BIO: James Lawrence McGONIGAL, 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 950 & 951. _____________________________________________________________ JAMES LAWRENCE McGONIGAL. Probably no man in Karthaus township is better or more favorably known than is James Lawrence McGonigal, land owner, coal operator, capitalist and sportsman, who during a residence of about twenty years in Clearfield county has made his influence and personality felt in various lines of endeavor. Mr. McGonigal was born in West Keating township, Clinton county, Pa., June 30, 1862, a son of John and Sarah (Conaway) McGonigal. Hugh McGonigal, the grandfather of James L., was born in county Donegal, north of Ireland, and came to America in the early part of the nineteenth century, locating at Center Furnace, in Center county, Pa. At this place John McGonigal was born, and during his schooldays was a playmate of Judge Orvis. In early manhood he engaged in lumbering and moved from Center Furnace to Snow Shoe, and thence to West Keating township, Clinton county, owning the present site of the McGonigal Rod and Gun Club. He died January 26, 1888, at the age of seventy-one years, and was buried in Ganoe cemetery, in Clinton county, where the mother of James L. McGonigal was buried later, her death having occurred October 17, 1892. Mrs. McGonigal was the daughter of George Conaway, an early settler of Karthaus township, and a member of an old and honored family. Mr. and Mrs. McGonigal had the following children: Daniel, deceased, who lived in Karthaus township; Hugh G., who is living in West Clearfield; William R., deceased, who lived in Karthaus township; Annie C., who married Daniel T. Moore of this township; James Lawrence; Bartley C., who died at Cataract; George B., who resides at Johnsonburg, Elk county; John T., residing in Clearfield; Joseph O., who lives on the Ed McGarvey farm; Permilla Jane, who married A. B. Saltsman of Johnsonburg; Miles Alexander, who lives at Erie, Pa.; and Sarah Belle, who died when three months old. James Lawrence McGonigal attended the schools of West Keating township, and ever since attaining manhood he has engaged in lumbering, farming and coal operating. He came to Clearfield county in 1892, and for the past twelve years has been operating at Pottersdale. Besides the 100-acre farm on which he has resided since coming to the county, he owns another of 125 acres in Karthaus township, a farm of fifty acres of cleared land in Clinton county, about 450 acres in the New Garden coal basin and 181 acres in Clinton county which are the premises of the McGonigal Rod and Gun Club, a pleasure organization started by Mr. McGonigal in 1910, and of which he is the president. Mr. McGonigal is a stockholder of the County National and Farmers and Traders Banks of Clearfield. On August 27, 1893, Mr. McGonigal was married to Annie C. Rauch, who was born in Karthaus township, a daughter of J. W. Rauch, and to this union there have been born the following children: George E., Ira Wilson, Stella Permilla, Jessie Alda, Mary Emaline and E. Belle. Mr. McGonigal is a Democrat in politics, and for nine years he served Karthaus township as road supervisor. Fraternally he is connected with Renova Lodge, No, 595, I. O. O. F., of which he has been a member for fifteen years; the Order of Elks, No. 540, of Clearfield; the P. O. S. of A. Lodge, No. 136, of Sinnamahoning, Pa., and the Order of Moose, No. 190, at Lock Haven. He has always shown himself ready to assist in forwarding those movements which have for their object the betterment of his community and his popularity is shown by his many warm friends and numberless acquaintances.