The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-17
ISAAC H. DewEEs, A MoNTGoM-
 FRY REPRESENTATIVE.
He Has Recently Returned From swedesford, N. Y.,. Where He Attended the Burial of His
 Mothsr-An Interest
 ing Sketch.

The Holstein family of Swedesferd. New York. represented in Montgomery by descendant. Mir. Isaac H. Dewees, is in point of longevity, perhaps the most remarkable in the United States.
 MT. Dewees but recently returned from the old family homestead at Swedesford. which has been in the family for two centuries. He was sum moned there by the death of his moth- CT. who passed out of the world at the advanced age of 90 years. Three sisters who preceded her lived to the ages of S1, S2 and s6 years. One broth CT died at the age of s2 years. and the youngest member of the family. a brother. at the time of his death, was s2 years old. He was the only mem Der of the family who was less than so years old at the time of death.
 George w. Holstein, the surviving member of the family. is hale and hearty at s4. By y-request of The Ad- vertiser he wrote out at his home at Swedesford, the brief sketch of the family which Is herewith given.
 The writing is In itself remarkable. It does not in the least indicate that the writer is an aged man. No young man of 21 could have written the sketch more legibly or more clearly. The handwriting throughout is as clear as copper plate.
 The sketch and the newspaper arti- cle which bears upon the family home- stead is replete with historical allu- sions and dates of startling antiquity. The history of the family for two cen- turtles has been closely interwoven with that of the old Swedes Church at Swedesford. Since the first church building one. and often more than one, member of the family has been mern- Der of it's vestry. The writer of the sketch has been an officer of the church forty-four years. The original Holstein settled at Swedesford as far back as 170S. He bought from the In- dians at that time the old Holstein tract consisting of one thousand acres of land.
 The sketch of the remarkable fam fly written by the surviving member of the family in his eightieth year is as follows:
 Our old 'Swedes Church was built In 1760, and dedicated to the service of God as Christ Church on the 25th day of June. of that year. by the Rev. Dr. Charles Magnus Wrangel Swed- ish missionary, sent here by the King of Sweden. to look after the welfare of his people. My grandfather. Sam
 
 in the erection of the church. He was born at Swedesford on the Schuylkill, on January 11th, 1745, died December 22nd, 1902. was buried in Christ Church cemetery. The following epitaph (of which I am very proud) was written by the Rev. Dr. Collin. the last of the Swedish missionaries sent here, and is inscribed upon his tombstone:
 He was a dutiful son, an affection ate husband, a kind father, a good neighbor, an upright and benevolent man in all his dealings. an industrious improver of his landed patrimony. a principal promoter of this church in its erection, attendance on divine worship therein, and wardenship of 1t for thir- ty-three years. May this candid rec ord be a public benefit Is the wish of the framer, Nicholas Collin
 My father. George w. Holstein, was born April 10. 177S, died March 10, 1s41. He succeeded his father as yes tryman and warden of the church for forty years; in 1887 he urged the en- largement of the building, which re- suited in the addition of the tower and transepts. giving it It's present cru ciform appearance. He was married on the 5th of November, 1901, to Eliza beth Wayne Hayman, daughter of Cap tain William and ann Wayne Hayman, the marriage taking place at Waynes- horo. near Paoh, Chester county at the residence of the brides uncle, Major General Anthony Wayne of the Revo- lutionary army. It was a very bril- liant wedding, attracting many young friends. the groom being twenty three and the bride twenty-one. the general himself giving her away.
 My mother died in her 59th year
 My brother, William H. Holstein, was born February IT, 1S16. died Au- gust 9th, 1894. He was elected vestry- man in 1S40. continued as such up to the time of his death He was warden twenty-five years.
 George ". Holstein. the writer, was born October 30. 1920. was elected yes tryman in 1850, and warden in 1860, in