Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Lear, Mahlon C.
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson, Patricia Bastik & Susan Walters Dec 2009

Source: History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania; edited by 
J.H. Battle; A. Warner & Co.; 1887
Tinicum Township


   MAHLON C. LEAR insurance manager, P.O. Erwinna, is a 
grandson of Joseph Lear, whose father came from Germany. 
Joseph Lear was born here, and was an expert gunsmith, and a 
noted marksman. He owned a farm and saw-mill near Erwinna. 
He  married Sarah Garis, by whom he had eight children, all 
now deceased. Their son Joseph, father of Mahlon C., was 
born in Tinicum, March 4, 1793, and died August 7, 1870. He 
was a carpenter, and bouth a farm near Erwinna, on which he 
died. He was a prominent man, and was one of the committee 
who built the Alexandria Delaware bridge, and was long a 
director in the company. His wife Sarah, daughter of Henry 
Calfe, was born in this township March 12, 1796, and died 
January 9, 1882. Their children were:  Annie (deceased), 
Amos, Isaac, Wilson, and Mahlon C., who was the oldest, and 
was born October 31, 1820. He followed carpentering fifteen 
years, and for fifteen years was a merchant at Erwinna. He 
then farmed four years, when he re-engaged in carpentering 
and contracting. In 1870 he was elected manager of the Line 
Lexington Fire Insurance company, and has been re-elected 
successively ever since. September 6, 1846, he married Mary 
Ann, daughter of Samuel Rufe, of this township. She was born 
May 15, 1827. They have had ten children:  Emeline, Sarah 
Ann, Francis, William H., Ann Elizabeth, and an infant all 
deceased. Those living are:  Mary, Ellen and Ida, who make 
their home with their parents; Asher, in Solebury township; 
and Irving in South Amboy, N. J.  Mr. Lear has held the 
office of school director for twenty-five years, and for 
sixteen years was secretary of the board. He is a member of 
Tinicum Tribe, No. 168, I. O. R. M., and for seven years was 
director of the Bridge company, succeeding his father. He 
and his wife are members of the Tinicum Lutheran church, of 
which he was one of the building committee. He was a deacon 
of this church for eighteen years, and an elder four years.