My Genealogy Hound

J. HENDERSON SUPPLEE. Andris Souplis (Supplee), the first ancestor and progenitor of this family in America, emigrated to this country from France in the year 1683, during the reign of Louis XIV, King of France. The Huguenots, or Protestants, suffered much persecution at the hands of the Catholics of that country, and for this reason Andris Souplis went to Holland, where he married a German woman. He and his wife joined the German emigrants who were going to Pennsylvania, and arrived in Germantown in October, 1683. He is said to have been an officer in the French army. Andris Souplis was owner of real estate in Germantown in 1685. His name is in the list of land owners in Germantown made by Francis Daniel Pastorius, justice of the peace, dated October 24, 1685. The signatures of Andris Souplis and Anneckie Souplis, (probably his first wife) are attached to the marriage certificate as witnesses to the marriage of Henry Frey to Anna Catherine Levering. The ceremony was before Francis Daniel Pastorius, justice of the peace of Germantown, and took place on the 26th day of 2d mo. Anno Domini, 1692. He was naturalized May 7, 1691. Andris Souplis was elected sheriff of Germantown. The first court of record was held Anno 1691, the 10th of the 8th mo. The court proceedings were held in the public meeting house of the Friends, before Francis Daniel Pastorius, bailiff. Andris Souplis’s will was signed March 25, 1724, recorded March 20, 1726, Sec. No. 29, book E, page 26, in the office of register of wills, Philadelphia. This will refers to his wife Gertrude and five children, Bartholomew, Margaret, who married Peter Crayson; Ann, who married Charles Yocum; Andrew, and Jacob. His will gave his occupation as that of a weaver, and his residence was in the township of Kingsessing. His executors were his son Andrew, and his son-in-law Peter Crayson. The latter, however, died before the will was proved. This same will was witnessed by Anthony Klinkson and Dork Janson.

Gertrude Supplee was assessed in 1734 with forty acres of land in the township of Kingsessing. Her will, dated October 5, 1737, proved November 20, 1738, is recorded in will book F, page 78, Philadelphia.

Andrew Supplee, son of Andris and Gertrude (Stritzinger) Supplee, was born about 1685 or 1686. He bought real estate in Upper Merion township, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) county, on March 20, 1708, and again on July 28 of the same year. He bought an adjoining tract, making in all about one hundred and fifty acres. The first tract was bought from Charles Yocum and the second from Peter Yocum. This land was on the Schuylkill river, about fourteen miles northwest of Philadelphia, where are now located the Swede Furnaces. Andrew Supplee also purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land in Norriton township, of Isaac Norris. The deed for this property is recorded in deed book 5, page 358, Philadelphia county. About 1736 Andrew Supplee moved from his Upper Merion tract to the one at Norriton. On part of the Norriton tract is now located Norris City cemetery. His remains were placed in the vault adjoining the grounds of Supplee’s school house. The remains have since been moved to Norris City cemetery.

There are no records of his marriage, but tradition says that his first wife was Anna Stackhouse. Their first child, Hance, was born July 14, 1714. Andrew Supplee married a second time, and in his will she is named Debora. The children named in the will are: Jonah, Andrew, John, Sarah, Catharine, and Susanna. His will dated May 28, 1747, proved October 8, 1747, is recorded in the office of the register of wills, Philadelphia, in will book H, page 403.

Hance Supplee, of Worcester township, by will No. 25, dated 9th day 11th mo., 1770, proved January 12, 1771, devises to his wife Magdalena the use of two rooms and other privileges and ten pounds annually, during life. To son Andrew, one hundred and thirty pounds; to four daughters, Rebecca, Hannah, Rachel and Mary, seven hundred and fifty pounds to be equally divided between them; to Peter, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and John, seven hundred and fifty pounds to be equally divided. To Elizabeth and Debora, twenty-five shillings each, they having had seventy-five pounds before. Real estate, two tracts in Upper Merion township, eighty acres and sixty acres; “also the tract I now live on and the one adjoining, (subject to a quit rent of fifty bushels of wheat annually) eldest son to have first choice, Andrew next, according to age; the real estate to be appraised, they paying the difference for distribution to the other heirs, to be paid to the six sons and daughters as they arrive to the age of twenty-one years; three hundred pounds to be reserved for the use of his wife Magdalene during her old age; two-thirds to my sons and one-third to my daughters.” Signed, Andrew Supplee. Peter Supplee, executor. Peter De Haven (brother-in-law) and Andrew Supplee, trustees, Will recorded in will book R, 25, page 37, at Philadelphia.

I. Andris Souplis married Gertrude Stritzinger, and to this marriage had children, Bartholomew, Margaret, Andrew, Ann, and Jacob. Andris Souplis, father of these children; died in 1726.

