BIO: Matthias SCHWER, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 817 & 818.
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  MATTHIAS SCHWER, who has been a resident of Peale, Pa., since 1884, is now in 
the employ of the A. F. Kelley store, the company store of the Bituminous Coal 
Corporation.  Mr. Schwer was born June 21, 1842, in Somerset county, Pa., a son 
of John and Lydia (Lininger) Schwer.
  John Schwer was born in Germany, and when about fifteen or sixteen years of 
age he came to America and located in Somerset county, residing there until 
1855, at which time he removed to Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, and there 
carried on a jewelry business during the remainder of his active life.  His 
death occurred while he was on a visit to Peale, in 1891.  Mrs. Schwer was born 
in Indiana county, Pa., and her death occurred in 1883.  Six children were born 
to Mr. and Mrs. Schwer, namely:  Matthias; John, who was engaged in the hardware 
business and died in 1884 at Williamsport; Jemima, who was the wife of Charles 
A. Bubb, of Jersey Shore, and died in 1879; Caroline, who died single about 
1892; William, who for the past thirty years has been engaged in the butchering 
business at Jersey Shore; and Nancy, who is also a resident of that place.  John 
Schwer was a Democrat in his political belief and a stanch member of the 
Presbyterian church.
  Matthias Schwer, of Matt, as he is familiarly known, attended the common 
schools of Cambria and Lycoming counties, and at the age of fifteen years gave 
up his studies to engage in the butchering business at Jersey Shore, continuing 
there from 1858 until 1880, at which time he removed to McIntire, Pa., and there 
continued in the same line of business until November, 1884.  Just prior to this 
time the mines had been opened for operation at Peale, and believing this would 
furnish a larger and more lucrative field for him, he transferred his operations 
to this point.  He was engaged in the butchering business until 1890, and since 
that time he has been connected with the store of the Bituminous Coal 
Corporation.  Mr. Schwer is one of the most popular men in Peale, being of a 
sunny, optimistic disposition and having the ability to make friends and keep 
them.  During the twenty years that he has been connected with the store here he 
has displayed much business ability, and he is known to be a man of strict 
integrity.
  Mr. Schwer was married in 1869 to Miss Sarah McMurray, the daughter of Charles 
McMurray, and one son was born to that union, McMurray M., a trimmer and 
finisher of Hackensack, N. J.  The first wife of Mr. Schwer died in 1870, and 
Mr. Schwer married secondly Miss Julia Hillard, the daughter of Owen Hillard of 
Jersey Shore, by whom he has had the following children:  Mayd, who is the wife 
of William Lowell of Clymer; Fred O., an electrical engineer of Clymer, who 
married Miss Annie Hyde; Jessie M., who married J. Morris Daily of 
Reynoldsville; John, who is a chauffeur of Hackensack, N. J., and June, who is 
single and resides at home.  The mother of thses children died in 1905.  Mr. 
Schwer is a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle of Peale, and is a 
Presbyterian in his religious belief.  He is a Republican in political matters, 
and served for five years as justice of the peace of Cooper township.