Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Marple, Alfred
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
************************************************

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
Middletown Township


   ALFRED MARPLE P.O. Langhorne, was born in Philadelphia, 
December 28, 1819, being a son of David and Eliza Ann (Hart) 
Marple.  His mother was of English descent and was a 
daughter of Joseph Hart, Jr., of Warminster, a son of 
Colonel Joseph Hart of the revolution.  John Hart, the 
founder of the family in America, came over with, or at the 
time of Penn, and was a noted Quaker preacher.  He took up 
one thousand acres of land in Warminster and Byberry.  The 
family homestead in Warminster was until recently in the 
family.  Forty acres of the farm are now included in the 
town of Ivyland.  Miss Hart, when a young girl, read the 
articles of emancipation giving freedom to her father's 
slaves.  They were assembled in the northeast room of the 
ancient Hart house, yet standing.  It was visited by a 
detachment of British soldiers while Howe held Philadelphia. 
 None but a slave named Jean was left in the care of the 
house.  The female members of the family had gone among 
friends in Chester county.  The soldiers split open the 
walnut chests by pounding upon the lids with the butts of 
their muskets, and with oaths compelled the affrighted Jean 
to hold a bag while they filled it therefrom.  Mr. Marple's 
father was born in Hatboro, then known as the Crooked 
Billet.  At 18 he left the store where he was clerking in 
his native village and enlisted as a volunteer in a Hatboro 
company (war of 1812), and was made orderly sergeant.  After 
his marriage he engaged in mercantile business in 
Philadelphia, but was not successful.  The most of his life 
was spent in farming in Warminster.  He was for a term clerk 
to the commissioners of Bucks county, was appointed register 
of wills by Governor Porter, and under the new constitution, 
which made the office elective, he was elected for three 
years.  He was over four years chief clerk in the naval 
office, Philadelphia, under General John Davis.  His 
ancestors were of Welsh origin and settled in Delaware 
county, where there is a township and post-office named 
Marple.  Colonel Marple was a prominent man in his day.  His 
family consisted of six sons and five daughters, one son 
dying young.  He moved to Kansas in 1871, accompanied by his 
wife and youngest daughter.  Most of his family had preceded 
him there.  Two of his sons, Silas and Joseph, were among 
the early settlers and took up land.  He died in 1871, aged 
83 years, and his wife some years earlier.  Alfred was the 
second son.  He was reared on the farm, attended the common 
schools of the day and six months at the Warminster boarding 
school kept by Daniel Longstreth.  He also spent one term at 
the Institute at China Hall, near Bristol, Captain Alden 
Partridge, principal.  He engaged in teaching several years 
and then was five years in partnership with George Dean in a 
store in Langhorne.  In 1859 he purchased a farm in 
Middletown and engaged in cultivating it.  At the breaking 
out of the civil war, he recruited a company (F) for the 
104th regiment, Pa. Vols., and remained in command during 
its term of enlistment (three years), when he again returned 
to the farm.  In 1868 he was made principal of the Soldiers' 
Orphans' school at Quakertown and remained there until the 
school was consolidated with others at Chester Spring, 
Chester county.  He resumed farming until 1881, when he gave 
way to his sons, and has since been mainly engaged in 
selling fertilizers.  He was postmaster of Langhorne for a 
number of years under Buchanan's administration, and was 
bank assessor for one year for the district composed of 
Bucks and Montgomery, appointed by Auditor-general 
Hartranft.  All his living brothers were in the Union army.  
Joseph, of the 11th Kansas, died from exposure and fatigue 
at Kane Hill, Arkansas, attached to General Buell's army.  
Silas was lieutenant in the 11th Kansas, and was detailed as 
acting division quartermaster.  He was stricken down with a 
fever and died on board the steamer "Pringle" while on the 
way to New Orleans for better medical treatment than the 
field hospital afforded.  Nathan was orderly sergeant in 
company C, 128th Pa. Vols., and along with a large part of 
the regiment was taken prisoner at Chancellorsville.  W. 
Warren M. enlisted in a three months' company, afterwards 
recruited company C, 104th Pa. Vols., and while in the 
department of the South at  Beaufort, S. C., becoming 
disgusted with the utter disregard of regular promotions 
that characterized the administration of the 104th, resigned 
to take the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 2nd S. C. colored 
regiment under command of the famous Colonel Montgomery.  On 
the latter resigning he was made colonel, and at the close 
of the war he was discharged as brevet brigadier-general.  
Captain Marple in 1849 married Anna A., daughter of Garret 
Vansant, who was of Holland descent, the family originally 
settling in Long Island.  The result of this union was five 
children:  Franklin H., Mary E. (deceased), William W., 
Florence V. and Ida M.   Mrs. Marple died February 1, 1871, 
and he was again married, in 1873, to Sallie A., daughter of 
Obadiah Aaron.  He now resides in Langhorne, where he lately 
erected a substantial dwelling on Marshall street.  
Previously to the breaking out of the rebellion Captain 
Marple and his father and brothers were all democrats, but 
from that time identified themselves with the republican 
party.