BIO: Daniel B. GEARY, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/1picts/commbios/comm-bios.htm _____________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898. _____________________________________________________________________ D. B. GEARY, a prominent resident of Penn township, Centre county, is a man whose genuine worth has won for him the esteem of his acquaintances, while his industry and judicious management have brought a material reward in a handsome competence. Born in Penn township, March 23, 1839, he has always made his home there, being engaged until recent years in the blacksmith's trade, and also following agricultural pursuits to some extent. His grandfather, Valentine Geary, and father, Reuben Geary, came to Centre county from Berks county, Penn., when the latter was a child, the family residing in Gregg township for some time after their removal. Valentine Geary was a tailor by trade, and was remarkably healthy, living to almost ninety years of age without a trace of disease, except for the illness which resulted in his death. His last days were spent in Boalsburg, where his remains were interred. He was twice married, his second wife, Rebecca, accompanying him to Centre county. His children were: John, who died in Woodward; Reuben, our subject's father; William, who died in Gregg township; Washington, now residing in Iowa; Daniel L., a resident of Millheim; Valentine, Jr., who was killed in Gregg township by a falling tree; Lucinda, widow of John Runkle, of Penn Hall; Matilda, widow of John Schitz, of Sugar Valley; Polly (Mrs. Michael Lamy), of COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 343 Millheim; Lydia, who lives in Iowa; Rebecca (Mrs. William Stuart), residing near Bellefonte; and Mary, who married John Painter, and died in Pleasant Gap, Centre county. Reuben Geary was a son of his father's first wife. His training in youth was similar to that of most country boys in his day, and he developed into a robust man, six feet in height, with energy and ability, fully equal to the task of gaining a livelihood, which, owing to the straightened circumstances of his parents, was laid upon him at an early age. As a young man he was married in Penn township, Centre county, to Miss Catherine Musser, a daughter of Philip Musser, a well- known citizen of Gregg township, residing near Penn Hall. For some time after his marriage Reuben Geary worked as a farm hand, but in 1849 he bought a small farm in Penn township, where he spent his remaining years. He was between fifty and sixty years old at the time of his death, and his wife, who was older than he, passed away a few years before, the remains of both being buried at Millheim. He was a steadfast Democrat, and with his wife belonged to the Reformed Church. They had eight children, of whom the first two - Samuel, a resident of Union county, Penn., and Mary, widow of Andrew Stover, of Coburn - were twins. D. B. is mentioned more fully below. Philip died at the age of nineteen. Sarah, widow of Michael Rishel, resides in Brush Valley. Catherine died young. Harriet married (first) William Braucht, and (second) Jonathan Dinges, of Penn township. Diana married Simon Wolf, and died in Sugar Valley. Two, or at the most three, months' attendance in the year at the subscription schools of the time was supposed to be sufficient for the mental needs of a boy when our subject was seeking an education, and this, with a short attendance at Dr. Stamm's school, save what he received in later years at public schools, was all the instruction he ever had. He remained at home, assisting in the work of the farm until he was seventeen, when he began to learn the blacksmith's trade in Millheim with Samuel Wiser. He worked three years for his board and clothes, acquiring a thorough knowledge of the business, which he then followed a short time as a journeyman. He owned three and one-half acres of land near Coburn, and in 1860 he began business for himself in a shop there, boarding at a house near by. In 1864 he was married in Penn township, Centre county, to Miss Julia Zerby, a native of Gregg township, and a daughter of Adam and Susan (Snavely) Zerby. For two years after his marriage Mr. Geary rented Feidler's house, later a dwelling house belonging to Samuel Krape, and then built his present home. His farm is small, but has been well improved by him with suitable buildings, in addition to which he owns fifty-six acres of timber land in the same township, and in 1877 he bought four and one- half acres of farm land. When he began housekeeping his mother gave him an old bed, and this was the only help that he received from his parents until his father's estate was divided. He has been very successful, and notwithstanding some losses through going bail for certain parties, he has a fair share of this world's goods. Lung trouble interfered with his business for about eight years, but except for that he followed his trade continuously until 1891, when he was disabled for hard manual labor by a fall of twelve feet into a well which he was digging, a rope breaking while he was being lowered. In politics he is a Democrat, and he holds an influential place in the local organization. For many years he has served as constable of his township. Mr. Geary's first wife, who was a devout and consistent member of the Evangelical Church, died in October, 1894, her burial taking place at Paradise Church. His present wife, formerly Miss Susan C. Wise, is a daughter of the late John Wise, formerly a well-known resident of Penn township, Centre county. John Wise was married to Cathryne Stover, of Haines township, daughter of Valentine Stover, one of the early settlers of that township. Mr. Wise built (1839) the shop in which Daniel Geary commenced work in 1860. Mr. Wise died April 11, 1869, in Shelby county, Ill., after an illness of eleven days, of pleurisy and finally dropsy of the heart, at the age of fifty-seven years, seven months and twenty-one days. There is a peculiar providence connected with the above case. Mr. Wise started for Shelby county, Ill., about the middle of March, in company with his daughter-in-law, and after being with his son (in said county) a few weeks, he took sick and died there. His son brought the corpse back (in compliance with his father's request before he died) to his bereaved family in Haines township, Centre county, from which place, on the 16th of April, his last remains were followed to the tomb, at Aaronsburg, by a large concourse of sympathizing and weeping relatives, friends and neighbors, to pay their last tribute of respect. Cathryne Wise, his wife, died January 25, 1887, aged seventy-four years, eleven months and twenty-three days, and was buried in the cemetery of the Reformed Church at Aaronsburg. She died in the triumph of the true Christian faith. 1880 Penn Township, Centre County census - Daniel B. Geary, 41 Julia Geary, 39 Cathrine Hoover, 62 Reubin Zerby, 32 Tacey Jamison, 13