Photograph courtesy of
Dave Komarnicki,
Chester, PA

(A biographical sketch taken from One Hundred Years, The Delaware County National Bank Chester, PA 1814-1914)

Years in parentheses are years of service as a Director of The Bank of Delaware County and/or The Delaware County National Bank

Spencer McIlvain (1840-42, 1844, 49-50), son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Spencer) McIlvain, was born March 27, 1803, at what was then called Ridley, now known as Leiperville. In early life he was employed in the saw mill, tannery and about the homestead farm during the life of his father. All of Spencer McIlvain's active business life was devoted to farming, grazing beef cattle for the Philadelphia markets, and in operating the extensive quarries on his estate. In 1838, he was elected one of the County Commissioners.

In 1872, he sold the greater part of his realty to William Simpson, the founder of the Eddystone Print Works, but prior to that he had laid out into streets a tract in the present Fifth ward of Chester and erected several cotton factories and a number of dwellings. He was one of the four men who originated the Delaware Mutual Safety Insurance Company in Chester, and from January 5, 1846, to his death was a director in that corporation - an uninterrupted service of nearly forty-four years. Spencer McIlvain died December 13, 1889, aged 85 years.

[Obituary]