The Telford Jet

Question: I grew up in Telford and remember the Navy donating the Jet to the Telford park on School Lane, since removed. Why was the Jet donated to the park. I have a fond memory of the jet's arrival at the park.

Answer: For anyone who was in the Telford area in the 1960s- 1980s you may remember the orange and white jet at the park on corner of School Lane and East Summit Avenue. (This was also where the Telford Borough Authority water tower was located at one time, but that is another story.) This is the information on that jet as my sources filled in the missing details.

At one time there was a "Souderton-Telford-Franconia Recreation Council" composed of area community members. This Council raised funds at local sporting events concession food sales to provide play equipment to parks in these three communities. An unknown member of this committee had a contact at the Willow Grove Naval Station and had the Korean War vintage Panther Jet delivered to the Telford East Summit Avenue Park. ( I was told a machine like that used on aircraft carriers was used to get the jet from Willow Grove to Telford. We are not sure just what route was taken, but it did come down School Lane past the Souderton Area Joint Junior- Senior High School enroute to its new home.)

When it was first delivered, children were able to climb all over the jet and sit in the cockpit as well. Later, due to safety considerations the cockpit was sealed preventing entry. After about 20 years, the jet had repeatedly become a target for vandals and was believed to have become a hazard to children. It was finally sold to a private collector in the 1980s who disassembled it and removed it from the park.

A Distant Relatives Story

Question:
I have been unable to find any information on my grandmother's (Estella K. Souder) Mother Sarah Minerva Bilger. My aunts have told me that my grandmother was married to John F. Souder. However, all I can find is that John F. was married to Mollie Allebach and they had onr child, Charlotte Souder. Where can I get more information? My grandmother has two three other sisters and a brother, Elizabeth, Mildred,Sallie,and Harlen (John). Thanks for any help, T.


Answer:

Hi T. – My information is a little different from yours, but I believe you’ll be happy with what I found. In my research John’s first wife was Agnes Detwiler and they had three children. Archer, Mary Ellen, and Charlotte and then Agnes died in 1877. He married Sarah Ann (I didn’t have her middle name as being Minerva) and they had seven children, one being Stella. I have attached notes both from John’s page in my genealogy and from Sarah’s page. I do not know Sarah’s death date but if you have that please pass it on so I can add that to my genealogy. My children descend from John’s brother Milt, by the way. If I can be of further help please let me know. Enjoy!

Notes for John F. Souder
Census 1880 Franconia John was 24 and a laborer. Sarah was 23. Archer was 7, Ellen was 6 and Sallie was 1.

In the 1900 Census of Bucks County Attleboro, John F. Souders was the head of household and 43, being born March of 1857. Sarah A. was 42 being born in August of 1859. They had been married 22 years. They had 10 children, 9 of whom were living. Annie L. was 17, being born Aug. 1882, Lizzie M. was 14 being born March 1886, John H. was 12 being born April 1882, Stella was 7, born Nov. 1892, Amelia was 5, Aug. 1894, and Harland was 3, Dec 1896. John was a Carpenter, Annie made curtains and Lizzie was a winder in a mill. They rented but no house or street number were given.

In the 1910 census of Philadelphia, Pa. at 444 Clearfield Ave.(?) John Souders was a house carpenter. He was 54 and Sarah was 53. They had been married 34 years and 9 of 10 children were living. Lizzie was 26, John 22, and Harlin 13. Living with them was daughter Sarah, 32 and her husband William Baldwin, 36. Their daughter Alice was 4. They had been married 12 years and one of one child was living. It was hard to read occupations. John Jr. was a brakeman on the railroad. Lizzie was working in a mill.
In the 1920 census of Philadelphia Pa. in East Elkhart on 235 North B. Street John was head of the household and 62 and Sarah was 61. John was a carpenter doing housework.

Diaries of William Souder Hemsing dated:

Thursday, February 4, 1886John Souder and family were on their way home but as the train was late it being too late for them to go home they came back here and will stay till tomorrow. They have three children.

Sunday, March 20, 1887 Went up to Telford and saw Sallie's parents. We have a little strategem. They are to go home and then write. She did not believe me at first. But I think it will work all right.

Monday March 21, 1887 ...Little Sallie is still here. Her parents must be home by this time. Mother took her up to the store this afternoon and bought her a doll. She is well pleased.

Friday, March 25, 1887 When I came home for dinner Sallie was lying on the settee and crying. I soon found out what was the matter. Amelia had been in and had told her that her mother had gone home. I did not expect any thing else. This afternoon she was all right again except that she seemed to be a little lonely. I was almost certain that she suspected me of being the cause of all as she looked at me so queer. All this however disappeared as she got after me this evening and pulled my hair as they were never pulled before.

Saturday April 2, 1887 I had promised to take little Sallie home this afternoon but we did not get through at bank before six o'clock. She came up about four and when I told her I could not go she turned away with tears in her eyes. She cried when she came home.

