29 and 1831-33 and was a judge of the supreme court of the state, 1815-21. He was elected U. S. senator, Dec. 15, 1832, and served, 1833-39. He is said to have been the first man to denounce slavery on the floor of congress. In 1838 he replied to a speech of John C. Calhoun against the "Right of Petition," and in 1839 replied to Henry Clay, in which speech he defended abolitionists and the right to agitate the question of slavery. In the Ohio legislature he advocated high license, freedom of worship, and the public school system, and in 1812 obtained the passage of an exemption bill for the head of a family. He opposed the introduction of lotteries in the state, imprisonment for debt and the canal system. He was nominated by the Liberty party at Buffalo, N.Y., August, 1843, for Vice-President of the United States on the ticket with J. G. Birney for President. He died near Bethel, Ohio, Dec. 7, 1844.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Gabriel Hiester, legislator, was born in Bern township, Berks county, Pa., June 14, 1749; son of Daniel and Catharine (Sclmler) Hiester. In July, 1776, he was elected a representative from Berks county to the provisional convention for the formation of a state constitution. He was justice of time court of common pleas, 1778-82; was a representative in the state legislature, 1782-87, 1789-91 and 1802-04, and state senator, 1795-96 and 1805-12. He was married to Elizabeth Bausman. He died in Bern township, Pa., Sept. 1, 1824.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Jefferson Engel Kershner, educator, was born in Perry township, Pa., Aug. 16, 1854; son of John and Sibella (Engel) Kershner, and grandson of John and Catherine (Hertz) Kershner and of Jacob and Catherine (Rahn) Engel. Jefferson attended the public schools of Berks county, Pa., and the Keystone State Normal school at Kutztown, Pa., and was graduated from Franklin and Marshall college, A.B., 1877, A.M., 1880. He was vice-president of the Citizens' Electric Light, Heat and Power company, of Lancaster, Pa., for several years, and was appointed superintending electrician of the Edison company of Lancaster. He was chosen professor of mathematics and physics in Franklin and Marshall college in 1880. He was elected a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1832, and fellow in 1886. The degree of Ph.D. was conferred on him by Yale in 1885. He wrote several articles for reviews.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Hiester Clymer, representative, was born in Caernarvon township, Berks county, Pa., Nov. 3, 1827; son of Edward Tilghman and Maria Catharine (Hiester) Clymer; grandson of Col. Daniel Cunyngham Clymer; great-grandson of William and Anna (Roberdeau) Clymer; and great-great grandson of Richard Clymer, a merchant and shipbuilder of Philadelphia, who came from Bristol, England, in 1705. Hiester prepared for college at Reading, Pa., and was graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1847. He was admitted to the bar of Berks county, April 6, 1849; in 1851 went to Pottsville, Pa., where he practised for five years, and in 1856 returned to Reading. He was a member of the board of revenue commissioners in 1860, a delegate to the Democratic national convention in the same year, and also in 1868; was elected to the state senate to fill a vacancy in 1860; was elected for the full term in 1861 and was re-elected in 1864. In March, 1866, he was nominated as candidate for governor of Pennsylvania and at once resigned his seat in the senate. He was defeated by John W. Geary after receiving a larger number of votes than had ever before been given to any Democratic candidate for the office. He was a member of the state board of public charities in 1870; and president of the Democratic state convention in 1872. He was a representative in the 43rd, 44th, 45th and 46th congresses, 1873-81. He was married in 1856, to Elizabeth Mary, daughter of Matthew Brooke. He died in Reading, Pa., June 12, 1884.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Berks County Pennsylvania

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