BIO: J. Wilson RAUCH, 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 861 & 862. _____________________________________________________________ J. WILSON RAUCH, who at the expiration of his present term will have served as justice of the peace of Karthaus township for a quarter of a century, has been a resident of Clearfield county since 1857. He was born in Union county, Pa., December 1, 1842, and is a son of James and Caroline (Hartman) Rauch. James Rauch was born in Union county, a son of Henry and Rebecca (Sipe) Rauch, who came to America from Switzerland, although Mr. Rauch was of German birth. The maternal grandparents of J. W. Rauch were Simeon and Elizabeth (Bisel) Hartman, early settlers of Union county, having come from Pottsville, Pa. The children of James and Caroline (Hartman) Rauch were as follows: James Wilson; Emeline, who married Thomas White of Karthaus township; Charles Franklin, who died at the age of nineteen years; Mary Jane, deceased, who was the wife of Charles Welsh, also deceased; William Henry, who lives at DuBois; Simon Peter, who resides in Karthaus township; Rebecca Elizabeth, who married James Michaels of Karthaus township; and Thomas Richard, who lives at Cataract. James Wilson Rauch attended school in Union county until he was fifteen years old, when his parents removed to Clearfield county, and here he spent one winter in school. With the exception of one and one-half years spent in West Keating township, Mr. Rauch has lived in Karthaus township since that time. On his return from West Keating township he had intended to stay one year, or longer if he found conditions satisfactory, and he remained thirty-two years on that property. He first bought the Price place, a tract of thirty-two acres, later purchasing the Charles Welsh property of four acres, and here he continued engaged in farming and lumbering until a few years ago. In January, 1865, Mr. Rauch reported at Ridgeway, Pa., where he became a member of Co. M, 100th Pa. Vol. Inf., known as the "Roundhead" Regiment, Third Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, and served through the Virginia campaign. He was scratched on the hand by a bullet at Petersburg, and in July, 1865, was stricken with typhoid fever, being confined to the hospital at Harrisburg, Pa., for one week. He returned to his home in Clearfield county, but recovered sufficiently to participate in the Grand Review at Washington. He is a member of Bucktail Post, G. A. R., at Renovo. On November 25, 1863, Mr. Rauch was married to Miss Mary E. Conaway, who was born in Clinton county, Pa., and is a daughter of Charles and Catherine (McGonigal) Conaway. Mrs. Rauch's parents came to Clearfield county from Clinton county, and here spent the remainder of their lives. They had four children: Gracie Ann, deceased, who was the wife of William White; Hugh, who was killed by a sharpshooter before Petersburg; James Alexander, who was found dead at the tunnel just above Karthaus; and Mary Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Rauch have had the following children: James McClellan, deceased, who married Elizabeth Zimmer and had two children, Malvin Earl and Alda May; Charles Henry, living at Barnesville, Clinton county, who married Cynthia Wadsworth and has four children, Raymond, Roy Blanchard, Myrtle May and Arthur Merle; George Thomas, residing in Clearfield, who married Amanda Rohn and had four children, Alma Elizabeth, Lawrence Herman, Maurice Alonzo and Irvin Dewey, the second named being now deceased; Simon Alexander, who is unmarried; Torrence Hugh, who died aged three months; Alonzo, who is single and lives at home; William Bucher, who married Margaret Conaway and has five children, Labitha Bernice, Lorintha Dorcas, William Charles Wilson, Oliver Samuel and Francis Alexander, the latter being deceased; Mary Ellen, deceased, who was the wife of Herbert Ashley Wadsworth and had seven children, Myrtle Pearl, Leonard Cleo, Bernice May, Albert Wilson, Lottie Elizabeth, Alice Emily and Mary Ellen; Rosanna Caroline, who married James L. McGonigal of Karthaus township and had six children, of whom one is now deceased; Francis Lafayette, who is unmarried and living at home; Sarah Milney, who married Roger S. Schnars of Karthaus township and has five children, Florence May, Elizabeth Caroline, Rosanna Virginia, James Wilson and David Leslie; Rebecca Emeline, who married James Moore of Karthaus township and has two children, Franis Zell Bucher and Vivian Evelyn; Lucetta B., who died aged one year; Katie Ethel Bell, who married Alpheus S. Moore and lives in Karthaus township, and whose only child, Vida Beatrice, died aged one year; and one child which died unnamed. In addition to his long service as justice of the peace, Mr. Rauch has served as school director and supervisor, was for nine years assessor, and is now serving in his fifth year as collector.