BIO: James D. WALL, 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 430 & 433.
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  JAMES D. WALL, assessor of Penn Township, Clearfield County, Pa., of which he 
is a leading citizen and substantial farmer, resides on his farm of 100 acres, 
which adjoins the borough line of Grampian, Pa.  He was born in this township, 
one and one-half miles southwest of Grampian, July 15, 1855, and is a son of 
Thomas and a grandson of Jonathan Wall.
  Jonathan Wall was born in Chester County, Pa., and later was a resident of 
York County, moving from there to Center County and in 1820 coming to 
Clearfield County.  He settled on 200 acres of land that was then in Pike 
Township, but now that section is Penn Township.  He improved his property and 
lived on it until his death, in 1855.  This farm is now owned by E. M. Davis.  
Jonathan Wall married Jane Thomas, of York County, and they reared a family of 
children and lived long and virtuous lives, subscribing always to the teachings 
of the Society of Friends.
  Thomas Wall, father of James D., was born after his parents had settled in 
Penn Township.  He was reared on the home farm and remained there for two years 
following his first marriage and then moved to Pennville, where he was a 
merchant for two years.  After the sale of his store he bought another farm in 
Penn Township, on which he operated a saw-mill and a grist-mill, together with 
farming, until 1870, when he bought a tract of 425 acres of timber land, on 
Bell's Run and continued to be interested in lumbering until his accidental 
death, at the age of sixty-five years.  He was a member of the Society of 
Friends.  In politics he was a Republican and served occasionally in township 
offices.  His first marriage was to Hannah Davis, a daughter of Joseph Davis, 
Sr., and they had three children:  James D.; Milton, who died in 1888, in 
California; and Sarah, who is the widow of Clark Norris.  The mother of these 
children died in 1860 and her burial was in the Friends' Cemetery.  Thomas Wall 
married for his second wife, Eliza Nicholson, a daughter of Joseph Nicholson, 
of Bell Township, and they had six children:  Mary, Annie, Leona, Blanche, 
Charles and Maud.
  James D. Wall obtained his education in the schools of Penn Township and 
remained at home assisting his father until after his own marriage, in 1879.  
He spent three years in Colorado and then returned to the old homestead and 
became manager of the mill and continued until its sale.  Mr. Wall then 
purchased his present farm of Isaac B. Norris.  As the land was already well 
improved he had little in that direction to do but subsequently built his 
present commodious and attractive residence.  Mr. Wall is a charter director 
and a stockholder of the Curwensville National Bank.
  In May, 1879, Mr. Wall was married to Miss Clara Miller, who was born in 
Jefferson County, Pa., October 14, 1860, a daughter of Col. James and Louisa 
(Farnsworth) Miller.  Politically Mr. Wall is a Republican and he has been an 
active and practical citizen.  Frequently his fellow citizens have elected him 
to public office and he has served as school director and auditor, and for nine 
years was collector of Penn Township, of which he is now assessor.