BIO: Reuben HOLT, 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 477 & 478. _____________________________________________________________ REUBEN HOLT, one of the leading and best known citizens of Graham township, Clearfield county, Pa., which has been his home for fifty-six years, owns a valuable farm of 115 acres, situated ten miles east of Clearfield and has other public and private interests in this section. He was born in Bradford township, Clearfield county, Pa., in 1851, and is a son of John and Drusilla Holt. John Holt was also born in Bradford township, a son of Thomas Holt, a native of England, who was a very early settler there, where his life was subsequently spent as a farmer and lumberman. John Holt was reared and educated in Bradford township and became a school teacher. He was a man of much public spirit, a natural leader, and he was very frequently elected to public offices of responsibility. For fifteen years he was a justice of the peace in Graham township and at different times efficiently served in about all of the other township offices. It was through his enterprise that Graham township was organized and he was the first postmaster at Wallaceton. After a long, busy and honorable life, he died on the above mentioned farm, in the spring of 1880. His widow survived until 1891. Reuben Holt was three years old when his parents settled in Graham township and here he was reared. He attended the public schools and later, preparing for the career of a teacher, became a student in the Millersville State Normal School. Subsequently he taught one term of school at Wolf Run, one at Williamsgrove, one at Wallaceton and one at Stoneville, meeting with excellent results. He then embarked in the mercantile business at Osceola, Pa., where he remained for two years and then returned to Graham township, where he has been interested in farming and lumbering ever since. Mr. Holt, like his late father, has been a very active citizen. He was assistant postmaster while his father served as postmaster at Wallaceton, and in 1900 he was appointed postmaster at Sington, the duties being familiar on account of his former training. In 1908 he was appointed a justice of the peace, on the Democratic ticket and secretary of the school board. Mr. Holt also conducts a general store at Sington and is agent for the Graham township Telephone Company. In 1874 Mr. Holt was married to Miss Margaret Forcey, of Graham township, and they started to housekeeping at Wallaceton. To them were born a large and unusually talented family, all of whom have been given educational advantages and a number of whom have developed into successful teachers. The following is the family record: H. G., who married Miss Jennie Donaldson, of Philadelphia, and has three children - Donald R., Margaret and Graydon; C. P., formerly a teacher in Clearfield county, is now district attorney, residing at Shawnee City, Okla., married Miss Mabel Davis, and they have one son, C. P., Jr.; Anna Edna, who taught five terms of school in Clearfield county, is the wife of Walter Harker, of New Jersey, and they have two children - Evelyn and Margaret; Clyde F., who married Miss Grace McGovern, of Philadelphia, and they had one son, Reuben John, who died in infancy; Mabel M., who taught eight terms of school in Clearfield county, is the wife of Roy Woodside, of Boggs township, and they have one son, Thomas C.; Ora B., who taught three terms of school in Clearfield county, married Frank Smith, and they have one son, Leslie C.; Minnie, who taught three terms of school in Clearfield county, married Charles Kreder, of New Jersey, and they have three sons - Le Nard, Karl and Kenneth; Grover C., superintendent of gas plant at Shawnee, Okla., who is married and has one daughter, Maurine Estell; Lloyd M., who is a student in Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, previously taught school; May C., a teacher who is attending Wilson College, at Chambersburg, Pa.; Vida N., who is a student in Perkiomen Seminary, at Pemsburg, Pa.; and Carrie V., who is also a student at Perkiomen Seminary. Mr. Holt and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal church in Graham township, of which he is a trustee. The first wife of Mr. Holt died in 1893. In 1895 he was married to a widow, Mrs. Ella M. Stillman of Lewistown, Ill., who was born in Columbus, O., but reared and educated in Illinois. Mr. Holt has long been identified with the Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and is a member of Lodge No. 885, at Sington, Pa.