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L 2.12.1953
William Nelms. William Nelms, chief of the Honey Brook Fire Company for 28 years, died this morning at his home in Honey Brook after an illness of several years. He was in his 90th year. Born in Honey Brook, he was the son of the late Thomas and Katherine Foreman Nelms. He resided in Honey Brook township throughout his life and was employed as a blacksmith and wheelwright in that area for many years. Besides his membership in the local fire company, he was active in the Social Friends Lodge, I. O. O. F., in Honey Brook. He observed his 64th wedding anniversary with his wife, Annie Whitaker Nelms, in January. In addition to his wife, he is survived by: six daughters, Mrs. Martha Groff, of Baltimore, Md.; Ruth, wife of Leroy Darrah, of Philadelphia; Mrs. Hanna Romig
Marian, wife of Frank Zook, of Akron; and Lois, wife of Clifton Tracey, of Honey Brook; a son, Edgar Nelms, of Stockton, Calif.; 23 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Edward Nelms, of Philadelphia.
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CR 2.14.1953
The old home town of Honey Brook has lost an outstanding citizen in the demise of William "Bill" Nelms at the age of ninety years and who for almost three decades served as fire chief for which he got no pay and few thanks but he kept smiling just the same. Your reporter knows whereof he speaks for it so happened "Bill" Nelms, long the village blacksmith, was just about the closest friend of our dad who preceded him in death many years. "Bill" and his fine wife (they recently celebrated their sixty-fourth anniversary of successful married life) raised a fine family and lived the good life. Do you know of any finer epitaph? We don't.
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NCCH 1.6.1949
Mr. and Mrs. William Nelms, of HoneyBrook, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Monday, January 3, at the home of their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Darrah, 5001 Hawthorne street, in Philadelphia, where they are spending a few weeks. Mr. and Mrs. Nelms were married at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Asbury Whitaker at Beartown. They have lived 53 of the 60 years of their married life in HoneyBrook. Their West Main street home, adjoining the property of Dr. Grant W. Bamberger, was recently purchased by Dr. Bamberger who is including the major part of the house in his own offices and residence. However, an apartment is being included which will be occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Nelms when completed. They will remain with the Darrahs until it is ready for occupancy. Mr. Nelms who was 85 last October, is a son of the late Thomas and Catherine Nelms and was born at the Nelms homestead at the foot of the Welsh mountain on the road to Morgantown, for many years owned by Ezra Fisher, more recently by David Stoltzfus. He is a wheelwright and blacksmith and owned and operated shops in HoneyBrook for many years retiring 15 years ago. Mrs. Nelms was 79 last August. They are the parents of 11 children, two dying in infancy. Two sons met death accidently. Jesse employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad, died in a railroad accident at Pottstown. Nelson died in an elevator accident in Baltimore. Each left a widow and child. Edgar, oldest of the family is living in Stockton, California. Six daughters are Mrs. Martha Groff, Mrs. Esther Ayers and Miss Lois Nelms, all of Baltimore; Mrs. Hanna Romig, of HoneyBrook; Mrs. Ruth Darrah, of Philadelphia, and Mrs. Miriam Zook, of Akron, Pa. There are 28 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Twenty-eight members of the family gathered around two large tables at the home of the Darrahs in Philadelphia on Sunday to celebrate the anniversary with the bride and groom of 60 years ago. Many gifts and cards were received. Not all members of the family were present but four generations were represented.
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?? 2.??.1953
NELMS-In Honey Brook, Pa., on Feb. 12, William Nelms, in his 90th year. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the funeral without further notice from the Eppihimer Funeral Home, Honey Brook, Pa., on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 2 P.M. Interment Honey Brook Methodist Cemetery. Friends may call Saturday evening 7 to 9 P.M.
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NCCH 2.19.1953
Funeral services for William Nelms, of Honey Brook, who died early Thursday morning, were held on Sunday afternoon from the Eppihimer Funeral Home in Honey Brook. The Rev. Charles Knopp, pastor of the local Methodist Church, and the Rev. Merrill Graves, of Radnor, a former pastor of the local church, officiated. Mr. Nelms, who was in his 90th year, was the oldest male citizen of Honey Brook. He had been ill for over two years. A son of the late Thomas and Catherine Foreman Nelms, he was born on the homestead farm, north of Honey Brook, and spent his entire life in this section. As a young man he learned the wheelwright trade in New Holland, and before the turn of the century he had established himself in business in Honey Brook, building a shop on Pequea Avenue, on the site now occupied by the Martin D. Kern hardware store. After some years he purchased the Elmer Byler blacksmith shop next door, which he operated for many years, hiring a blacksmith to do the smithy work. Later, when wagons were replaced by automobiles, he took over the blacksmith shop himself. For the first twenty years he was in business in Honey Brook Mr. Nelms was a distributor of wagons. Once or twice a year he would have carloads of wagons shipped here from Dearborne, Michigan, disposing of them at private sale. After discontinuing the wheelwright and blacksmith shops, he operated a repair garage in the buildings. The passing of Bill Nelms, to those who knew the village of Honey Brook from 1895 to 1925, is a sort of requiem of an era when numerous small businesses flourished in the leisurely fashion that only the horse and buggy days could create in a Village such as Honey Brook was then. His was a trade close to the pulse of community life. He kept the tank-wagon of the Atlantic Refining Company, drawn by four big horses and driven by "Coal-Oil" Johnny Wert, rolling over muddy and stony country roads, shoeing the horses and repairing the wagon wheels, turning with ease and assurance ????????????????????????????????? carriage with a lace-trimmed parasol suspended over the seat. The old band-wagon, seating capacity of 32, or the two-wheeled dog-cart of Mrs. Lucas, from Faraway Farm, Narvon, were items handled in the course of the day's work. He was an ardent and active fireman, being a charter member of the Honey Brook Fire Company. The old, hand-drawn, hand-pumped fire engine, was his favorite and special piece of equipment, and many a picture of him and the old engine can still be found in local homes. In fact, picture postcards with Mr. Nelms and the engine sold well in Honey Brook 40 years ago. Alfred Stauffer, collector of old-time Honey Brook pictures, said the other day, "I have dozens of old pictures and it is hard to find one taken along the streets of Honey Brook that does not have Bill Nelms in it." He played the cornet in the old Honey Brook Band. He was a member of Social Friends Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Honey Brook for 50 years. He was an ardent Democrat all his life. Mr. Nelms and his wife, the former Annie Whitaker, celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary in January. In addition to his wife, he is survived by the following children, Edgar Nelms, of Stockton, Calif., who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage two weeks ago and was not able to come East for the funeral; Mrs. Martha Groff and Esther, wife of Howard Ayers, both of Baltimore; Ruth, wife of Roy Darrah, of Philadelphia; Mrs. Hannah Romig and Lois, wife of Clifford Tracey, both of Honey Brook; Miriam, wife of Frank Zook, of Akron, Pa. There are 23 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and a surviving brother is Edward Nelms, of Philadelphia. Two sons, Jesse and Nelson, are deceased. Interment followed the service on Sunday afternoon in the Honey Brook Methodist cemetery. Pallbearers were William and LaVerne Romig, Donald Hess, Leon Darrah, Fred Glathorn and Norman Armandt
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