Biographical Sketch of Marshal S. WAY (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. 778-9. "MARSHALL S. WAY, who is one of the most popular republicans and successful business men of eastern Pennsylvania, is now serving his eighth consecutive term as chief burgess of West Chester, an office to which he has always been elected without any opposition. He is a son of Samuel and Mary (Scarlett) Way, and was born February 12, 1845, in the house in which he has always lived, on West Miner street, in West Chester, Chester county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Way traces his ances- try back to Henry Way, who was born in 1583, in England, and in 1630 came to Massachusetts, where he died at Dorchester in 1667. In lineal descent from him was Jacob Way, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, who settled in this county in 1737. His son, John Way, was born in New Garden township on February 11, 1772, and died August 17, 1848, aged seventy-six years. He was an industrious and prosperous farmer and a member of the Society of Friends. On January 22, 1795, he married Hannah, daughter of Jacob and Mary Heald. Of their children, Samuel Way (father), was born in Kennett township, October 5, 1803. He was reared on the farm, and after marriage came to West Chester, where he resided until his death, which occurred December 6, 1871, when he was rapidly nearing his seventieth year. Samuel was a carpenter and contractor, and was one of the first men to manufacture brick in Philadelphia by machinery. He was an energetic and thoroughgoing business man, and erected the Catholic convent and many other substantial buildings in that city. He servd for over thirty years as a director and surveyor of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Chester county, and was recognized as a successful business man, a kind friend and a useful citizen. He was a republican in politics and a member of the Society of Friends, and married Mary Scarlett, a member of the old Scarlett family of this county, who was born October 26, 1804, in what is now Kennett Square, and died May 13, 1883, aged seventy-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Way were the parents of six children, two sons and four daughters. "Marshall S. Way was reared in his native city, received his education in the public schools and Wyer's academy, and then commenced life for himself as a clerk in the grocery and hardware store of Wood & Fairlamb. Five years later Mr. Way borrowed some money which he added to his own slender earnings and purchased the store, after which he formed a partnership with T. Elwood Townsend, under the firm name of Way & Townsend. This firm lasted one year, when Mr. Way sold out his interest to Richard Thatcher. He then found himself with a small amount of means which he purposed to invest in some profitable enterprise. After examining carefully several business openings, he formed a partnership with E. S. Mendenhall, and on October 1, 1867, they purchased the coal and lumber business of Shoemaker & Robison, which they conducted very successfully for seven years. During that time he was one of a company of four who erected a row of houses on Barnard street, also another on south Darlington street. They also erected several fine buildings on West Miner street and a number of good residence in various other parts of the city. After retiring from the coal and lumber busi- ness, Mr. Way was not actively employed until 1877, when he embarked in his present real estate and loan business. His first office soon became too small and he removed to another and larger room, but the rapid increas of his business in a short time caused him to leave his second office and secure his present commodious rooms in the Everhart building, on Market street, opposite the court house. From his initial effort in real estate transactions until the present time he has met with remarkable success, and now his volume of business is such that he keeps a regular force of clerks who are kept constantly at work. He makes a specialty of western mortgages, and in some years has loaned over $100,000 in the State of Kansas alone. Beside loaning a large amount of money in his own county, he is also doing an extensive business in fire insurance and real estate, his rent list being large, and he sells yearly a large number of houses, building sites and farms. Marshall S. Way is an honest, plain an dunpretending straight- forward man, of great energy, good judgment and remarkable business ability. He is prominently identified with the material development of his native city, of which he has been an important factor for the last decade. Among the different enterprises for the improvement of West Chester with which he is connected is the Assembly building, and he was also the originator of the electric street railway. He is a director and surveyor of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Chester county. He is also a director of the First National bank, a trustee of the West Chester State Normal school, and president of both the boards of trade and health. "On Christmas day, 1867, Mr. Way married Anna E. Smedley, a daughter of Bartholomew and Margaret Smedley, of East Goshen township. Mr. and Mrs. Way have two children: Mr. Warren and Channing. "In politics Mr. Way is a strong republican. His political career commenced in 1885 as a councilman, although he was offered a seat in the city council as early as 1877, but the old town meetings were then in existence, and despite earnest solicitations to accept councilmanic honors he always emphatically declined until the town meetings were abolished in the first named year. He then allowed his name to be used, and was elected as a councilman from the South ward. He then served but one term, when he was elected in 1886 as chief burgess and since then he has been yearly elected to succeed himself without opposition in his own party. "One who is well acquainted with Marshall S. Way writes of him as follows: 'Mr. Way's name has been proposed time and again for legislative honors from this district, but his foot has been invariably set down upon every offer of the kind, he preferring to remain at home attending to his large and lucrative business, and of serving the people at home with whom he has grown up and become familiar in business and social life. There is, perhaps, no man in the city who labors more industriously and con- stantly than the chief burgess. From early in the morning until late at night he is employed at his office or attending to some of the multifarious duties incident to the office. In administering the borough lawas he does not believe in severity, but always upholds the dignity and stability of the city's government, and strictly enforces the ordinances to the letter.' "Marshall S. Way's life has been one of varied and uniform usefulness, in which he has achieved individual success and won the regard and esteem of his fellow-citizens."