Many people know about Richard V. Mattison's "Lindenwold Castle," but not many knew about his partner Henry G. Keasbey's home. Where was it?
The Land of George Maris
It all began with George Maris (1632-1704) who immigrated to the New World in 1683, one year after William established the state of Pennsylvania. He settled in Springfield, Delaware County , but his son George, Jr. was the first to settle in Gwynedd where he purchased 200 acres from Joseph Biddome. He held onto the land throughout the Revolutionary War.
In 1793, George Maris, Jr. sold 30 acres of his land to Samuel Castner (1737-1833). The land was owned by the Castners until in 1862 when Jacob B. Rhoads purchased at least 100 acres in two portions, the smallest being 35 acres.
The Castners and The Rhoads
Jacob B. Rhoads (1820-1895) was one of the most prominent farmers in Gwynedd in the 19th century, and made agriculture a field of study for education.
Jacob was born on July 20 half a mile from North Wales. He began his business in 1846 after renting his father's farm. This was just the beginning of his career. Not only was he a farmer, but he was also a butcher in a market in Philadelphia.
After his father passed away, Jacob inherited 1/2 of his father's homestead and farm, which was 140 acres. But, he purchased the other half from his heirs. His father Abraham owned the homestead since 1806.
Since owning the old homestead, he remolded the home and built large barns and outbuildings. Along with his father's property, he owned two other farms, 100 acres each, which he sold each to George W. Castner (1840-1923) and G.B. Kittlehaus.
George was born in the family homestead owned by his father at the time, Jesse Castner (1812-1880). He pursued his career in farming after attending schools in Gwynedd and in Trappe, PA. After his marriage to Jacob Rhoads' daughter Sara, George purchased 100 acres from his father in-law, adjoining his property. In 1888, he purchased Jacob's 137 acres of land, maintaining 25 cows and shipping milk from Gwynedd to Philadelphia on the North Pennsylvania Railroad.
Henry G. Keasbey Land, Part 1
In 1889, after owning the family farm for five years, George Castner sold his 100 acres property to Henry G. Keasbey (1850-1932), co-founder of the Keasbey & Mattison Company in Ambler.
Like his partner and friend Richard V. Mattison (1851-1936), Henry studied at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. After graduating, he and Richard created the the Keasbey & Mattison Company in Philadelphia where they manufactured asbestos, discovered by Richard Mattison.
They found an opportunity in Ambler to move their company in Philadelphia into the mill town to build their business.
In 1892, Henry retired from the company, leaving Richard Mattison doing most of the work in the community. He has been spending time abroad in southern France where it was more favorable for his health in terms of the climate conditions.
"Here is a two-story stone house, plastered, close to the road. The barn is near at hand and eastward. There is an orchard down the slope. On the opposite or westerly side of the road, is a woods. In the farm are 6+ acres."
- Ambler Gazette, May 16, 1912
Henry G. Keasbey Land, Part 2
Henry Keasbey purchased the home of Henry Baum (1817-1897) some time around the 1890s. Henry Baum purchased his parents' farm in Penllyn after they died in the mid 1850s.
He lived on the farm for 15 years before moving to Ambler to live with his brother William Baum (1823-1905), whom he built a stone house on the corner of Race Street and Ridge Avenue that is now where the Ambler Union Community Center is located.
Fun Fact #1: William Baum's home was the 5th home to be built in Ambler.
Bibliography
"40 Years In Ambler." Ambler Gazette. February 23, 1905. Page 8. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_2597.
Bean, Theodore Weber. History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Volume 2. (Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1884): 864-865.
"Henry Baum." Ambler Gazette. April 22, 1897. Page 1. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_1290.
"Henry G. Keasbey Dies At 82 Years." Ambler Gazette. June 2, 1932. Page 1. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/21010/rec/1.
"Local History Sketch. Interesting Local Matter Collected by 'E.M.' The Former Keasbey Farm, Lower Gwynedd Township--Jacob B. Rhoads--George Castner--George Maris." Ambler Gazette. May 16, 1912. Page 4. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_10056.
Morris, William E, and Smith & Wistar. Map of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania: from original surveys. [Philadelphia: Smith & Wistar, 1849] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012590207/.
Roberts, Ellwood. Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Containing Genealogical Records of Representative Families, Including Many of the Early Settlers and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens, Volume 1. (New York, Chicago: T.S. Benham & Co. and The Lewis Publishing Co., 1904): 296-297.