On Sept. 5, 1780, Daniel Chrisman arrived from Germany in the ship "Alexander and Ann," William Clymer master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes, as the vessel's report shows. He settled in Worcester township, then part of Philadelphia, now of Montgomery County.  He had a son, Henry, who was the father of Jacob Chrisman, who married Margaret Evans.  To this couple were born five children, of whom the third son and fifth child, Henry E. Chrisman was born April 8, 1822, in East Vincent township.  On the maternal side he is of Welsh extraction.  He spent his boyhood days on the farm; attended the common schools, and afterwards the academy of Rev. Mr. Rodenbaugh, in Montgomery County.  He began farming on his own account in 1873, having previous to that time been managing the estate of his father. He was married June 18, 1877, to Martha, daughter of John Chrisman.  He is a general farmer, and has two hundred and seventy-six acres of land, upon which, in 1880, he erected his present farm residence.  He has served on the school board.  He attends, with his family, the Lutheran Church.  Is a Democrat in politics, but has never been an office-seeker.  His farm is the same deeded by Thomas Willing to Hazel Thomas, Dec. 24, 1794, and was a part of "Callowhill Manor," of one thousand acres on a branch of French Creek, and conveyed by the Proprietary under Penn, April 16, 1686, to Robert Thompson.  Henry, grandfather of Henry E. Chrisman, bought it at sheriff's sale, and the deed is dated Feb. 26, 1819, the land being sold in settlement of Hazel Thomas' estate at judicial sale.

Henry E. once belonged to the First Troop of Chester County militia, was in it some six or seven years, and in the latter part of this time commanded a company.  He went with the troop to Philadelphia to suppress the "Southwark Riot," under the command of Capt. Hallman, whom he succeeded as captain, receiving his commission from Governor Johnston.