My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM D. HEEBNER. The Heebner family are among the oldest of German descent in Montgomery county. David Heebner came with the great body of Schwenkfelders to Pennsylvania in 1734, most of them settling in what is now Montgomery county. Mary, wife of David Heebner, accompanied him. Their children were Christoph; Rosanna, born May 9, 1738; George, born June 21, 1744. David died December 27, 1784, and his widow died June 11, 1793. George Heebner, son of David, was the great-grandfather of William D. Heebner, the subject of this sketch. George Heebner married Susanna, daughter of Balthasar Heydrick, April 26, 1769. Their only child was Badthasar Heebner, who was born June 12, 1770. The wife and mother died a week later, and the father married a second time, having a large family of children.

Balthasar Heebner (grandfather) married Susanna, daughter of Christopher Schultz, thus uniting two prominent and well known families of the Schwenkfelders, May 20, 1791 Their children: George, born 1795, did in infancy; a daughter, born 1796, died at the age of two days; Anthony S., 1798; Anna, 1803; Maria, 1803, died at twelve years of age; Catharine, 1806; David S. (father) born June 25, 1810; Lydia, born September 8, 1812. Balthasar Heebner was a minister of the society for many years, and until his death, which occurred April 29, 1848, at the age of seventy-seven years, ten months, twenty-one days. The genealogical record of the Schwenkfelders probably owes its existence to him. It was preserved by him in German manuscript to about the year 1846. In earlier days to 1804 a few records had been kept, but they were abandoned about that time. He conceived the idea of combining all in one record, and he accordingly copied from what he could find, continuing the work to near the close of his long life. But for his industry and foresight much valuable material would have been lost. Cheerful and kind in disposition, of active and industrious habits, Rev. Balthasar Heebner had the fullest respect and confidence of the community in which he lived, and he transmitted these rare qualities to his descendants. His wife died March 22, 1848, aged seventy-two years and four months.

David S. Heebner was destined to a long and exceedingly useful life. Although mostly self taught, the schools of his day affording little in the way of an opportunity to acquire anything like a thorough education, he rose to a commanding position in life, being an inventor, machinist, and for many years the head of the extensive establishment of Heebner & Sons of Lansdale. He engaged in farming until the year 1840, when he commenced in a small way the manufacture of agricultural machinery at Norritonville, a few miles from Norristown. He was a pioneer in the invention of the modern machinery and the farm implements which have done so much to lighten the labor of the farmer. He was always in advance of his time, and it took the community some time to catch up, as it were, with his advanced ideas. He became successful in his business, his patrons coming eventually from every state of the union and from all parts of the world, his two sons, Isaac and William D., assisting him greatly in the development of his progressive views on the subject of farm machinery. The whole system of agriculture in the United States has been revolutionized in the past sixty years as the result of the labors of David S. Heebner and his sons, and others who, like them, applied themselves to the task of superseding the clumsy and ineffective implements of farming and gardening with those that were fully adapted to the needs of the occupation. In 1872 he went into partnership with his sons, who had established an agricultural machine making plant at the village of Lansdale that was to become one of the most extensive and successful of that kind in the entire country. David S. Heebner continued in this partnership of Heebner & Sons until October, 1887, by which time the business of the establishment had developed largely from the small beginnings be had made in Norriton nearly forty years earlier.

David S. Heebner enjoyed in a very high degree the esteem and confidence of the community in which he lived. In 1891 he was commissioned postmaster of Lansdale by President Benjamin Harrison, and held the position for four years, performing its duties in a most acceptable manner. In politics the family, like most Schwenkfelders were old-line Whigs and later Republicans. He was twice married, his first wife being Anna, daughter of Henry Derstein, who died June 8, 1853. The couple had nine children, as follows Joseph, born June 11, 1833, died April 3, 1838; James, born August 6, 1836, died April 8, 1838; Mary Ann, born April 2, 1839; Isaac D., born January 18, 1841; Addison, born June 18, 1843, died at the age of two months; Josiah, born July 5, 1844, is a well known farmer of Norriton; Jacob, born August 10, 1846; William D., born September 27, 1848, subject of this sketch; David, born August 22, 1851, died June 15, 1852.

David S. Heebner married (second wife) Regina, daughter of the Rev. Christopher Schultz. They had one child, Abram S., born May 22, 1857, died October 6, 1862.

