People/Organizations | Horsham Preservation and Historical Association

Charles Harper Smith

Acknowledgement This article is taken from the introduction of The Settlement of Horsham Township by Charles Harper Smith, by DT Shannon, President of The Millbrook Society which reprinted this book in 2016. You can read the first chapter here. This book is available in the HPHA library. Charles Harper Smith It has been 70 years since Charles Harper Smith (1878-1946) passed into memory. He was a common man of uncommon intellect who embraced his own heritage and that of our nation with great interest. His attention to in-depth research, no matter his choice of subject, was a hallmark...

Early Settlers of Horsham Township

Posted in People/Organizations.

Early Settlers of Horsham Townhsip Author: Charles Harper Smith / Kevin Winters Published: August 9 2025 This article is taken from the second chapter of The Settlement of Horsham Township by Charles Harper Smith. You can read the first chapter here. This book is available in the HPHA library. Comments by Mr Smith enclosed by (). Comments by Editor enclosed by []. The First Landowners The new English colony on the Delaware became immediately popular in Europe, and attracted many men of wealth and distinction to these shores. [Editor: William Penn...

Margaret Penn

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Margaret Van der Schure (Jasper) Penn: Mother of William Penn By: Kevin Winters June 29, 2025 Margaret Van der Schure (Jasper) Penn: Mother of William Penn The information on Margaret Penn is taken from the following two sources McNeil (14) and McNeil (15) . Margaret van der Schure Penn – date and artist unknown (from American Aristocracy) Not much is known about the background of Willam Penn’s mother, Margaret van der Schure. She apparently came from a wealthy family based on the estates in Ireland that Oliver Cromwell restored to her after...

Admiral Sir William Penn

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Admiral Sir William Penn By: Kevin Winters June 29, 2025 Admiral Sir William Penn – date and artist unknown ) William Penn Sr was born in 1621 and went to sea on merchant ships at an early age. He served his apprenticeship with his father, a merchant ( Wikipedia (no date) William Penn (Royal Navy officer) [49] ) He married Margaret Jasper Van der Schuren June 6, 1643 (McNeill [15] ) and they had three children. William Jr was the oldest. A bout with smallpox at the age of four caused him to lose his hair and he wore wigs for much of his life. (NPS ) He had a sister...

William Penn

Posted in People/Organizations, Places.

William Penn By: Kevin Winters June 29, 2025 William Penn William Penn is likely well-known to most readers as the founder/proprietor of the colony of Pennsylvania. While the township of Horsham is part of that colony it is likely that Penn had very little, if anything, to do with the township and likely never visited since the land was still wilderness (the 1st settler in Hatboro reaching this area only by 1701 [Smith 1945 p17 ]) which is the year that Penn left the colony for good. (Independence Hall Association (3) -no date ) He had sold off the land that would become...

Native Americans: Lenape

Posted in People/Organizations.

The Lenni Lenape Author: Kevin Winters Published: May 30, 2025 The Lenni-Lenape (which means “Men of Men” or “Original People” (The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape, 2007) or “the people”(Eden, D, 2015). They were also called “The Grandfathers or ancient ones” (Nanticote) by other native tribes. They are the oldest known nation in the Northern Hemisphere, heir oral history suggests that they crossed into Alaska across the frozen Bering Sea thousands of years ago and eventually made their way to the eastern shore...

Margaret Choate

Posted in In Memoriam, People/Organizations.

Margaret Choate Margaret Ellen (Hinton) Choate died on April 5, 2017 in Horsham, Pa. at the age of 69. She and her husband, Peter Choate, founded the Horsham Preservation and Historical Society in 1997. In 2002 they both retired to work full time for this organization. Margaret was born in Philadelphia to Elsie and William Hinton. She grew up in Southampton, PA and graduated from William Tennant High school. Margaret worked in banking for 25 years for First Pennsylvania/CoreStates Bank, retiring in 1994 from the Horsham branch as Manager and Assistant Vice President. Margaret had a love...

Peter Choate

Posted in In Memoriam, People/Organizations.

Peter Choate We are extremely sad to report the passing of our dear friend Peter Choate. Pete was the cofounder and long-time leader of our organization. He passed away peacefully January 13, 2025, at the age of 83. Pete and his wife Margaret are shown below in March, 2016 at the Penrose-Strawbridge House. Both Pete and Margaret committed the latter parts of their lives to our group, preserving the history of Horsham Township, the restoration of the Penrose-Strawbridge House and service to our community. Margaret passed away April 5, 2017. Peter Jacquet Choate was born on May 28,...

Memories of Sue Bibus

Posted in In Memoriam, People/Organizations.

Memories of Sue Bibus as told to her daughter Susan Gilbert: Sue Bibus was born Sophie Halata in 1923 in rural Springhouse and moved to the western corner of Horsham shortly after. Her father, Michael Halata, was from Ukraine and worked as a gardener on some of the estates nearby. The Halatas moved from Springhouse to Melody Lane off Lower State Rd., just above Welsh Road sometime in the mid 1920s. Sue’s father built their home with help from a cousin. It had a barn, corn crib, chicken coup, and other small out buildings, which were there for years. She was one of nine children...