Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/519

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COI.UMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

the land was examined in the morning ic was found to be fertile, and the water was so abundant and of such good quality that tbe old w arrior determined to found his home un that site, l i e purchased land along the Sus(|uchanna from Kipp’s run to Boyd’s run, one mile back from the river, all of it at that time a dense forest. With the aid of his sons he began to clear and till the land, and after clearing a jxirtion on a small bluff overlooking the beautiful Sus<|uchanna river he erected a small frame house which is still standing, though more than a hundred years old. and is one of the old landmarks of the vicinity. It is still owned by his descendants: it was oc­ cupied by William F . Gearhart, who died in 1905. Captain Gearhart set out an orchard which was completely destroyed by a hail­ storm in 1K46. Ilc aojuircd 1,500 acres. 200 o f which he cleared. In 18 13 . after an active life o f seventy-eight years. Captain Gearhart died, and his w ife. Catharine Kline, survived him a few years. They had a family o f eleven children, nam ely: Jacob, bom in 1763. who died in 1 8 4 1; Herman, born in 1765. who dicil in 18 3 5; George, mentioned below; W il­ liam. born in 1776. who died in 18 34 : Charles. Jjorn in 1783. who died in 18 6 3; John, boni in 1788. who died in 18 58; Isaac; Benjam in; Elizabeth; M a ry; and Catharine. G c o ^ e Gearhart, son o f Capt. Jacob and Catharine (K lin e ) Gearhart, was bom in what is now Hunterdon county, N. J .. and he be­ came a prosperous farm er and landowner. H e had a beautiful farm one mile from R iver­ side. along the bank of the Sus<|uchanna river one mile south of the bridge, now fom iing part o f 5iouth Danville. It w as a present from his father to him at his m ajority, and there he lived all his life. He erected many buildings there, and as he prospered pur­ chased more Land, .at his death owning be­ tween three hundred and four hundred acres .along the Su»|uchanna. He was twice m ar­ ried. his first w ife being Acsah Runyan, who died when a young woman, the mother o f four chiUlren: Ik>nh.am R .. Benjamin (w ho moved out W est). Eliza and Rcbw ca (m arried W il­ son M cttlcr). H is second w ife w as Phœbe I.ott. hy whom he had three children: Achie, G eoige and Herman. Bonham R. Gearhart. M. D .. son of George Gearhart, w as Ixirn March 1 1. 1 8 1 1 . on his father’s homestead in Rush township, and there received his early etlucation. later at­ tending academv at DanviUe. H e read med­ icine with Dr. H. Gearhart, o f Bloomsburg. and took a course at Jefferson Medical College.

Philadelphia, from which lie w as graduated. U'or two years D r. Gearhart p ra c tic ^ at Sun­ bury, and he w as subsequently in Washing­ tonville and Turbotvillc 118 39 -18 4 4 ) before settling at Danville, where he w as in suc­ cessful practice to the close o f his life. He was one of the most popular physicians o f hts day, and his death, w lich occurred .May 9. 1855, when he was in his early forties, was widely mourned. H e died o f pneumonia. Dr. Gearhart married Elizabeth Steel Boyd, daughter o f William and Eliza (Steel) Boyd, o f Danville, and granddaughter o f U illwrn Boyd, the founder of the family in .America. H e was a colonel in the Revolution, and was later promoted to general in the militia. .Mrs. Kllta (Steel) Boyd was the niece o f General Steel, of the Revolution. M rs. Gearhart sur­ vived the l 3octor many years, dying Ja n . 2 1. 1904, at the advanced age o f cighiy-sevai years, eight months, twenty-nine days.’ They were the parents o f a large fam ily, v iz .: W il­ liam Boyd, bom Oct. 8. 1839. who lives at No. 9 East Market street, Danville, married Elizabeth, daughter o f Thom as Butler, and they have had children. Elizalicih Boyd and M ary Atta, the form er the w ife o f R. Scott .Ammcnnan and the mother of (our children, Robert I'ovd, William Edgar, Elizabeth Chris­ tine and Dorothy A lia; .Acsah, born March 18, 18 4 1. died A pril 3. 1 8 4 1; George .M. was born Alarch 18. 18 4 1, on his father’s birthday, in the same room where his father was l>om: Bonham K. w as horn M ay ao. 18 4 3; J.amcs B ., born Oct. 26. 1844. died M ay 1. 1846; Jasp er Boyd, liom Oct. 26. 1845. who lives at the com er o f Bloom and Walnut streets, Danville, married (first) RureiK e Y orks and after her death, Mrs. Margaret (Thom pson) Gearhart, and has one daugh­ ter. Kmma G., M rs. F ish e r; .Alexander Mont­ gomery, bom in Danville Ju ly 26, 1846, died .April 24. 19 0 1, fo r many years station .agent at Danville fo r the Delaware, I.ackawanna & Western K,ailway Company, married .Martha McC’oy. daughter o f Robert and Eleanor ( A’oris) McCoy, and they had two children. Nell Bonham and Jasp er (the daughter mar­ ried W illiam I.. McClurc and had three chil­ dren. Harold Russel, Donald C-. •md Monl­ ‘ gom ery) : M. Gricr. born in December. 1840. is mentioned elsewhere in this work. George M. Gearhart received a good ediK.ation in the public schools at Danville, gradtiaiing from the high school. H e learned the drug trade with Michael C. G ricr, and. as the telegraph office was in the same store, he learned telegraphy and subsequently was train