II. Andrew Supplee, second son and third child of Andris and Gertrude (Stritzinger) Supplee, was born in 1685-86, and died in 1747. He married first, Anna Stackhouse; his second wife was named Deborah, maiden name unknown. His children were: Hance, Jonah, Andrew, John, Sarah, Catharine and Susanna.

III. Hance Supplee, first child of Andrew Supplee, was born 7 mo. 14, I714, and died 12 mo. 16, 1770. He married 8th mo. 14, 1736, old style, Magdalena De Haven, born 11th mo, 25, 1716, died 9 mo. 25, 1801; she was a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth DeHaven. To them were born the following children: Andrew, Elizabeth, Sarah, Deborah, Catherine, Peter, Abraham, Rebecca, Hannah, Rachel, Isaac, Jacob, John; and Mary.

IV. Andrew Supplee, first child of Hance and Magdalena (De Haven) Supplee, was born 9th mo. 13, 1737, and died 10th mo. 22, 1806; he was twice married, first to Mary Zimmerman, and secondly to Rachel Davis. His children were Zimmerman, Hance, Susan, Rachel, Phoebe and Randolph.

V. Zimmerman Supplee, first child of Andrew and Mary Zimmerman Supplee, was born 12 mo. 2, 1770, and died 10th mo. 21, 1849. He married Hannah Henderson and had children: Alexander, Andrew, J. Henderson, Jane, and Mary Ann.

VI. Alexander Supplee, first son of Zimmerman and Hannah (Henderson) Supplee, was born 1st mo. 1, 1803, and died 9th mo. 1, 1882; he married Jane Rambo and had children, Mark, Andrew, Jonathan and Hannah.

VII. Andrew Supplee, second child of Alexander and Jane (Rambo) Supplee, was born 12th mo. 5, 1834, and died 2d mo. 17, 1900; married Amanda Cassel and had children, Elizabeth C., J. May, and Idora.

VII. Mark R. Supplee, son of Alexander and Jane (Rambo) Supplee, was born 4th mo. 11, 1836. He married Hannah Baker, and had children: Florence, Benjamin, Baker, Linford R., Frank A., Bertha E., Warren E., Mary C. and H. Ethel.

VI. J. Henderson Supplee, third son of Zimmerman and Hannah (Henderson) Supplee, was born April 26, 1809, and died October 19, 1893. He married Catherine F. Righter.

VII. J. Henderson Supplee, son of J. Henderson and Catherine F. (Righter) Supplee, was born on the old Supplee homestead in Upper Merion township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, July 12, 1842.

His early mental training was obtained at the old Crooked Lane schoolhouse in Upper Merion, and when eleven years of age he entered Professor John Loch’s Academy at Norristown, which he attended for several terms, continuing to reside under the parental roof and assisting in the work of the farm up to August, 1862. He then enlisted in the Union army, in the Fifteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, under Colonel Palmer, of Philadelphia, and Major Rosengarten, serving valiantly until the close of the war, having participated in the memorable battles of Antietam, Stony River, Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain. Upon his discharge at the close of hostilities, Mr. Supplee returned to Upper Merion township, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits on the homestead farm until 1873, when he purchased the old Gulf Mills in Upper Merion township, which had been built in 1747 and had furnished meal and flour to the Continental army during Washington’s stay at Valley Forge. He successfully operated the old mills up to 1895, when they were destroyed by fire, and during the same year he purchased the Conshohocken flour and feed mills at Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, where he has since continued in the milling and grain business, having built up a large and increasing trade which has been the logical result of his straightforward and honorable business methods. In August, 1895, he associated with himself his two sons Albert Irvin and William Wagner Supplee, and under the firm name of J. Henderson Supplee & Sons the firm have made many important improvements to their mills which are now equipped with all the modern devices known to the art of milling.

J. Henderson Supplee was married in Philadelphia by the mayor of that city on October 29, 1867, to Elizabeth Ellen Wagner, born April 3, 1838, a daughter of William and Abigail (Reese) Wagner, and the issue of this marriage was four children : 1. An unnamed child who died in infancy. 2. Albert Irvin, born October 22, 1872. He was married on February 25, 1904, to Margaret Regina Stiteler, daughter of Edwin F. and Margaret Stiteler. 3. William Wagner, born October 12, 1874, was married on January 6, 1895, to Isabella Duncan Lennen, daughter of Thomas and Christina Lennen, and to this marriage were born the following named children: Elizabeth Wagner, born October 3, 1895; Catherine Findley, born February 9, 1897; William Wagner, Jr., born September 23, 1898; and Elsie Lennen Supplee, born September 25, 1900. 4. J. Henderson, born August 20, 1877. He was married July 12, 1901, to Hattie Storcks, who died in June, 1902, without issue.

Mr. Supplee and his family attend the old Gulf Christian church in Upper Merion township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.