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/713

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

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year he was eniploywl in a brickyard, return­ Iwr o f years prior to his death. He was active ing to his home a fte r a severe attack o f bil­ in Democratic politics, and was a faithful ious fever. l i e has spent practically his en­ memlier of the Presbytedhn Church. H e and tire career in agricultural pursuits, and is his w ife are buried in Greenwood township. now the owner o f 190 acres o f good land, They were the parents o f Ihc following chil­ which he is renting out on shares. A man dren: Peter, who m arried M argaret Sm ith; o f remarkable vitality, he carried on active A sa, who IS married and resides m the W est; operations until 19 12, when he retired. A l­ Jamc.s, also nurried and in the W est; M ary though the oldest living citizen o f Briarcreek (Tathcrinc, who died shortly a fte r her m ar­ township he is still active and alert, wilh a riage; Mahala, who died unm arried; and keen mind and unimpaired faculties. On Jacob. political questions he is a Democrat, and at Jacob Girton, son o f William Girton, and various times has been h o n o r^ by his fel­ father o f M rs. Bower, was bom in Green­ low citizens with election to ofticc. scr-ing as wood townsliip, where he was educated in the school director, super-isor and judgc o f e l u ­ public schools. H e worked with his father tions. H e has long been r ^ r d e d as an in­ until his n u rriagc, at which time he moved to fluential man in the ranks o f his party in B riar­ Bloomsbutg, P a., but a fte r a few years came creek township. F o r some years he w as a to Briarcrcek township, and located on what member of the Grange there, but no longer is now the A lvin D avis fam i, which he con­ holds membcrsliip therein, feeling lliat it is ducted ten years for Andrew Freas. Subse­ the duly o f younger men to take up the re­ quently he moved to Evansville, where he sponsibilities o f that organization. H e lias spent the closing years o f his life, and both held n u n y offices in the United Evangelical he and his w ife were buried at the old Brick Church at Evansville, and fo r a long time Church of the Presbyterian faith, o f which they were members. H e w as a Democrat in scrv’cd as class leader. A t the age o f twenty-seven years Mr. his TOlitical proclivities, and an active worker Bow er w as nurried to Matilda Mostcllcr, in the ranks o f his party. During his resi­ daughter o f Jacob and M argaret (G rove) dence in Columbia county he formed a wide Mo.stcIlcr. and to this union were bom chil­ acquaintance, and w as held in the highest dren as follow s: M ary Jan e, who married esteem by all who knew him, M r. Girton Adam M ichael; Celesta M ., now the widow marrieil M rs. Rachel (H e ss) Nicholas, widow o f Jam es Stou dt; Fierce, who died at the o f G eoige Nicholas, by whom she had three age o f tw enty-four y e a rs; Norman, who m ar­ children, Sarah, Catherine and George, all de­ ried Deborah W cnncr, o f B erw ick; Oscar, ceased. H er father, John IIcs.s, came to C o­ who married M ary C ra ssly; and a son de­ lumbia county from Northampton county, Pa. ceased in infancy. M rs. Bow er w as buried T o M r. and M rs. Girton were bom eight chil­ at the United Rvangclica! Church at E van s­ dren, as follow s: John, who died in child­ ville. M r. Bow er m arried fo r his second w ife hood; WiUiam, who married Rebecca H os­ M rs. M a o ’ N- (G irton) Mostcllcr. who was ier, both deceased; M ary N „ who nurried bom March 5, 1835. in Greenwood township, George M. B o w e r; M argaret, who w as the Columbia Co., Pa., was educated in the pub­ w ife o f FIcnry Bower, a resident o f B erw ick; lic schools o f Briarcrcek township, and M aria, deceased, who was the w ife o f W ebster w o rkH out until her first marriage, to Charles D aw son; Samuel, deceased; Jam es, who died M osiellcr, by whom she had three children, at the age o f three ye ars; and Ile n ry. who all deceased, Etta, Jennie and one that died a fte r the death o f hts first w ife, Em m a Troch. in infancy. M r. and M rs. Bow er have had formed another union (he lives in K an sas). M r. Bow er has had a phenomenally long, three children: M attie C ., who nurricil Chauncey W itm irc; W arren Paxton, who active and honorable career, and upon his life married Bertha S itlc r; and Gertrude Ellen, reconl there is not the slightest stain or blem­ who married Isaac Jo n e s, and resides at ish. Surrounded by a wide circle o f friends, with his chiklren and grandchildren around ^ ra n to n, Pcnosyham a. W illiam Girton. the grandfather o f Mrs. him, a com fortable home and a generous comBow er, w as bom in England about 1775. {letency, he n u y well feel content in looking and emigrated lo Am erica with five brothers, back over the years that have made up his first settling in New Jerse y, where he was useful and well spent life. married. L ater he came to Greenwood town­ J A M E S F. P F A H L E R, a physician and ship, Columbia county, where he carricil on general fam iin g until his retirement a num- surgeon o f Berw ick, Columbia Co.. P a., was