My Genealogy Hound

A. Z. SCHWENK, the well known slater of Gratersford, Perkiomen township, was born in Limerick township, Montgomery county, August 21, 1845. He is the son of David and Elizabeth (Zern) Schwenk. A. Z. Schwenk was reared on his father’s farm, and attended the schools of the neighborhood, and also Freeland Seminary, now Ursinus College, at Collegeville, and Washington Hall Seminary at Trappe.

David Schwenk ( father) was the son of Samuel Schwenk, of Montgomery county. Samuel Schwenk was the son of Abraham Schwenk, whose ancestor came from Germany during the colonial days, and assisted in the development of Montgomery county.

Samuel Schwenk (grandfather) was reared in Montgomery county, and after marrying settled on a farm in the Schuylkill valley. He remained there until the railroad came and divided his farm, also compelling him to move his barn. Becoming dissatisfied, he removed to Skippack township, near Gratersford, where he bought a large tract of land and made improvements. He also owned a farm in the valley of the Perkiomen, where his two sons had two farms. Samuel Schwenk attended market, and was widely known as a man of great industry and of habits of scrupulous honesty. He was a Lutheran in religious faith, and a Republican in politics. During the Rebellion he was loyal to his country, and did all he could to aid the Union. He died at the age of seventy-three years, and his wife at the age of eighty-three years. Their children: David (father); Fanny, married (first husband) J. Bigney and (second husband) Henry Fryer; John, a farmer; George and Samuel, farmers; Enos, a farmer; Mary, married George Shoemaker; Eliza, married Josiah Koons.

David Schwenk (father) lived in Montgomery county all his life. After his marriage he settled on a part of the land in the Schuylkill valley which his father had left after it was divided by the railroad. He remained there during life and devoted all his attention to farming. He attended market, and was a practical and successful farmer. He was a Republican, but never desired public office. He died in 1872, and was survived by his wife for more than twenty years, she dying in 1895. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Abraham Zern. Abraham Zern was a prominent farmer of Montgomery county, Frederick township, and served in the war of 1812. He was a Whig, and a member of the German Reformed church. The children of Abraham Zern: George, a farmer; Jacob, a Methodist minister; Maria, married Jonas Erb; Elizabeth (mother); Charles A., a mason by trade; Sally, married John Schwenk; Henry, a farmer and carpenter; Sophia, married R. Landes; Lavina, married J. Grubb. All these children lived to an advanced age and six are still living. The children of David and Elizabeth Z. Schwenk: Mary, married Jacob Gilbert, who served in the rebellion; A. Z., the subject of this sketch ;Emma, married L. Schurg; Samuel, a machinist, and superintendent of the Ellis Agricultural Works of Pottstown, Pennsylvania. All these children are still living.

A. Z. Schwenk remained on his father’s farm until he was twenty years of age, when he began to teach school. He taught for seventeen consecutive winters, and passed eighteen examinations, being a competent and very successful teacher. During the summer months he learned the trade of slater, and afterwards went into the slating business. In 1891 he accepted an appointment as agent for the Reading Railroad at Gratersford, and continued in the position for nine years, giving great satisfaction to his employers and to the community. In his trade of slating he has done contract work in Montgomery and Chester counties, and his services are much sought after. He is a Republican, and has voted at every election since 1866, and has filled the office of assessor for his township. He and his family are members of the Reformed church, and he has been deacon, secretary and treasurer since 1872.

In 1869 Mr. Schwenk married Sarah, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Wagner) Markley. She was born in Limerick township in 1844, and was reared in Perkiomen township. Her father was the son of John Markley, also of Montgomery county. Jacob Markley was a farmer and market man. He was a Republican. He died about 1863. The children of Jacob Markley: John and Michael, farmers; Mary, married E. Schwenk; Sarah, wife of A. Z. Schwenk; Cornelius, a farmer.

The children of A. Z. and Sarah Schwenk: Mary L., who is engaged in the dry goods and notions business on Marshall street, Norristown; Martha, married Herbert Heist, of Demoss; Clement, agent for the Perkiomen Railroad, Gratersford. Mrs. Sarah Schwenk died in May, 1895.