Hon. William D. Heebner was reared on the farm, and attended the public schools until he reached the age of fourteen years. He served an apprenticeship of seven years in his father’s machine shop, learning the business of agricultural implement making in all its branches. On completing his trade in 1870, Mr. Heebner went to Lansdale and became a partner with his brother, Isaac D. Heebner, and the foundation of the firm’s subsequent extensive business was laid. Two years later the firm became Heebner & Sons, and so continued until October, 1887, when William D. Heebner purchased the entire plant, which he has operated successfully ever since. The proprietor, who is still a young man, comparatively speaking, has seen the business increase with every passing year, its every department being so thoroughly organized and so well managed that the operation of the plant is now entirely unaffected by his presence or absence. He has chosen thoroughly competent persons to take charge of every mechanical and business detail, and there is no break in the running of the great machine which the plant has become as the result of the organizing power of Mr. Heebner. Its work goes on steadily increasing from year to year, the managers of the business knowing in advance just what to expect in the way of orders, and never being troubled by the slightest fear that the season’s output will exceed the demand from their customers in all parts of the world. Not only the wonderfully improved machines are the inventions of the members of the firm, but the devices used in their construction are the productions of its skill and genius. Many of these work automatically, saving the labor that would require many employees, and insuring a perfection of detail that could not be secured by hand labor, however carefully executed. Every machine of a certain kind and size is an exact duplicate in all its parts of every other made by the firm. Every year since the establishment of this industry, it has shown a healthy and satisfactory growth. The business like methods of the firm and their known adherence to fair dealing with all their customers, new or old, combined with the excellence of their goods, retain their old customers and make them new friends at home and abroad. Every year improvements are added to the machines which have long been recognized as the specialties of the firm, so that these have no equals, much less superiors, in the market. They are emphatically the very best of their kind. The aim is constantly to have every machine that is turned out at the works thoroughly up to date, its’ every part being so constructed and so adjusted as to secure the greatest possible strength and usefulness. Every year improvements are necessarily added to the plant to enable it to accomplish what is desired in this respect. Its specialties are all leaders in the particular class to which they belong. Again and again they have won the first prizes in competition with all other machine makers at the World’s Fairs that have been held in Europe and America. The farm machinery made at the Heebner plant includes horsepowers and threshers; feed cutters, with or without crushing or shredding attachments; sawing machines, and other specialties for farmers, whether they are located on the Atlantic coast, in the Mississippi valley, on the steppes of Siberia, or the plains of Argentina. The products of the establishment are sent to every part of Pennsylvania, to every state of the American union, and to every country of the globe. Wherever they are used they have won for themselves a high reputation, simply because they have deserved it. The value of the plant is difficult to estimate. The buildings are very extensive, and the machinery used in the various processes is expensive as well as complicated.

In addition to owning and operating this plant, Mr. Heebner is a heavy stockholder in the Lansdale Water Company, of which he is president; and owns a large amount of valuable real estate. He has also important interests in the south, having a luxurious winter home in Florida, owning several Grange groves. He is closely identified with the interests of the flourishing town which has grown up around his works. He has been a member of its council, its honored burgess for a number of years, and at all times an active worker in behalf of the interests of the Republican party. He is always on hand on the day of election to assist in getting out the full party vote. He has a deep interest in the system of public school education, and in everything else that pertains to the welfare of the community. He is also a leader in various financial enterprises, being a director in the People’s National Bank of Norristown, and interested in other institutions. He served two terms at Harrisburg as a member of the Pennsylvania house of representatives, one of his most prominent achievements being the introduction on Washington’s Birthday of a bill making an appropriation for freeing of the burden of debt the Headquarters of Washington at Valley Forge, which measure, through his advocacy and that of his friends in both houses of the legislature, became a law.

Mr. Heebner married, November 7, 1872, Emma, daughter of Jesse Frantz, of Centre Square, who died August 22, 1881. He married, November 29, 1883, Elizabeth Shearer, daughter of John Shearer, of Lansdale. By the first marriage he had three children, Clarella, Blanche and Estelle. Estelle married George W. Neuman, and they have one child. Blanche married Eugene Frey. By the second marriage there are also three children: Robert S., a student at Lafayette College; J. Donald, and Grace W.

Mr. Heebner is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Lansdale, and one of its trustees. He is an earnest worker, and for the past twenty-five years the leader of its choir. He is a member of Lansdale Castle, No. 244, Knights of the Golden Eagle; a charter member of Lodge No. 977, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which he assisted in organizing; a member of Charity Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Norristown; of Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch Masons, and of Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32 Knights Templar. He is a member of Washington Camp, No. 120, Patriotic Order Sons of America, of Lansdale, and of Norristown Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Few men are so highly respected in their communities as Mr. Heebner.