Biographical Sketch of John C. ENTRIKEN (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Philadelphia, PA, 1893, pp. 791-793. "JOHN C. ENTRIKEN, the skillful chemist and mechanical genius, who for nearly a quarter of a century has been identified with the manufacture of platinum goods in this country, is the youngest son of John and Ann I. (Fitzsimmons) Entriken, and was born October 6, 1849, in Thornbury township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. His ancestors on the paternal side were English-Irish, and settled in Pennsylvania at an early day. George Entriken, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Chester county, born about 1755, and died near West Chester in 1830, aged nearly seventy-five years. He was a miller and millwright, and for many years did a flourishing business in this section. He was an old-line whig in politics, and it is thought was a member of the Society of Friends. He married Esther Carpenter and was the father of eight children, five sons and three daughters. His youngest son, John Entriken (father), was born in Willistown township, this county, in 1806, where he grew to manhood and received the best education furnished by the schools of that day. After leaving school he learned the trade of wheelwright, which occupa- tion he followed for several years and then became a merchant at Birmingham, this county. In later life he purchased a farm and devoted his last active years to agricultural pursuits. He now lives a retired life at Sugartown, this county. Politically he is a republican, but was formerly a whig, and has served as school director of his township for a number of years. In 1833 he married Ann I. Fitzsimmons, a daughter of George and Mary (Ingram) Fitzsimmons, of East Whiteland. She was born in 1816, and is still living. To their union was born a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters. The eldest son is Charles, who married Margaret Thomas and now resides at Malvern. He is a miller by occupation and has four sons and three daughters: Elsie (deceased), Jonathan, Robert, Anna and William. The eldest daughter, Mary F., married Robert Everett, one of the founders of the Philadelphia Sunday Dis- patch, who now lives in retirement at Malvern, this county. They have four children living - Henry, Robert, John and William - and two dead. The second daughter, Esther, is now the widow of Jacob Rogers, and lives with her father in Sugartown, Willistown township. The third daughter, Sarah, died at the age of twenty-two, unmarried. George Entriken, the second son, married Sallie H. Bishop, by whom he had three children - Essie, Rogers and Nellie - and after her death wedded Annie Haines, to whom was born one daughter - Ann. Caleb, the youngest son, died when only two years of age. "John C. Entriken was born in Thornbury, and received his education in the public schools and at a grammar school. Since 1868 has been identified with the manufacture of platinum ware, and the refining of that metal, together with gold and silver. He served an appren- ticeship of seven years with Joaquin Bishop, a native of Portugal, who was the first to introduce the working of platinum into this country, and the first to operate the oxo-hydrogen blowpipe. In 1884 Mr. Entriken formed a partnership with William Penn Evans, under the firm name of Evans & Entriken, and began the manufacture of platinum ware at Malvern, where he has ever since continued the business. In 1885 Mr. Evans retired and Mr. Entriken assumed entire control of the business. His establishment is located on the corner of King street and Second avenue, and employs four or five men the year round. Here is manufactured platinum stills, crucibles, dishes, retorts, blowpipe jets, assaying apparatus, filtering cones, spoons, bottles, triangles, spat- ulas, wire, and many other articles. Special articles are made to order, and all kinds of platinum good repaired. The product of these works is pronounced by competent judges to be of a superior order, and some of the work turned out here has never been surpassed in this country. Many large contracts have been filled for the United States government. In addition to his platinum works Mr. Entriken also conducts a general plumbing business, including steam and gas fitting. Part of the first floor of the building is used as the plumbing department, while the second story accommodates the platinum works. A steam engine supplies ample power, and all work in either department receives the personal supervision of the energetic proprietor, whose name is familiar among scientific people in all parts of the world. "In 1874 Mr. Entriken was united in marriage with Laura Bishop, youngest daughter of Joaquin Bishop, his old preceptor in the platinum business. To Mr. and Mrs. Entriken were born seven children: Ralph, Clara, James, Bishop, Laura, John and Mary. Clara, Bishop, Laura and John are deceased. "Politically Mr. Entriken follows the traditions of his family and is a stanch republican. When the borough government of Malvern was first organized, in 1899, he was elected treasurer of the town and has held that position contin- uously ever since."