History of Berks County Pennsylvania United States of America

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Biographies:

Jehu Glancy Jones, diplomatist, was born in Berks county, Pa., Oct. 7, 1811; son of Jehu and Sarah (Glancy) Jones; grandson of Col. Jonathan and Margaret (Davis) Jones and great grandson of David Jones, a native of Merionethshire, Wales. He was educated at Kenyon college, Ohio, and was ordained to the ministry of the P.E. church. Subsequently he was admitted to the bar and was deputy attorney-general of Berks county, Pa., 1847-49, and a representative in the 32d, 33d, 34th, 35th congresses, 1851-58, serving as chairman of the committee on ways and means. He resigned his seat in congress in 1858 to accept the position of U.S. minister to Austria, having in 1857 declined the mission to Berlin. He represented the United States at Vienna, until 1863, when he resumed the practice of law in Reading, Pa. He was married, June 23, 1832, to Anna, daughter of the Hon. William and Esther (West) Rodman, of Bucks county, and their son, Charles Henry Jones, lawyer, was collector of the port of Philadelphia. Jehu Glancy Jones died in Reading, Pa., March 24, 1878.

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

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

History of Berks County Pennsylvania

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