BIO: Hon. William Wilson BETTS, Clearfield County, PA
 
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/

NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm
_____________________________________________________________

From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 973 & 974.
_____________________________________________________________ 

  HON. WILLIAM WILSON BETTS, deceased, during a long and useful life, was 
creditably identified with public affairs and business enterprises in the state 
which became his home when three years old.  For many years he was one of the 
leading citizens of Clearfield County, Pa.  He was born at Newark, N. J., May 1, 
1838, and was a son of Rev. Frederick G. and Cornelia (Finley) Betts.
  Rev. Frederick G. Betts was born in the city of Philadelphia in 1812.  In 1840 
he was licensed as a minister by the Huntingdon Presbytery, and in November of 
the same year he was installed as pastor of the Presbyterian church at 
Clearfield.  He served congregations at Clearfield, Curwensville and Forest 
Hill.  His death occurred in 1845.  He married Cornelia Finley, who survived 
him, dying in 1853.
  William Wilson Betts attended school until thirteen years of age and then 
entered the printing office of the Crawford Journal, at Meadville, with the 
intention of learning the trade, but impaired eyesight caused him to change his 
plans.  At the age of twenty-one years, he was taken into partnership with the 
firm of Reed, Weaver & Powell, at Clearfield.  In 1869 G. L. Reed and William 
Powell retired for the firm and the business was then conducted under the firm 
name of Weaver & Betts until he died.  This firm, during this period, was the 
most extensive dealer in lumber in this section, and also Mr. Betts was largely 
engaged in other interests, such as coal, fire clay and the industries of 
Clearfield and the county, and the development of the same, to which he devoted 
much of his time and influence, always being one of the foremost citizens to 
labor devotedly for the interests of his town and county.
  In his business relations, Mr. Betts was held in the very highest esteem by 
those who had dealings with him, and the number was large on account of his 
extensive operations.  He was much more, however, than a successful business 
man, being one who realized at all times, and often accepted, the 
responsibilities of citizenship.  While public affairs in his state engaged his 
attention in a large degree for some years, he never forgot or neglected the 
claims of his own community, and in the matter of securing public utilities for 
Clearfield, no citizen was more active or influential.  In his views on public 
questions he was a Jacksonian Democrat and frequently was tendered political 
office and in 1886 he was unanimously offered by the Democratic Party, the 
nomination for the State Senate, for the district composed of Clearfield, Centre 
and Clinton Counties, and having accepted the same, although not having been a 
candidate the Republican Party declined to place any candidate in the field in 
opposition to him; thereby making his nomination and election practically the 
unanimous selection by the people of his district.  He served with 
characteristic faithfulness in this high office, which he held for four years.  
The Democratic Party again desired him to accept the nomination and return to 
the Senate, but, not caring for public life, he declined to be a candidate.  The 
death of Senator Betts occurred September 24, 1896.
  On October 28, 1862, Mr. Betts was married to Miss Margaret J. Irvin, of 
Curwensville, Pa., who survived him until her death on June 12, 1910.  Six 
children were born to this marriage.  Two children, John Weaver and Cornelia, 
died at an early age, the surviving children being Mrs. Jennie Betts Hartswick, 
Mrs. Alice Betts Walter, Frederick Gregory Betts and William Irvin Betts.