Biographical Sketch of Homer EACHUS (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris <jMcDmorris@comcast.net>. *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 509-10. "HOMER EACHUS, since 1876 a resident of Tanquy, this county, and an in- telligent, enterprising, progressive and popular citizen, is a son of Homer and Lydia M. (Green) Eachus, and a native of Edgmont township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, where he was born November 23, 1821. The family is of German extraction, and have been resident in this county since 1715, at which time Robert Eachus was a landowner and tax payer in Goshen township, owning four hundred acres of land near West Chester, on part of which the northeast section of that borough now stands. He mar- ried Elizabeth Harry, daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth (Brinton) Harry, and had eight children: John, married Hannah Haines, a daughter of Isaac Haines, of Goshen, and died January 19, 1779; William, married Sarah Pierce; Robert, Enoch, Daniel, Elizabeth, Ann and Alice. Robert Eachus, sr., died in 1727, leaving his lands to his two oldest sons, John and William. His widow afterward married John Gleave, of Springfield, and died at Marlborough, March 8, 1758, being buried at Kennett. "John and Hannah (Haines) Eachus were the parents of Phineas Eachus (great- grandfather of the subject of this sketch), who was married November 23, 1757 at Goshen meeting, to Sarah Trego, a daughter of William and Margaret Trego, of Goshen township. At one time he owned considerable land, com- prising much of the present site of West Chester, and was the first pro- prietor of the Turk's Head tavern. Becoming surety for friends, he lost his property, the land passing into possession of Isaac Matlack, and the hotel being purchased by John Hoopes. He was a fine classical scholar, and named two of his sons Virgil and Paris. After losing his property he established a school, which gave promise of being a great success, when its proprietor was suddenly stricken and died from disease contracted from one of his pupils. "Virgil Eachus (grandfather) was born in Chester county about 1763, died in Haverford, Delaware county, in 1838, and was buried in Friends' burying ground there. He was a farmer by occupation, a Friend or Quaker in reli- gion, and an old-line whig in politics. In his religious life he was noted for zeal and activity, and was a man of spotless integrity of char- acter, who won and held the highest regard of all who became acquainted with him. In 1791 he married Bathsheba Webb, by whom he had nine children: Homer, Joseph, Obed, Hiram, Edna, Betsy, Mahala, Abner and Preston. After the death of his first wife he wedded, in 1808, Mary Starr, and by his second marriage had six children: Vanleer, Bathsheba, Minshall, Sarah, Rebecca and Virgil Trego. Soon after his first marriage he removed to Middletown township, Delaware county, and lived there for a number of years. He then moved to Baltimore county, Maryland, where he farmed for a short time. He then returned, locating in Haverford township, Delaware county, where he continued to live the balance of his life. His oldest son, Homer Eachus (father), was born in Middletown township, Delaware county, in 1792, and died at his home in the city of Philadelphia in 1869, aged seventy-seven years. After attaining manhood he engaged in merchandising at Providence, being the first merchant of that place, and later removed to Howellville, Delaware county, where he erected a store building and did business for some time. In 1821 he engaged in farming, and followed that occupation most of his active life. About 1855 he retired from business and removed to Philadelphia, which city continued to be his home during the remainder of his life. Politically he was a life- long democrat, but during the war heartily supported Lincoln and the Union cause. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and took a prominent part in church affairs. In 1814 he married Lydia M. Green, a daughter of Robert Green, the first superintendent of Westtown boarding school, who was a native of Delaware county. To this union was born a family of thir- teen children, nine sons and four daughters: Joseph, Hannah, Robert, Samuel, Elizabeth, Homer, Obid, Lydia, Virgil, Jane, James, George Wash- ington and Edward. "Homer Eachus, the subject of this sketch, was reared principally in Edgemont township, Delaware county, and received his education in the public schools there, and at Josiah Hoopes' academy, in West Chester, this county. Leaving school he embarked in the produce business in Cin- cinnati, Ohio, where he remained three years, and then returning to Delaware county, this State, engaged in farming in Edgemont township. He continued to devote his time to agricultural pursuits in Edgemont town- ship, Delaware county, until 1876, when he purchased the farm in Westtown township, Chester county, where he now resides, and continued to farm until 1885, when he relinquished farming and was succeeded by his sons, though he continued to reside in the mansion house. The farm contains one hundred acres of choice land, all well improved and supplied with excellent buildings. In politics Mr. Eachus is a 'National' democrat, and at one time received the nomination for county commissioner of Delaware county, but on account of the large republican majority in the county, he was defeated at the polls. For twenty-one years he served as president of the school board of his township, and for a number of years has been connected with the Farmer's Insurance Company, of Chester county, Pennsylvania. "On October 7, 1848, Mr. Eachus was married to Lydia Baker, a daughter of Anthony Baker, of Edgemont, Delaware county, and they were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom lived to reach maturity. These were: William, who married Matilda Lodge, and is now a prosperous farmer of Westtown township, this county; Hannah Mary, who married Emmor Lodge; Lydia Elizabeth, who married John B. Gill, of Edgemont; Mahala, became the wife of William Pinkerton, a farmer of East Goshen township; Sarah, wedded John Brown, who resides on and manages his father-in-law's farm in Westtown township, this county; Emma, living at home; Edward, married Mary Russell, and is engaged in farming in Thornbury township, Delaware county; and Lena, at home with her parents. The deceased were: Margaret, Walter, George and Elwyn."