My Genealogy Hound

JACOB V. GOTWALTS, a prominent lawyer, and ex-District Attorney of Montgomery county, was born in Lower Providence township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1840. He is the son of Jacob and Esther (Vanderslice) Gotwalts, both natives of Pennsylvania. They had four children, Jacob V. being the only one now living.

Jacob Gotwalts (father) was a farmer in Lower Providence township, where he owned two farms. His wife was Esther Vanderslice, daughter of Anthony Vanderslice. He and his wife were Mennonites in religious faith. He died in 1851, aged fifty years. His wife survived him until 1900, when she died at the age of eighty- seven years. He was a Whig in politics.

Adam Gotwalts (grandfather) was also a farmer who lived and died in Montgomery county. The family originally came from Germany, but the first ancestor in this country settled in Montgomery county in the latter part of the seventeenth century. Anthony Vanderslice (maternal grandfather) was a native of Pennsylvania. He was a farmer, and was also interested in canal boating. He died at an advanced age, leaving several sons and daughters.

Jacob V. Gotwalts lived on his father’s farm until he was ten years of age, when he entered Freeland Seminary, now Ursinus College. In 1856 he became a student at Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1860. He was principal of the Cape May High School, New Jersey, for four years, and a member of the faculty of Treemount Seminary for more than a year before he commenced the study of law in the office of Hon. George N. Corson, of Norristown. He was admitted to the bar in August, 1867, and immediately began the practice of law. He continued in Norristown until 1894, when he removed to Pottstown, being a member of the firm of Gotwalts & Saylor.

On December 3, 1873, Mr. Gotwalts married Miss Henrietta Royer, daughter of ex-Senator Lewis Royer and Isabella (Treon) Royer. Mrs. Gotwalts belongs to the Reformed church.

Mr. Gotwalts was district attorney of Montgomery county from 1876 to 1879. He was a school director and a member of town council while he lived in Norristown. He does a general law practice, but makes a specialty of criminal law, in which he has been very successful. He is attorney for a number of corporations. He is a Democrat in politics and was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1876, at St. Louis, when Hon. Samuel J. Tilden was nominated for President, and also a delegate at the recent convention held at the same place when A. B. Parker was nominated. He has been a Mason for more than forty years, and belongs to Phenix Lodge, No 75, Free and Accepted Masons, also to the Elks, and the Knights of Friendship.

Mr. Gotwalts is genial in disposition, and has made many strong friendships. He has been a prominent figure at Democratic county conventions for many years, and has frequently responded to calls for speechmaking during different campaigns in behalf of his party. He is a fluent speaker, his manner being logical and convincing, and his eloquence being frequently interspersed with sallies of humor that enable him to please and captivate his audience.