Sunday April 3, 1887 ...Sallie and I took the milk train for Yardley...We went to Bilgers. Everything was up and down there as they were making preparations for moving tomorrow. Got introduced to Will and Jim's wives. They were both sick and considerably in the way. Will sat around with his all day. They are probably too lazy to work. It won't last. Sallie started for home as soon as she got there. Walked with Jim up to Dan's who had just got out of bed. A lazy good for nothing set. Was at Bilger's for dinner. Went down to John Souder's some time in the afternoon. They live near the canal. He has a shop in the cellar. He has been making a machine. Is always at something I believe...John then told me that Bilger's goods had been seized and advertized on default of rent. He is in great trouble...(Will Bilger died Oct 1887)

Souderton Independent dated:

1/7/1898 Chips - Mr. and Mrs. Milton Souder and Mr. and Mrs. Horace Souder spent Sunday at Bristol, the guests of Mr. and Mrs. John Souder.

7/7/1899 Chips - An infant child of John F. Souder, of Trenton New Jersey was yesterday buried at the Indian Field Lutheran Church.

9/28/1900 Chips - M. F. Souder and wife spent Sunday and Monday at Eden, Bucks County, visiting his brother John.

Notes for Sarah Bilger Souder:
Diaries of William Souder Hemsing dated:

Wed Fed 23, 1887 Aunt Sarah and Mrs. Jno. F. Souder and her children were here today.

Thursday March 10, 1887 This afternoon Mother and myself went up to Telford. It was very muddy so that we determined to go home another way. We went to Derstine's to see them and how Mrs. Jno. F. Souder was doing. She is recovering and will soon be alright. We offered to take little Sallie down for a week or two. But Peggy would not spare her. She is a very smart little girl and they want to keep her.

Tuesday October 18, 1887 Mrs John Souder and Will Bilger's widow were here today.

Friday, October 21, 1887 Mrs Will Bilger and Sarah Ann were here this afternoon. I am to take them down to the church tomorrow afternoon.

Saturday, October 22, 1887 Elwood got the team ready and before three Mrs John Souder, Mrs Will Bilger and little Mary and myself were on our way to Leidy's cemetery to see Will's grave. We placed two beautiful bouquets on the grave. We reached home in time for them to make the 3:49 train.

Death on the High Seas and a Distant Relative

Question: My relative Anna Harms came to US on the ship the SS Nederland but died at sea. The story has come down through the generations that she was buried in Souder's Station Montgomery County PA. But we have searched and searched in the cemeteries and with the Mennonite communities but so far have not found proof of this. I wonder if you could please help to direct us? We are so lost without knowing where she is buried. Thank you so very much.


Answer: Wow! That’s really an interesting story. If Anna passed away in 1874 she would never have been buried in Souderton. There are only two cemeteries in Souderton and the earliest one wasn’t started until 1879. I checked a few of my books on cemeteries in the area but also did not see her name. I guess the biggest question is in 1874 how did they handle a death on board ship? Were they still doing burials at sea at that time and did they have a place to store the body? Without refrigeration I can’t imagine they would have kept a body? And if they were close to docking wouldn’t the body have been buried where they docked? I am no expert on that subject nor am I an expert on where they would have registered the death. Again I think that would have been in the port of arrival. I think I would find out first how they handled ship deaths in that time period. Good luck and let us know if you find out anything.

Souderton's Oldest House?

Question: My parent's farmhouse at the corner of 4th and Sunny Hill, I believe is the second oldest structure in Souderton (the toll house at Chestnut being older.) Yet I have not found mention of it. A reason? My sister, I believe, still has documentation from the courthouse.

Answer: The Souderton historians have always been a bit confusing. When we mention the oldest buildings in Souderton we are always referring to those that were within the original borough limits. Souderton annexed twice to bring it to its current size. With that said, none of the original farm houses, your parents included, were within the original borough. I think we do this because we don’t know which one is the oldest farm house in Souderton. The building you referred to as the toll house, at the corner of Main and Chestnut St. was never a toll house but was the first home of Henry O. Souder and his wife Hannah, c. 1834, and yes, that’s the oldest building within the original limits. Soudertonians are so lucky to have almost all the old farm houses still standing, and your parent’s home, originally the Abraham Benner homestead, is lovely and has the oldest visible date stone of 1785. However is that the oldest part of thebuilding or an addition? I would be extremely interested to see your sister’s documentation. In 1755 George Cressman sold 6 parcels of land retaining one parcel for his family. Those seven properties, totaling 1000 acres, roughly make up present day Souderton. All seven families built log homes first, cleared theland for farming, and stock piled the field stones to build future houses. Your parent’s home is one of four houses which can compete for the title of the oldest house in Souderton.

How did Telford get its name?

Telford was first called Hendrick's Blacksmith Shop and then County Line. When the railroad came to the area in 1857 it called this stop "Telford", after Sir Thomas Telford, a renowned Scottish civil engineer. It became less confusing to call the town the same name as the train stop, but the town was situated in two counties. When the Bucks County town became incorporated in 1886 it took Telford as its name. The Montgomery County portion took the name of West Telford in 1897. Finally in 1934 the state allowed a town to exist in two counties and the towns consolidated and became known as Telford in 1937.

With the possibility of the return of passenger rail service to Souderton can you tell me how the train first came to Souderton?

The North Pennsylvania Railroad Company planned to lay track from Lansdale to Bethlehem and was actually going to by-pass Souderton totally. An astute businessman, however, Henry O.Souder, donated some of his land to divert the track here. The first train, "TheCivilizer" came through town in 1857 and the railroad named this stop Franconia. In 1863 the stop was renamed Souder's and finally changed to Souderton in 1876.

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