BIO: Hon. Henry S. KNARR, 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 608 & 611. _____________________________________________________________ HON. HENRY S. KNARR, formerly burgess of DuBois, Pa., where he is a representative citizen, has large real estate interests here and in Clearfield County and is owner and proprietor of the H. S. Knarr stock farm, which is situated in Brady Township, one-half mile northwest of Luthersburg, Pa. Mr. Knarr was born on his father's farm in Brady Township, Clearfield County, Pa., February 21, 1853, and is a son of Henry and Catherine (Marshall) Knarr and grandson of George Knarr. George Knarr was born in Germany and emigrated to America with his family in 1826. He took up 200 acres of land near Troutville, in Brady Township, Clearfield County, Pa., the above town now partly being built on his farm. Both he and his wife, Louisa (Wisegarber) Knarr, lived into old age, he surviving to be within eight years of the century mark. They had six children, namely: Henry, Andrew, George and Adam, all deceased; Charlotte, who was the wife of Christian Haag, both deceased; and Caroline, who is the only survivor, is the widow of A. K. Weaver, and now resides at DuBois. Henry Knarr was born in Germany and was about eighteen years of age when he accompanied the family to America and to Clearfield County. At first he assisted his father on the latter's large tract of land but subsequently took up 150 acres for himself, also in Brady Township and to the clearing of this land and its cultivation, he devoted many years of hard work. He also taught school in Brady Township and was one of the first to teach a German school. He died on his place in 1886, at the age of seventy-eight years. He married Catherine Marshall, who was born in Germany and died in her seventy-sixth year, in 1898, having passed her last years at Troutville. To Henry and Catherine (Marshall) Knarr sixteen children were born, as follows: Louisa, George, Caroline, Simon, David, Lourine, Henry S., Reuben, William Adam, Mary, Samuel A., Ferdinand, and others who died in infancy. Henry S. Knarr spent his boyhood on the home farm and attended the country schools. He was a very active and adventurous lad and by accident lost one of his limbs. On this account his father was exceedingly anxious that he should have a college education to enable him to enter one of the professions, but the youth decided otherwise after a trial, and concluded to learn the tailor's trade and served an apprenticeship at Brookville. In 1876 he opened his own establishment at DuBois, which was then but a small place, and conducted a very successful business until 1882, when he became interested in the buying and selling of real estate, in which he has been equally successful. In 1882 he traded a property in DuBois for the John Reed farm of eighty acres, situated near Clearfield, and shortly afterward traded that farm advantageously for the Henry Shaffer farm, which is now included in the Fourth Ward, DuBois, although at the time of the above transaction, it was yet partly covered with timber. It is the forethought shown in such affairs that has made Mr. Knarr the successful business man he is acknowledged to be. He cleared the Shaffer farm and then laid it out in lots and improved them with houses and soon became one of the leading real estate dealers in the place. Later he showed still more enterprise, putting up a 66-foot front, two-story brick business block on Brady Street, for the site of which he paid $180, and at present, thirty-five years later, its valuation is $16,000. Still later he erected a second brick business block, locating it on Long Avenue and he retains possession of both properties, which rent high, and owns a number of other lots and dwellings. In 1897 his physician advised a rest from the business activities in which he had found so much pleasure and profit, and Mr. Knarr bought a farm of 136 acres, in Brady Township, near Luthersburg, not far from the place of his birth, and went back to Nature, as it were, in order to benefit his health. He soon became interested here, sparing no expense or trouble to improve the property and make of it a fine stock farm. He remodeled the house and has put up barns and other buildings and in the construction of which he has used many barrels of cement. He has set out orchards and shade trees and his wife has been equally busy in the tasteful arrangement of flower-beds, so that, added to the natural advantages of considerable elevation, this farm is one of great beauty and exceeding value. Although Mr. Knarr has been exceedingly successful he has occasionally met with misfortune, the greatest of which, in a financial way, he deems the fire at DuBois, in 1888, when his loss, as a young business man was $46,000. He was one of the organizers of the Union Banking and Trust Company at DuBois and is one of its directors. On June 23, 1879, Mr. Knarr was married to Miss Mary A. Buchhide, a daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth (Weber) Buchhide, of Jefferson County, Pa., and they have two sons: Silas, who is an employe of the Union Banking and Trust Company, married Alice F. Nelson; and Burt E. Mr. and Mrs. Knarr are members of the Lutheran church. Until May, 1910, Mr. Knarr resided in DuBois, driving out to the farm every morning, but the temporary home is maintained there at present, it being his intention to sell the farm as his health is entirely restored, and to reside in the borough as formerly. He is a Democrat in politics and served in the borough council and for four years was burgess.