BIO: Eli L. PASSMORE, 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 696 & 697. _____________________________________________________________ ELI L. PASSMORE, who has been the owner of the farm on which he was born, September 12, 1849, ever since he was sixteen years of age, is one of the substantial, reliable and representative men of Greenwood Township, Clearfield County, Pa. His parents were Joseph A. and Caroline (Hoover) Passmore. Joseph A. Passmore was born in Bailey Settlement, in Pike Township, Clearfield County, where he had but limited school opportunities. After his marriage he lived in Bell, now Greenwood Township, where he was the third settler to begin the clearing of land. He lived here until after the birth of all of his children, but died in McKean County, November 17, 1908. In politics he was a Democrat. He married Caroline Hoover, who was born in Brady Township, Clearfield County, February 27, 1827, a daughter of Peter and Mary Hoover. She died October 5, 1901. They both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Lumber City. They were united in marriage in 1848 and were permitted to spend sixty years together. Seven children were born to them, namely: Eli L.; Allen, who was born June 13, 1851, and died May 1, 1855; Warren, who was born April 2, 1853, is a resident of McKean County; Peter, who was born November 11, 1856, died August 24, 1857; Mary Theresa, who was born June 27, 1858, died August 3, 1907, and was the wife of John Derrick; Frampton B., who was born November 5, 1860, died July 6, 1907; and Lewis H., born July 29, 1863, who died June 23, 1864. In Mr. Passmore's boyhood the nearest schoolhouse was a log structure, which he attended irregularly for two years and there laid the foundation of his education. In 1859 he had additional advantages in the Bell township school but his assistance was soon required on the home farm and books had to be put aside. When he was not more than ten years old he had to walk back and forth to Curwensville to carry merchandise and frequently in those days did not reach home with the heavy load on his back, until after night. He was not much more than ten years old when he began lumbering on the river and continued increasing his operations and usefulness as he grew older, until the industry was no longer profitable as a business. When sixteen years of age he came into possession of the homestead, 107 acres lying along the west branch of the Susquehannah River, one-half of which is still in valuable timber. He has always been a man of industry and even yet, when he can have plenty of assistance, declines to become a mere figurehead, still carrying on his farm work with vigor and according to his own methods. All the comfortable buildings on the place he has put here, supplanting the earlier ones erected by his father. Mr. Passmore was married January 23, 1870, to Miss Carrie Hall, who was born at Center Corner, Lawrence Township, Clearfield County, February 26, 1843, a daughter of John and Nancy (Passmore) Hall, and a granddaughter of Abraham Passmore. Mrs. Passmore was educated in the old brick academy at Curwensville and the old academy at Slearfield, and was a successful teacher in the schools for four terms, teaching one term in each of the townships of Bradford, Knox, Huston and Bell. To Mr. and Mrs. Passmore nine children have been born, as follows: Charles A., who married Gertrude Hyatt, and resides at Kenshaw, Pa.; Walter, who lives in McKean County, married Olive Porter; Alice, who died at the age of four years; Maggie, who is deceased; Alta, who is the wife of Roy McClure, of Curwensville; Lulu, who is the wife of Clarence McCracken; Ellis and Ira, twins, the latter of whom married Sadie Bailey; and George. Mr. Passmore and family are members of the Baptist church.