BIO: George B. SIMLER, 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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  GEORGE B. SIMLER, JR., who is successfully engaged in the express 
business, holds a leading place among the enterprising and prominent 
men of Philipsburg, Centre county, materially aiding in the development 
and progress of the municipality. There he was born December 13, 1857, 
a son of George B. and Amanda (Carpenter) Simler, well known and highly 
respected citizens of Philipsburg.
  Until twenty-two years of age our subject worked for his father at 
the express business, and then purchased of him a horse and wagon and 
began operations on his own account. From 1878 until 1880 he served as 
baggage agent at Philipsburg for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. At 
present he uses two double teams in his business, and so successful has 
he been that he is now the owner of several pieces of real estate, 
besides his own good residence property. In 1879 he was married to Miss 
Henrietta Lewis, and they have eight children, whose names and dates of 
birth are as follows: Amanda C., March 20, 1880; Arthur C., September 
8, 1881; Hester J., September 9, 1883; John L., April 2, 1885; Mary L., 
January 14, 1887; George L., November 27, 1892; Donald, August 21, 
1894; and Margaret, November 3, 1896.
  Mrs. Simler was born in Johnstown, Penn., August 13, 1858, and is a 
daughter of John and Mary (Thomas) Lewis, natives of Tredegar, Wales, 
where they were married. With one child, they crossed the Atlantic to 
America in 1848, and located at Brandy Bend, Penn., whence they removed 
to Johnstown, and still later to Houtzdale, Clearfield Co., Penn., 
where the father died February 3, 1893, at the age of seventy-nine 
years. The mother died the day before the Johnstown flood, at the age 
of sixty-eight. They were consistent members of the Welch Baptist 
Church, and had the esteem and confidence of all who knew them. By 
occupation the father was a coal operator, and in politics he was a 
Republican. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis were eight children, 
namely: William, who was smothered to death in a coke pit in Johnstown; 
Mary A., wife of John Hopwood, a cabinet maker of Waynesboro, Franklin 
Co., Penn.; Elizabeth, wife of Michael Erhart, of Philipsburg; 
Margaret, wife of Alfred Mallory, a machinist of Altoona, Penn.; 
Letitia, wife of J. M. Rolles, a carpenter of Clearfield, Penn.; 
Tallion T., a blacksmith of Hastings, Penn.; Henrietta, wife of our 
subject; and Emma, wife of Peter Camoran, superintendent of coal mines 
in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania.
  Mr. Simler has taken a prominent part in public affairs, and has been 
called upon to serve in official positions of honor and trust. He is 
now filling the office of school director, and during the years 1893, 
1894 and 1895, was an influential member of the city council. In 
February, 1897, he was elected burgess of Philipsburg. He is an ardent 
Republican in politics, and fraternally is a member of the Red Warrior 
Tribe, Royal Arcanum, of Philipsburg. In the estimation of his fellow 
citizens he is one of the rep-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 435 

resentative men of the community, and he enjoys the confidence and 
highest regard of all with whom he comes in contact either in business 
of social life.