BIO: Joseph J. BORST, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 781 & 782.
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  JOSEPH J. BORST,* one of Lawrence township's respected and substantial 
citizens, township supervisor and a veteran of the Civil war, resides on his 
valuable farm of 117 acres, which lies seven miles south of Clearfield, Pa.  He 
was born in Germany, March 19, 1838, and is a son of John and Mary Borst.
  In 1846 John Borst brought his wife and seven children to America and settled 
near St. Mary's, in Clearfield county, Pa.  He moved from there into Lawrence 
township and then to Pike township, where the father operated a saw-mill for 
several years.  He died on the Holden farm and afterward the mother and her six 
sons and one daughter, moved to the Robert Mitchell farm and lived there as 
tenants for nineteen years.  The family then moved to the Hugh Dougherty farm, 
where the mother died.
  Joseph J. Borst is one of the three survivors of his parents' family of 
children.  He attended school in Pike and in Lawrence townships and thus learned 
the English language and also speaks the German language.  He then went to work 
as a lumberman in the woods and became a brave and adept rafter and it is still 
told of him how he took a mighty raft down the river with the help of only two 
men where six were usually required.  He left the woods in order to enlist for 
service in the Civil war, in May, 1861, entering the army in Captain Lorrain's 
company recruited at Clearfield, and after serving through his first enlistment, 
re-entered the service and thus has two honorable discharge papers, the last one 
bearing the date of August 25, 1865.  He then returned to Lawrence township and 
resumed lumbering.  After his marriage, in 1868, he bought his present farm from 
William W. and O. Kline, which was formerly known as the Rowles farm.  He has 
cleared about forty acres and has twenty-five in valuable timber and devotes the 
rest to pasturage.  He carries on general farming and stock raising, being 
assisted by his sons who remain at home and are industrious, capable young men.
  Mr. Borst married Miss Fannie McLaughlin, a daughter of John and Margie 
(Dougherty) McLaughlin, and the following children have been born to them:  
William, who lives in Lawrence township, married Emma McKee; Charles, who lives 
at home; Albert, who lives on a farm in Lawrence township, married Lona 
McCaughey; John, who lives at home; and Paul, Peter, Mary and Carrie, all of 
whom live under the home roof.  Mr. Borst and family are members of the Roman 
Catholic church at Clearfield.  Mr. Borst classes himself as an Independent 
Republican.  He is a man of standing in his neighborhood and has served 
acceptably in public office.