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/525

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

highly entertaining to all who were permitted to listen to him when in a reminiscent mood. H is death occurred .Aug. $, 1893. On Feb. j8, 1845, Mr. Gearhart married M ary Cathe­ rine N ixon, who w as bom Ju n e 3 0, 1827. and died Jan. 19. 1883. T h ey had a fam ily of seven children, as follow s; W illiam G-. de­ ceased. m arried M argaret Thompson, o f Dan­ v ille; SophLi S. is the widow o f Charles W. Fckm an; Clarence Frick, deceased, married Malissa Bird (w hose father w as the founder o f Shamokin. P a .), and they had two chil­ dren. Minnie Hinckley (m arncd Elton Meade, o f U ncoln, N eb r.) and Magdalen (marrietl G ustav Peter, o f Y o rk, Nebr., and has one child, S t e in ); Amelia became the w ife of H enry M. Hinckley, o f South DanviUe, P a .; E d w ard Sayre, who lives in Danville, married Ella Creveling. and their children arc iMary Catherine, H d en Sophia, M arian and Evelyn R eg in a; Elizabeth Btxine is the w ife o f W illuim Vastine, o f Danville, and George S ., who lives at Catawissa. married H arriet Louisa A'etter, and has one child. William Lewis. The mother o f this fam ily. M rs. M ary Catherine (N ix o n ) Gearhart, was born al M orristown, N. J - and w as of Puritan de­ scent, the onij' daughter o f Jam es and Sophia (S ta rk e r) N ixon. H er father w as an e x ­ tensive contractor and assisted in building the M orris canal. M rs. Gearhart was only a child when he died, and her early training devolved entirely upon her mother, who was regarded as a woman o f sterling character and rem ark­ able powers o f mind. When M rs. Gearhart w as ten years old her mother moved with her to Easton. Pa., where they remained three years, and then moved to Columbia county, where she resided until her n u rriag c to Mr. Gearhart, at which time she made her home in Roaringcreek. continuing to reside there un­ til her death. F R A N K R. J.A C K .SO N. late o f Berwick, was one of the ablest n iai o f his generation there. A s one of the managers of the Jackson & Woodin M anufacturing Company, whose pkint at Berwick became one of the branches of the American C ar and Foundry Company in 1899, and president for several years of the First National Bank at Berw ick, he had a foremost place in the financial and m anufac­ turing activities of the place. Mr. Jackson was horn in Berwick Nov. jo. 1850. son o f Af. W. Jackson. He was edu­ cated in the schools of Bcrw'ick, Williamsport and Atrchanicshurg. Pa., and when o f age became intcre.s(ed in the Jackson & Woodin

Alanufacturing Company, becoming one oi the active managers of the concern. He was also part owner of the Jackson Iron Company in Union county. Pa. .After serving as a director of the First National Bank until 1903 he was (hen elected president, which position he continued to fill until his death. On .Sept. 3, 18 73. M r. Jackson w as married to A lice .Amerman, o f Danville, Pa., a member o f one of the leading fam ilies o f that section. One child w as bom to this m arriage. Katharine E .. now the w ife o f H enry P . R c id, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. M r. Jackson served as treasurer of the County Agricultural Society and w as for years one of the trustees of the Y . M . C . A . of Berw ick. Besides taking an active interest in the development o f Ihe business o f his native city he w as a contributor to all other affairs chat had for their object the betterment o f Berwick. H e w as a member of the Metho­ dist Church. In politics he w as a Republican, and a firm believer in and liberal sup|x>rter of the policies of the party. Air. Jackson died Ju n e 23. 1909. A!rs. Ja c k ­ son |ossed aw ay M ay 25, 1 8 ^, and they are buried at Berwick. H O N. D E N N IS B R IG H T. late o f Dan­ ville. w as during his active years one o f Ihc most prominent merchants of the borough, and though he lived retired for several years before his death he retained his interest in various entcqiriscs. He w.as also in the public service some years, and in every association won and retained the respect and admiration o f those whose lives touched his. H is prosl>crity w as the result o f intelligent application lo whatever he undertook, his popularity the reward u f just dealings with all his fellow men. He belonged 10 a fam ily o f Gcnnan and French extraction established in this countr)' by his great-grandfather, Michael Bright, who came here from the Palatinate almost two centuries ago. Alichael Bright was burn in Christiansudt. Germ any, Alay 6 . i70f>. son o f John Bright. Coming to .America in October, 1726. at the age of twenty years, when the Province o f Pennsylvania consisted o f three counties. I'hiladclphia, Bucks ami Chester, he locateil in Chester county. In 1728 he located at Schacffcrslow n. the ste r county, one of the oldest towns in the Slate, and there be liecame an extensive landowner. H e marrie<t Alargarci Simon, a daughter o f Jacob Sim ou. .md to their union were bom the following chililren: Jacob, born .April 13. 17 2 9; G eorge in