Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Cressman, Abraham S.
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson, Patricia Bastik & Susan Walters Dec 2009

Source: History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania; edited by 
J.H. Battle; A. Warner & Co.; 1887
Rockhill Township


   ABRAHAM S. CRESSMAN son of the late Henry and Mary 
(Stout) Cressman, was born August 2, 1827, in Rockhill 
township, Bucks county, about two miles west of 
Sellersville.  He was reared on a farm, but exchanged farm 
life for other pursuits when about twenty years of age.  He 
learned the cigar and tobacco trade and engaged in the 
manufacture of cigars until 1869.  Since then he has been 
carrying on an extensive and successful business in the coal 
and lumber trade in Sellersville.  When the borough of 
Sellersville was incorporated in 1874 he was appointed by 
the court judge of the election for the first officers of 
the borough.  He was also elected successively for a number 
of years its chief burgess.  In politics he is a democrat.  
On November 6, 1862, Mr. Cressman was married to Kate, only 
daughter of James Cressman.  This union was blessed with two 
sons:  James Richard, born January 17, 1864, and Henry 
Howard, born August 20, 1867.  His wife Kate died November 
10, 1869, and he was married on November 25, 1873, to Hannah 
Derstine, daughter of Michael Derstine.  By this marriage he 
has one son, David, born February 13, 1877.  Mr. Cressman is 
a member of the Lutheran church.  He is a charter member of 
St. Michael's Evangelical congregation, Sellersville, and 
was one of the building committee when St. Michael's church 
was erected in 1870.  From records and official papers in 
the possession of the family he traces his genealogy to the 
fourth generation as follows:  Henry Cressman, his father, 
late of Rockhill township, born December 15, 1795, and died 
April 6, 1884, was the father of ten children:  Livy, born 
February 15, 1820; Maria, born November 15, 1821; Magdalena, 
born July 17, 1823; Samuel, born July 21, 1825; Abraham, 
born August 2, 1827; Henry, born February 11, 1830; 
Elizabeth, born January 12, 1832; Enos, born May 26, 1834; 
Aaron, born August 16, 1837; and Jacob, born August 8, 1844. 
 Jacob Cressman, father of the above-named Henry, was born 
October 27, 1755, and died June 15, 1832.  He was married to 
Elizabeth Nace and their immediate descendants were the 
following:  Samuel, Magdalena, Catharine, Elizabeth, 
Margaretha, Susanna, Jacob, Maria, Abraham, Henry, Philip 
and Hannah.  He (Jacob) was the oldest son of a family of 
seven, namely:  Jacob, Abraham, John, Adam, Elizabeth, 
Catharine and Sarah - all the children of Anthony and 
Magdalena Cressman.  Anthony Cressman, born May 9, 1731, and 
died March 3, 1789, was the elder son of Johannes Cressman, 
whose children were:  Anthony, John, Elizabeth, Mary, 
Catharine and Hannah. This Johannes Cressman, who was born 
about 1700, was therefore the great-great-grandfather of 
Abraham, the subject of this sketch.  He was one of the 
early settlers of Pennsylvania and is known to have owned a 
tract of land in Rockhill township in 1747.  Nothing 
definite of the history of his early life is known.  He died 
in the spring of 1786 in Franconia, Montgomery county.