BIO: William J. SINGER, 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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500  COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  

  WILLIAM J. SINGER, an able and energetic lawyer of Bellefonte, now 
serving his second term as district attorney, is deserving of especial 
mention in these records as one of Centre county's enterprising sons. 
Like many of the most successful citizens of this country, he is of 
German descent in both paternal and maternal lines.
  Conrad Singer, father of our subject, was born near Wetzlar, in 
southwestern Prussia, in 1837, and came to America with his widowed 
mother in 1850. He was the eldest of four children, the others being: 
(2) Margaret, who married John Creger, of Centre county; (3) Elizabeth, 
who married John Glassner (both are now deceased); and (4) William, 
also deceased. This little band landed at Baltimore, Md., and a 
permanent home was soon found in Bald Eagle Valley, Centre county. 
Conrad Singer became a blacksmith, and carried on his trade at Romola 
for many years. His wife, Margaret Glassner, was born in Centre county 
in 1840, her father, Christian Glassner, having come from Germany, soon 
after his marriage, to settle in Curtin township. He had been in the 
military service in his native land, but fortunately his adopted 
country made no call upon him for other than deeds of peace. He was a 
good citizen, a man of deep religious feeling, and a member of the 
Reformed Church. Our subject's mother, who resides in Nittany Valley, 
was the youngest of a family of four children, the others being: Henry 
(deceased) was a resident of Centre county; Sampson (deceased) was by 
occupation a farmer and cabinet maker; Jacob is a laborer in Centre 
county.
  Of the six living children of Conrad and Margaret Singer, our subject 
is the eldest; (2) Frances married John Royhorm, of Clearfield; (3) 
Malinda is not married; (4) Clara is the wife of William Beck, of 
Snydertown, Penn.; (5) Mabel and (6) Benjamin are not married; one 
child died in infancy.
  W. J. Singer, our subject, was born April 21, 1862, in Curtin 
township, Centre county. Until the age of fifteen he attended the 
public schools of Romola, but his further progress requiring better 
opportunities, he subsequently attended the academies at Howard and 
Spring Mills, preparing for the work of teaching, the usual stepping 
stone of ambitious legal aspirants who depend upon their own resources. 
He was just seventeen when this hope was realized, and by teaching one 
term he secured funds for a summer's study in the Normal School at Lock 
Haven, Penn. He taught school for four winters, and then entered the 
freshman class in State College, his studies there being supplemented 
with one year under a private tutor, and a short time in the academy at 
Spring Mills. In April, 1886, he went to Bellefonte and began to read 
law with Orvis, Bower & Orvis, and April 22, 1889, he was admitted to 
the Bar. He remained with his preceptors until the fall of 1892, when 
he was elected on the Democratic ticket to his present office, which he 
has filled satisfactorily since January 1, 1893, having been re-elected 
in November, 1895, for another term.
  On November 20, 1890, Mr. Singer married Miss Edna Clark Trafford, 
who was born March 9, 1868, in Huntingdon county, Penn. They take great 
interest in various social and religious movements, and are identified 
with the Reformed Church. Two sons, Edward L. and John Trafford, 
brighten their home. Mr. Singer has been a member of the Fifth Regiment 
Pennsylvania National Guard since 1885, having entered as a private. In 
1888 he was promoted from the ranks to the post of commissary sergeant 
of the brigade. In May, 1892, he was appointed commissary of the Second 
Brigade. His post is no sinecure, and he had charge of the commissary 
of the brigade at Homestead and Punxsutawney.