Few families can trace their connection to Marple Township back more than three centuries, but the Pancoast family has been part of the community’s story since its earliest days. Their legacy is woven into the history of Marple, from colonial craftsmen and blacksmiths to business owners, historians and community leaders who have helped preserve the township’s unique character for generations.
The first Pancoasts arrived in the area during the colonial era, becoming part of the township’s earliest settlement. One of the earliest Pancoasts was
known for crafting fine furniture, including a highboy that now resides at Winterthur Museum, a testament to the family’s longstanding tradition of skilled craftsmanship.
By the late 1800s, the Pancoasts had established a lasting presence along West Chester Pike. In 1894, Samuel Levis Pancoast purchased the property that today remains home to S. Pancoast Topsoil & Mulches. As a blacksmith, Samuel played an important role in the daily life of a rural farming
community. Before automobiles and hardware stores became commonplace, residents relied on him to shoe horses, repair equipment and create tools needed for work and home life.
When Samuel passed away in 1935, his son, Samuel Franklin Pancoast, adapted the property to changing times. Rather than continuing the blacksmith trade, he established the Samuel Pancoast Riding Academy. Complete with a show ring, the academy became a local gathering place and hosted the annual Broomall Horse Show, attracting more than 100 horses and riders each year.
The property entered another chapter in 1953 when it was subdivided. Seth Ellsworth Pancoast Sr. purchased the parcel containing the old blacksmith shop and family home. He also opened Pancoast Gardens on 2625 West Chester Pike, a garden center that served local residents from 1959 through 1975. For generations, few people have embodied the Pancoast legacy more fully than Seth Ellsworth Pancoast’s son, Seth Jr., who sadly passed away in 2021. Born on Veterans Day in 1938, Seth 
graduated from Marple Newtown High School’s Class of 1957, where he served as vice president. Seth carried a lifelong commitment to his hometown.
After serving in the Air Force Reserves during the Cold War and earning an associate’s degree in Botany, he returned home to help operate the family’s Pancoast Gardens business in Broomall. His love of the land eventually led him to establish S. Pancoast Topsoil & Mulches in 1975, continuing a family tradition of entrepreneurship on the same West 
Chester Pike property where his grandfather had operated a blacksmith shop. During that time, he married Linda Haring, and they raised two children, Seth Pancoast III and Claudia, at a home on Cynwyd Avenue.
Seth was one of Marple’s greatest storytellers and historians, and he had a deep appreciation for local history and community connections. A longtime member of both the Marple Historical Commission and Historical Society, he became a trusted source of knowledge about the township’s people, places and traditions. Whether sharing stories of old Marple, identifying faces in historic photographs or spending time on his beloved loader moving topsoil, Seth dedicated his life to celebrating and preserving the community his family had called home for generations.
That passion for history continues through his two children, who still live in Marple with their families. Seth III, who now operates the family business, grew up listening to stories about Marple’s past and developed his own appreciation for local heritage. “I love the history here, and I especially enjoy looking at old photos,” he said. “When I meet people who are new to the area, I love being able to tell them about the town’s history.”
For more than 300 years, the Pancoasts have adapted to changing times while maintaining strong ties to the community they call home. From furniture makers and blacksmiths to gardeners, business owners, historians and storytellers, they have helped shape the identity of Marple Township. As the community celebrates its rich history, the Pancoast family stands as a reminder that local history is not only found in old buildings and photographs, but also in the families whose stories continue across generations.