Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Iden, James C.
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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
Buckingham Township


JAMES C. IDEN retired, P.O. Buckingham, was born in Warwick 
township, Bucks county, January 5, 1813, and is a son of 
Samuel and Elizabeth (Chapman) Iden, natives of Bucks county 
and of Welsh and English descent.  His 
great-great-grandfather, Randall Iden, took passage at 
Bristol, England, on a sailing vessel and on the voyage he 
died, and was buried at sea.  His wife while in port gave 
birth to a child whose name was Randall.  She was left with 
nine children in Falls township.  She was the first of the 
Iden family to settle in this county, which she did about 
1690.  The great-grandfather, Randall, married a Miss 
Greenfield, who came from New England.  He died in Richland 
township this county.  The grandfather's name was also 
Randall.  He was a farmer and owned a farm in Richland 
township.  He died in 1812.  He was a strict Quaker and at 
the time of the war of the revolution was twice robbed of 
all his bed-clothing.  Our subject's father was also a 
farmer.  He moved to Buckingham township in 1816, and 
followed farming until his death, with the exception of 
about one year, when his son, James C., took charge of the 
farm. He had two children, one of whom is living, our 
subject.  The latter was brought up as a farmer, which 
business he followed until 1850, when he rented his farm and 
was employed in a store at Centerville, where he remained a 
short time.  He was postmaster from 1855 to 1859, after 
which he did some conveyancing.  In 1871 he was elected 
county auditor and served one term.  He has also been 
township auditor for about eighteen years.  He is one of the 
trustees of the Hughsian Free School and a director in the 
library.  He has been treasurer of the Centerville & 
Pineville pike ever since its start in 1859.  Mr. Iden is 
one of the prominent citizens of Bucks county.  His ancestry 
presumable dates back to the time of Henry VI. And 
Shakespeare.  He is a public-spirited, intelligent, and 
enterprising citizen, and has won the confidence of all with 
whom he has done business.  Mr. Iden is the only person of 
the name in the State.