BIO: Aaron W. HAFER, Centre County, PA

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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.
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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  427

  AARON W. HAFER, D.D.S., a leading dentist of Bellefonte, Centre 
county, is one of the self-made men of his section, who in making their 
own path to success reflect credit upon human nature, and furnish 
encouragement to all others to make use of their best powers, and "put 
foundations under their air castles."
  The ancestors of the Hafer family, in both paternal and maternal 
lines, were pioneers in this State. Moses Hafer, our subject's father, 
was born in 1812, of a well-known Pennsylvania-Dutch family, and as a 
young man settled in Centre county, where he met and married Miss 
Catherine Gramly, a native of Miles township, born in 1813. Her family 
had been prominent in Centre county from the earliest times, her 
grandfather having been born there; he was a business man of Miles 
township, carried on the milling business, operating a sawmill, 
gristmill and a woolen-factory. Moses Hafer followed the fuller's 
trade, and met with his death through an accident with an overshot 
wheel in 1852; the mother survived him until 1895. They had five 
children: (1) Elizabeth (Mrs. Foster Tate), of Coleville, Penn.; (2) 
Mary E., the widow of J. Kuhn, of Ridgely, Md.; (3) Louise (deceased), 
who married W. H. Poorman; (4) Aaron W., our subject; and (5) John W., 
a retired contractor and builder, who resides at Coleville, 
Pennsylvania.   Mr. Hafer, our subject, was born in Miles township, 
Centre county, July 29, 1845, and his youth was spent there, the common 
schools affording him the usual educational opportunities. Later he 
attended the Normal School at Rebersburg, and then began teaching, the 
next five winters being given to that work, while in summers he would 
resume his student life. He taught his last term of school in 1868 near 
Bellefonte, and during that time he began his preliminary reading for 
his profession, under the direction of Dr. H. H. Rotherick, of that 
city. For three months his evenings and Saturdays were devoted to 
study, then he served a regular apprenticeship of four months, and with 
this preparation he started out in practice on his own account at 
Osceola, Penn. He remained there eight years, enjoying a fine practice; 
but wishing to attend a dental college he disposed of his business. 
Circumstances conspired to defeat his plans, however, and he concluded 
to establish an office at Rebersburg, where he met with success. In 
1883 he again made arrangements for taking a course of lectures, and in 
1884 he was graduated from the Pennsylvania Dental College at 
Philadelphia with the degree of D.D.S. The following year he spent in 
practice at Millheim, Penn's Valley, Centre county, but since that time 
he has been located at Bellefonte, where his skill and ability won him 
quick recognition as a practitioner.
  Dr. Hafer's first wife was Miss Martha J. Beck, who was born June 12, 
1845, in Indiana county, Penn., was the mother of four bright and 
talented daughters: Laura K., Mary E., Alpha G. and Florence Jane. Miss 
Laura K. Hafer, D.D.S., was the first lady graduated from the high 
school at Bellefonte to enter State College, where she pursued the 
study of the higher branches for one year. She then entered 
Pennsylvania State Dental College, and received her diploma just ten 
years after her father's graduation from that institution. She was one 
of the first three-year dental students, and a remarkable fact is that 
she had graduated in the High School, spent one year at the State 
College, and completed a three-years' course at the Dental College, 
graduating at the latter when but twenty-one. On June 20, 1894, Dr. 
Hafer married his second wife, Miss Laura May Hess, a native of Penn's 
Valley, born February 16, 1867. One son, William Talmage, has blessed 
this union. As a public-spirited citizen, the Doctor takes keen 
interest in all that concerns the community. He is a Republican in 
politics, and in religion is a Methodist.