BIO: John MANN, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB 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. _____________________________________________________________________ JOHN MANN. On the Marsh Creek road, in Curtin township, Centre county, stands the home of this gentleman, who is one of the most progressive agriculturists and lumbermen of the community. Mr. Mann was born in Nittany 328 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. Valley, March 9, 1828. His parents, Robert and Catherine (Kline) Mann, were natives of Lycoming and Centre counties, respectively. At an early day the father took up his residence in Nittany Valley, where he remained until 1838, and then removed to the farm which is now occupied by the subject of this review. The tract of land on which he located was then an unbroken wilderness, but he converted the timber into lumber and transformed the raw land into richly cultivated fields. By trade he was a blacksmith, and followed that pursuit until locating upon the homestead farm. He died in 1864, at the age of sixty-five years, and his wife passed away in 1881, at the age of seventy-one. Their children were Betsy, wife of Henry Foringer, both now deceased; Mollie, wife of David McClosky, a lumberman and farmer of Curtin township; George, deceased; John; Robert, deceased; Anna, wife of Fred Bortley, of Hublersburg, Penn.; Beckie, wife of Michael Confer, a retired farmer of Centre county; and James, deceased. The paternal grandparents, William and Betsy Mann, were natives of Ireland, and at an early day came to America, locating in Lycoming county, Penn., where the former followed agricultural pursuits. The maternal grandparents, William and Betsy Kline, were natives of Centre county and of German extraction. Mr. Kline was a cooper by trade. On the old homestead farm John Mann spent the days of his boyhood, remaining with his parents until twenty-two years of age. During that time he attended the common schools, worked in the woods and aided in the development of the fields. At the age of twenty-two he left home and began lumbering and teaming. He also drove logs on Beach creek for eleven successive years during the spring season, and energetically prosecuted his labors until, as the result of his industry and economy, he had accumulated sufficient capital to purchase the old homestead in 1865. He had previously been working on contract at Sandy Creek, and now turned his attention to the development of his property and to lumbering. So wild was some portions of this region that since the date of his locating here he has killed many deer, bears and wild cats, and on several occasions has had narrow escapes from wild animals. The amount of game that he has killed probably exceeds that of any other man in the county, and he spent a portion of each year in hunting up to 1895. On December 21, 1851, at Beach Creek, Clinton Co., Penn., Mr. Mann married Miss Louisa Huff, who was born in that county September 29, 1830. Her parents were William and Anna (Barnes) Huff, the former a native of Williamport [sic], and the latter of Lancaster, Penn. The father, who was a farmer, died in 1886 in Grundy county, Ill., when over ninety-seven years of age. In 1852 he removed to the West and was extensively engaged in farming there. His wife died in the same county in 1890, at the age of eighty-seven. Their children were James, who died in Illinois; Mrs. Mann; Sarah, widow of Joseph Thomas, of Oklahoma; Jonathan; and Silas, a farmer in Ponca, Nebraska. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Mann were: Beckie, who died in infancy; William T., a farmer of Centre county; Catherine, wife of John G. Packer, foreman of the chemical works in McKean county, Penn.; Robert J., a farmer of Curtin township; Mary J., wife of Green Watson, a farmer of Centre county; Sarah E., wife of James R. Frye, a farmer of Centre county; Beckie, wife of William Lyons, a lumberman, of Castanea, Penn.; Anna, wife of George Dietz, a farmer of Centre county; Carrie, wife of William Rockenbrod, a carpenter of Castanea, Penn.; and Susan, wife of James Niman, a farmer of Boggs township, Centre county. In political views, Mr. Mann is a Republican, but has had neither time nor inclination for public office. His life has been a busy and useful one and all that he possesses has been acquired through his own efforts and the able assistance of his estimable wife, who has indeed been to him a true helpmate. Steadily has he worked his way upward and his tireless energy and resolute purpose are the stepping stones on which he has risen. In his hunting days he had many exciting experiences, and is now giving his attention to the more quiet and lucrative pursuits of farming and lumbering.