Reuben Haines (January 1, 1727 – October 23, 1793) was an early American

brewer Brewing is the production of beer by steeping a starch source (commonly cereal grains, the most popular of which is barley) in water and fermenting the resulting sweet liquid with yeast. It may be done in a brewery by a commercial brewer, ...

firefighter A firefighter is a first responder and rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and in some cases or jurisdictions also ...

, and land prospector from

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. Haines is the namesake of Haines Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. In 1771, he funded the construction of a road (now

Pennsylvania Route 45 Pennsylvania Route 45 (PA 45) is an state highway located in central Pennsylvania, United States. PA 45 is called the Purple Heart Highway. The western terminus of the route is at PA 453 in Morris Township near the community of Water Street. ...

) from Sunbury through the "Woodward Narrows", to the modern site of Spring Mill — the first road in what is now Centre County. The modern boundaries of Penn Township (formed 1844) and a portion of Gregg Township (formed 1826) were annexed from a larger Haines Township (now only 148.6 km²) that was established before Centre County was officially declared in 1800. Haines was a proprietor of the historic

Wyck House The Wyck house, also known as the Haines house or Hans Millan house, is a historic mansion, museum, garden, and urban farm in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1971 f ...

in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Haines also founded the town of

Northumberland, Pennsylvania Northumberland is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,804 at the 2010 census. History A brewer named Reuben Haines, a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded the town of Northumberland in ...

in 1772.

Biography

Family and Marriage

Haines was the son of Josiah Haines and Martha Burr, both of

Burlington County Burlington County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by area in New Jersey. Its county seat is Mount Holly.

, New Jersey. After the death of Josiah, his mother married Timothy Matlack Sr. (1695–1752), with whom she had more children. One of these children was

Timothy Matlack Timothy Matlack (March 28, 1736 – April 14, 1829) was an American politician, military officer and businessman. A brewer and beer bottler who emerged as a popular and powerful leader in the American Revolutionary War, Matlack served as Secretar ...

, the brewer and politician, who was Haines's younger half-brother. Haines was also the first cousin of the Quaker abolitionist

John Woolman John Woolman (October 19, 1720 ( O.S.)/October 30, 1720 ( N.S.)– October 7, 1772) was an American merchant, tailor, journalist, Quaker preacher, and early abolitionist during the colonial era. Based in Mount Holly, near Philadelphia, he trave ...

. On April 4, 1760, Haines married Margaret Wistar (1729–1793), daughter of the wealthy glass-maker

Caspar Wistar Caspar Wistar may refer to: * Caspar Wistar (glassmaker) (1696–1752), Pennsylvania glassmaker and landowner * Caspar Wistar (physician) Caspar Wistar (September 13, 1761January 22, 1818) was an American physician and anatomist. He is sometim ...

. They had five children: * Catherine Haines (1761–1808), who married Richard Hartshorne * Caspar Wistar Haines (1762–1803), who married Hannah Marshall and inherited the

estate. They were the parents of

Reuben Haines III Reuben Haines III (February 8, 1786 – October 19, 1831) was a Quaker farmer, brewer, abolitionist, scientist, ornithologist, meteorologist, firefighter, philanthropist, and educational reformer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Haines was a found ...

, scientist and farmer. * Josiah Haines (1764–?), who married Susan Harriett Bull * Reuben Haines Jr. (1765–1793) * Martha Haines (1769–1781)

Firefighting

Haines and his stepfather Timothy Matlack Sr. were members of the Fellowship Fire Company, the second organized fire company in the British colonies.

Brewery

After his stepfather's death in 1752, Haines inherited his brewery, multiple properties, and a considerable amount of debt. Haines continued this business with the help of his sons, Caspar Haines and Reuben Haines Jr. From 1784–1793, "Reuben Haines and Sons" brewery was located at No. 145 Market Street in Philadelphia. A few months before his death, Haines led a parade of more than 75 brewers through the streets of Philadelphia, with banners reading "Home brew'd is best" and "Proper drink for Americans". Haines's clients included many notable figures including

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...

and

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

. He was a member of the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture.

Death

Haines and his wife Margaret died in Philadelphia during the

yellow fever epidemic of 1793 During the 1793 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, 5,000 or more people were listed in the official register of deaths between August 1 and November 9. The vast majority of them died of yellow fever, making the epidemic in the city of 50,000 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haines, Reuben Beer in the United States History of firefighting History of Philadelphia 18th century in Philadelphia 18th-century Quakers 1727 births 1793 deaths