Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Fretz, Philip H.
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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
Doylestown A-L


PHILIP H. FRETZ farmer, P.O. Doylestown, was born in 
Doylestown township, November 22, 1846, and is a son of 
Philip E. and Anna (Stover) Fretz.  His parents were natives 
of Bucks county, and were of German and French origin, the 
ancestors of the family having settled in the county at an 
early date.  Christian Fretz, grandfather of Philip H., was 
a farmer, but was extensively engaged in contract work, 
being one of the contractors to build the Horse Shoe Curve 
over the Allegheny mountains, on the Pennsylvania R. R.   In 
1849, during the cholera rage at the almshouse, he rendered 
great assistance, being the first on the ground and the last 
to leave.  He was one of the prominent men of the county.  
He had three brothers, his oldest brother being Captain 
Fretz, who sailed from the Isthmus of Panama in 1849 to San 
Francisco, where he established a bank.  Philip K. Fretz was 
buried at sea, dying when on his first voyage.  He had four 
children:  Charles, Mary C., Philip H. and John S.   Philip 
H. lived on the home farm until after his father's death.  
In 1869 he took a trip to San Francisco, and came back by 
stage, which trip he repeated sometime later.  He spent 
sometime in New York City, where he was engaged in the 
manufacture of silver plate.  In September, 1871, he married 
Willa, daughter of Robert Johnston, and has three children:  
J. Edgar, A. Lela and Ralph Johnston.  Mr. and Mrs. Fretz 
are members of the Presbyterian church.  Mr. Fretz has been 
engaged in many important enterprises.  He is at present 
holding the office of justice of the peace.  He has always 
taken an interest in religious affairs, and was instrumental 
in the building of the neat stone Sabbath school edifice at 
Turk.  He is an elder in the Presbyterian church.