BIO: Daniel H. ROTE, 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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  D. H. ROTE. It is a matter of just pride to their own way in life 
from poverty to a competence, having started upon their various careers 
with no capital except health of mind and body and a strong will. The 
subject of this sketch, though handicapped by a lifelong physical 
disability, has attained to a place among the business men of 
Aaronsburg which would do credit to any man. When four years old he met 
with an affliction which left him crippled for life, while lack of 
means, coupled with an honorable ambition, compelled him to take up 
against all 

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  425

odds the struggle for a livelihood which so many have found too 
difficult under our present industrial system.
  Mr. Rote is a native of Aaronsburg, born March 21, 1842, and is a 
descendant of one of the pioneer families of Union county, Penn., his 
great-grandfather, George Rote, having been among the first settlers at 
Mifflinburg. Peter Rote, the grandfather, and Simon Rote, the father of 
our subject, were born there, but the latter went to Penn's Valley in 
early manhood, and learned the blacksmith's trade at Woodward. He 
married Susan Diehl, a native of Union county, Penn., and a daughter of 
Abraham Diehl, whose later years were spent in Union county.
  After learning his trade, Simon Rote located in Aaronsburg, where he 
followed it successfully throughout his active life. He died there 
April 1, 1884, aged sixty-seven years, and just forty-five years to a 
day, when he moved into his home, he was carried from it a corpse, and 
laid to rest in the cemetery near town. He was an industrious man, 
self-made, and built his home by his work at the anvil. As a member of 
the Reformed Church he was active in religious work, and in politics 
his influence was felt first as a Whig and later as a Republican, 
different township offices being filled by him creditably. His widow, 
now in her eighty-fourth year, still lives in the old homestead which 
his care provided for her. They had eight children-four sons and four 
daughters, of whom but four reached adult age. Of these, our subject 
was the eldest; John, now a resident of Axemann, Penn., was a soldier 
in Company D, 148th P.V.I., during the Civil war. Sarah married F. P. 
Fisher, and died in Dakota, Ill. Thomas resides in Orangeville, 
Illinois.
  Owing to Mr. Rote's physical ailments he did not attend school 
regularly during boyhood, but under the loving guidance of his mother, 
a woman of ordinary education but very energetic, he learned rapidly at 
home, being prepared at the age of fifteen to take a position as 
teacher. After continuing this work for about two years, he began an 
apprenticeship, in 1860, with J. B. Edmunds, a watchmaker at 
Aaronsburg. His employer enlisted in the army, however, before the term 
was completed, and was killed in the battle of the Wilderness. 
Consequently, Mr. Rote changed his plans, and in 1862 began to learn 
the art of type-setting in the office of the Centre Reporter, which was 
then printed in Aaronsburg. For some time he worked as a journeyman in 
different places, but the rough class of associates which this trade 
brought him caused him to abandon it finally, and in 1868 he resumed 
the work of teaching.
  This proving more congenial, he continued it until the spring of 
1883, when he opened a jeweler's shop in Aaronsburg, which he has 
conducted successfully since, doing a large amount of repair work. His 
industry seems untiring, and when his fine native ability is 
considered, one cannot but believe that with even ordinary 
opportunities he would have carved out for himself a remarkable career. 
Gifted with unusual mechanical skill, he is able to duplicate anything, 
tools and materials being the only requisites. His brave and successful 
struggle with an adverse fate has won him the esteem and admiration of 
all who know him and given him a host of warm friends. In politics he 
is a Republican, and from 1884 to 1894 he served as justice of the 
peace.
  In 1869, he was married in Aaronsburg to Miss Susan Cronmiller, a 
native of that town, and a daughter of Thomas Cronmiller, a well known 
citizen. They have an adopted daughter, Mamie. Mrs. Rote is an active 
member of the Reformed Church, and has taken a generous interest in 
many lines of philanthropic work.

1880 Aaronsburg, Centre County census -
Daniel Rote, 38  
Susan Rote, 41