Biographical Sketch of Caleb Pusey WICKERSHAM, A. M. (1904); 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/ *********************************************************************** "Historical Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania", Vol. 2, edited by Gil- bert Cope and Henry Graham Ashmead, Lewis Publishing Company, New York, 1904, page 596. "CALEB PUSEY WICKERSHAM, A. M., the eldest of five children of Joel and Lydia Pusey Wickersham, was born in East Marlborough township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, on December 12, 1814. "He was the fifth generation in descent of Thomas Wickersham, who came from Bolney, Sussex county, England, in 1700, and settled in Chester county, Pennsylvania. His maternal ancestor, also five generations back, was Caleb Pusey, who was born in Berkshire, England in 1689, and who, with his brother, William Pusey, came to Old Chester, Pennsylvania, when young, where lived Caleb Pusey, Sr., who came to Pennsylvania with William Penn. About 1714, Caleb Pusey, Jr., probably a nephew of Caleb, Sr., moved to a farm in Marlborough, Chester county, Pennsylvania, which he continued to occupy during life. "Caleb P. Wickersham early evinced an aptitude for study, and was given the best education the neighborhood afforded. The schools at that time were termed subscription schools. The winter of 1834-35 he spent at Joseph Foulkes' School at Gwynedd, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, after which he began teaching, taking the following recommendation from one of his former preceptors: 'Caleb P. Wickersham, the bearer, has by attention and diligence in study, acquired a sufficient knowledge of Orthography, Reading, Writing, English Grammar, Geography, Arithmetic, Algebra, Mensuration, Trigonom- etry, Surveying, Astronomy and Botany to enable him to give instruction therein to others. Saml. Martin K. Square, 9 mo., 25th, 1835' "After several terms as teacher, desiring to take a higher course, he en- tered the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Massachusetts, and on to the Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut, where he graduated in 1846, and also received his A. M. degree at the same university. Afterwards he gave instruction at the following places, viz." 1847 - Principal of Halls Creek Academy, Calvert county, Maryland. 1848 - Teacher in Boarding School, Wilmington, Delaware. 1853 - Teacher in Seminary near Richmond, Indiana. 1855 - Associate Principal of Academy, Media, Delaware county, Penn- sylvania. 1857 - Principal of Select School in Salem, New Jersey. 1860 - Associate Principal of Unionville Academy, Chester county, Penn- sylvania. 1864 - Principal of Friends' Academy, Wilmington, Delaware 1870 - Associate Principal of West Chester Academy, Pennsylvania. "Several of the latter years of his life were passed in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, about two and one-half miles from the farm on which he was born and reared. In 1873 he was auditor of Chester county, Pennsylvania. About fifteen years he was connected with the Kennett Square borough school board, mostly as secretary. In 1879 he was elected justice of the peace, in which he continued until his decease, September 12, 1888. He was a good mathematician, and did considerable as a conveyancer and surveyor until near the close of life. "The mind, when united with the soul and fully conversant with knowledge, embraces all objects. He was an authority in botany, mineralogy, orni- thology, local history, genealogy, etc. He never married. In religion he was a 'Friend.' In politics he was a staunch Republican. At least forty- eight years of his life were spent in getting knowledge and imparting the same to others."