Bedford County PA Archives Biographies.....Gump, John A. 
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Judy Banja jbanja@msn.com May 2003


JOHN A. GUMP, of Everett, Pa., is a man of prominence in the 
community in which he resides, and is actively identified 
with its best interests.  He was born December 8, 1820, in 
Rainsburg, Bedford County, a son of Elias and Hannah (May) 
Gump.
  Elias Gump spent the first years of his life in Frederick 
County, Maryland, whence he migrated to Bedford County, 
Pennsylvania, at an early time of its settlement.  Making 
his home in Rainsburg, he was for several years the leading 
carpenter and cabinet-maker of that place, a twofold trade 
that he carried on until his death, soon after the close of 
the Civil War.  A man of energy, intelligence, and good 
common sense, he became influential in public matters, and 
rendered good service to his fellow-townsmen both as Justice 
of the Peace and as Constable of Colerain township, offices 
that he filled satisfactorily a number of years.  He married 
Hannah May, a daughter of John May, who came to Colerain 
township, Bedford County, from Loudoun County, Virginia, as 
a pioneer settler.  They reared several children, of whom 
the following survive: John A., the subject of this sketch; 
Mrs. Samuel James, of Rainsburg, Pa.; and Mrs. Henry Smith, 
of Kansas City, Mo.
  John A. Gump grew to manhood in his native town, obtaining 
in the Colerain schools his early knowledge of the common 
English branches of learning.  While yet a youth he began to 
learn carpentering and cabinet-making in his father's shop; 
and, being apt in the use of tools, he soon became a most 
skilful workman.  He subsequently worked at his trade in 
connection with general farming in Rainsburg for a number of 
years, and was also engaged as a hotel-keeper there for 
three years.  In 1851 Mr. Gump removed to Bloody Run, a 
small hamlet containing but two hundred souls, which has 
since rapidly increased in size and population, and is now 
known as the borough of Everett, Pa.  The first year he 
engaged in the butchering business; and for the next twelve 
years he was proprietor of the leading hotel of this 
locality, and was likewise identified with other 
enterprises.  For a while he was connected with what was 
then called the Bloody Run Foundry, and for a quarter of a 
century he carried on a thriving trade in hardware.
  Mr. Gump is a man of great public spirit, and as an 
influential member of the Republican party has always taken 
a warm interest in local affairs.  For a short time he was 
Constable of West Providence township.  He has been Burgess 
of Everett.  For nine years he was School Director of both 
West Providence township and Everett borough, during which 
time he served as secretary of the former School Board and 
as president of the School  Board of Everett.  For ten years 
he was Justice of the Peace for Everett borough, and at one 
time was candidate for the office of Judge of Bedford 
County, but was defeated at the polls.  Mr. Gump is a 
stockholder of the Everett Glass Company, and its treasurer, 
a position for which his financial ability well qualified 
him; and since the organization of the Everett Cemetery 
Association he has served as its president.  He has achieved 
a large measure of success in life through his own earnest 
efforts, and has won a host of friends throughout Bedford 
County, where his stability of character and genial 
disposition have made him deservedly popular.
  Mr. Gump married Elizabeth, daughter of the late Simon 
Stuckey, of Colerain township; and they are the parents of 
ten children, namely: Erastus J., of Kansas City, Mo.; Henry 
F.; Mrs. John Q. Nycum; Mrs. George Mellotte; Mrs. Dr. 
Hanks, of New York; George W.; S. Howard; Mrs. W. H. Howard; 
and Simon A. and Charles E., both deceased.  Mr. and Mrs. 
Gump are members of the Reformed church, in which he has 
served a number of years as Deacon.


Source: Bedford Biographical Review, 1899, Bedford Co., Pa