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/670

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES cliildrco, nam ely: William G ran t; Elizabeth, w ile o f W. J. W illiam s; Francis, deceased; Robert B ., who married Lillian Andrew, of D anville; Jasp er N ew ton; and Agnes R ., married lo A rthur I ’rout, o f DanviUe. Mr. Hugh Pursel is a past master u f Danville Lodge, No. 224, F. & A. M. William Grant Pursel received liis educa­ tion in the public schools o f Danville, attending high school, and as a youth be^an w ork­ ing in the Cooperative rolling mills here, doing mill work for a year and a half, after which fo r three years he w as in the oflicc. H is nc.xt position was with the lAanvillc Nail Company, fo r which he w as clerk four years. He left their employ to become chief clerk for the Mahoning Rolling Mill Company, which then operated the plant o f which he is now owner, and here he has remained, through the various changes, to (he present time. In A pril, 1903, he united with Thomas J . Price and Daniel M . C u rry in the organiza­ tion of the Danville Structural Tubing Com­ pany (P rice, Pursel & C u rry ), he and Mr. I’rice taking the entire interest in the busi­ ness and ownership of the property when Mr. C u rry died, in 1906. The record of growth and progress made by this concern since then is a credit to the borough and to the enter­ prise of the men who have its affairs in hand. M r. Pursel is a director of the Danville National Dank. He has flllcd .several im­ portant public offices, ,and in the discharge of their duties has given his fellow citizen.' the benefit o f that acumen and attention to detail which has been so effective in securing the prosperity o f his own affairs. He was treas­ urer of the borough from March. 1893. to March, 18 9 7: burgess one and a half terms— four and a half vears—having been first appointeil to that office to fill an uncxpired term and tlien elected: school director for three ye ars: and is now president of the board o f water commissioners, lo which body he was first appointed, under the new law. Me was treasurer and one of the directors of the local Y. M. C. A ., is a member o f St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church, and in political sentiment is a Democrat. Fraternally he be­ longs to the B. P. O. Elks. Lodge No. 754. of Danville, and to Ihc Masons, holding member­ ship in Danville l.odgc. No. 224. F. & A. M. (past m a ste r); Danville Chapter. No. 2,v). R . A. M . (past high p r ic s ti; Mount Moriah Council. No. 10, R. Jt S. X I.; C alvary Commandery. No. 37. K. T. (past com m ander): Caldwcil Consistory. S. P. R. S.. o f Bloomss«

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b u rg; and Irem Temple, A. A. 0 . N. M. S ., o f W ilkes-Barre. On Oct. 18, 1894. M r. Pursel was married to Elizabeth Catherine Kcinliardt, o f Dan­ ville, who was born Oct. 18, 1867, daughter o f John and M ary Reinhardt. Mr. and .Mrs. i’ ursel have had five children, born as fol­ low s: H arold Reinhardt, Oct. 26, 18 9 5; M ary, Ja n. 13, 1899; Robert Newton, Feb. 4. 19 0 2; Catherine, Feb. 15, 19 0 5; aixl Elizabeth, .March 2 1, 1908. B E N T O N B. BR O W N has been a lifelong resident o f Danville, .Montour county, where he was born Aug. 2 1, 1839, son o f G coigc B. and Sarah A. (G earhart) Brow n. Hts father was a welt known man in the business circles of the place for years, and the Browns have had intimate and honorable connection with the history o f this part of the State for one hundred and twenty years. They have been in America since the days o f Jam es Brown, greal-greai-grandfalher o f Ueiuon 13. Brown. Jam es Brow n was born N ov. 12, 171C, in England, and coming to this country in 1736 lived first on Ixing Island. On a fly-leaf of an old Bible belonging to the Brown fam ily he w rote: "ECngland is my native land and 1-ong Island my home.” It is dated 17 16 . He moved lo W arren county, N . J ., probably to Hainesburg, where he owned a large tract of land, extending three miles along the Pawlins kill from Columbia to Hainesburg. lie died .Vug. 9, 1784. On Ju ly 25, 1745. he married Sarah .Mlison, born Ju ly 18, 17 2 1. and they are buried in W arren county. N. J . T hcir children were born as follow s: John. June 25. 1746 (died Sept. 24. 1 8 1 9 ); Jam es. M ay 5, 17 5 0 : .Martha. .Nov. 15. 17 5 3; .Sarah, .Ajiril 10. 17 5 7; Daniel, .May 3. 17 6 2; Charity, .April 15. >7^5. .All but John lived .and died in Ncw Jersey. John Brow n, son o f Jam es, torn Ju n e 25, 1746, was a blacksmith by trade, and as such sercd in the .American army, in the Revolu­ tionary war. shoeing horses and repairing guns in c.amp besides doing the regular duties o f a soldier. He married Mar)' XI. Brugler, who died Oct. 3. 1793. in W’arrcn county. N. J .. and his second marriage, on Oct. 2 1, 1794. was to M rs. Margaret Haines, widow o f Henry Haines. Xlr. Brown owned consider­ able property in N cw Jersey, and built a stone house with the date, 1789. above the door. T he house w as still standing in i8<)9 and in use: it was owned by a M r. nruglcr, one of his descendants. Disposing o f his proiwrty