Clearfield County PA Archives Obituaries.....Rumbarger, John, Jr. January 1889
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DuBois (PA) Courier-Express
NOTE: John Rumbarger (1810-1889) established the Clearfield County town of 
Rumbarger, precursor of the present city of DuBois, Pennsylvania. The 
following obituary appeared in "The DuBois Courier", 16 January 1889. Endnotes 
address inaccuracies or clarify relationships.

LIFE'S FITFUL FEVER O'ER

Death of John Rumbarger, Founder of DuBois

The Father and Patriarch of the Borough Pays the Debt That all Men Owe

Sketch of an Historical Life

The Obsequies

John Rumbarger, the father of town of DuBois, died at his home on State 
Street, in the First Ward, on Saturday morning at the age of 77 years, 8 
months and 11 days. John Rumbarger was born in the township of Warrior's Mark, 
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, May 25th, 1811 [1]. He is of Dutch descent, 
although his ancestry had lived so long in the United States that Mr. 
Rumbarger must rank as a thorough American.

His father before him, likewise named John Rumbarger, was a native of 
Lancaster County, this State; but his grandfather was a Hollander. From the 
meagre intelligence now to be gleaned of the phlegmatic ancestry we may 
imagine that the grandfather came of good stock, thrifty and tolerably 
prosperous. The advent of the Rumbargers on American soil must date about the 
Revolutionary period in the preceding century.

John Rumbarger, Sr., was one of a large family, all of whom prospered and led 
contented lives. They nearly all located in Huntingdon County, one of them 
taking up a residence in Half-Moon Township, Centre County, not far distant. 
The old Rumbarger home in Huntingdon County was noted in the early days as a 
hospitable point for travelers and as John Rumbarger, Sr., was liberal and 
prosperous it was a stopping place on the great highway for that craft of 
appreciative diners, the preachers of all faiths, who made their trips one way 
or the other between the east and west, sought out the far-famed home.

John Rumbarger, Sr., married a Miss Ellenberger of Lancaster County. This 
union is said to have been singularly a happy one. It was crowned with the 
love of ten children, seven girls and three boys. The one son died at about 
his fortieth year. The younger son, Samuel Rumbarger, now 70 years old, was 
present at his brother's funeral on Tuesday. Six of the daughters are living, 
one of whom is 90 years old. The other died about a year ago at the age of 70. 
It will be observed that the family is of rare vitality.

EARLY LIFE

The early history of John Rumbarger, Jr., was uneventful, as indeed may be 
said of the whole span of his existence, for in all his life he followed the 
even tenor of a man who is content to make a happy fireside for wife and 
little ones, and he made few, if any, efforts to reach the Dead Sea fruit of 
riches or political preferment.

In 1834 Mr. Rumbarger was married to Miss Elizabeth Leathers, daughter of 
Joseph and Barbara Leathers, to whom were born two sons and two daughters. 
These four who survive their father are Jacob L. Rumbarger, now living in 
Maryland; Anna May [2] Marshall, living in Reynoldsville; Elizabeth Goodyear, 
living in DuBois and Franklin Rumbarger, living in DuBois.

Mrs. Rumbarger died early in 1844.

A SECOND MARRIAGE

Mr. Rumbarger was again married May 22nd, 1845, this time espousing Miss Eliza 
Earhart, daughter of Emanuel and Catharine Earhart. Nine children came to them 
and of these four are living, Lavina Bryan, Alice Jane McIntosh, William and 
John Rumbarger, all of DuBois. [3]
Mrs. Rumbarger also lives to mourn the death of her consort, and is in right 
good health yet for one of her age.

Mr. Rumbarger in 1850 left his native county and settled for a time at 
Kittanning, Armstrong County. He lived here a period of three years, and then 
moved again to a point on the Allegheny River not far from the present site of 
Parker's Landing, and known as Black Fox Furnace. Two years finds him prompted 
by the wandering spirit once more, and he landed in Brookville, Jefferson 
County, to better carry on his occupation as a lumberman, and there he 
remained until the close of the war.

HIS ADVENT IN DUBOIS

In 1865 Mr. Rumbarger bought from David Heberling a tract of land of 325 acres 
in the wilderness of Brady township. The greater portion of his farm is now 
embraced within the borough limits and a large portion of the town is built 
upon it. Mr. Rumbarger then located here permanently. He resided in the 
Rumbarger House, on Main Street, now kept by William Davis, where he gave 
entertainment to lumbermen and others.

He devoted much of his time to his farm. He had about 200 acres under fence 
and the fine crops of wheat, rye, corn, potatoes, etc., were the talk of the 
neighborhood. His thrifty habits that a life on the eastern farm had ground in 
him still clung to him, and his farm was a model for agriculture.

His nearest neighbor at that time was Henry Shaffer, who lived in a log house 
on the site now occupied by Dr. W. A. Means, on Stockdale Street . . . The 
next nearest neighbor was Samuel Postlethwait, who lived near Luthersburg. The 
Resingers, Michael Shaffer, Thomas Wayne and Abraham Heberling lived within a 
radius of two miles, and comprised the entire population.

With the exception of the Rumbarger farm and the Henry Shaffer farm the site 
of DuBois was a forest.

In 1866 John Goodyear [3] came to settle in the neighborhood. He bought from 
Mr. Rumbarger a piece of ground on Main Street which is now the space used as 
Booth Street. It was in the heart of as fine a wheat field as was to be seen 
in the country. Here Mr. Goodyear built a store. For a year he carried on his 
trade, and then sold his place to Mr. Rumbarger. Subsequently the building was 
removed to the Hughes’ lot and became a part of Mr. Hughes' house which was 
destroyed in the June conflagration.

The spring of 1867 saw another store, that of Elisha Evans. It was built at 
the corner of Main Street as the miner's row is approached and is now known as 
the McCauley house.

The natural growth of, the community and the prospects induced Mr. Rumbarger 
in 1872 to plot a portion of his farm in lots and the new town was known as 
Rumbarger. The survey was made by George Kirk and the first lots were 
purchased by our well-known citizen, Mr. P. S. Weber. They were located on 
Main street and he paid $100 for two. One year later Mr. Rumbarger erected the 
store that was before the fire occupied by J. B. Ellis. This building was 
rented to J. M. TroxeIl and George Glasgow. They conducted a general store. 
Thomas Montgomery had preceded by erecting a storeroom on the corner of Main 
and Booth Streets.

CHARACTERISTIC LIBERALITY

Mr. Rumbarger sold his lots low at fifty to one hundred dollars a piece, and 
gave a long time to pay for them, thereby encouraging persons to locate 
permanently. This policy has been adopted by him ever since and there are many 
families now residing here who own good properties purchased in this manner, 
who might, under other circumstances, have not been so fortunate.

Others, again, paid for their property, sold out and realizing handsomely on 
their investments, put their money into something else, while some have moved 
away. A number of lots sold then at from seventy-five-to one hundred dollars 
are worth today from two to three thousand dollars each.

While anxious to promote the growth of the town in every honorable way, and 
willing to help all commendable enterprises, as he always has been, Mr. 
Rumbarger had a keen appreciation of the mission and privileges of the church 
and gave liberally to it. When the idea of starting a Methodist Episcopal 
Church was broached, he donated to the Trustees of that Society two very 
desirable lots and gave in addition $1000 in cash. The Trustees afterwards 
sold these lots a piece 52 x 120 for $1910, and on the rear portion of the lot 
on which the church building stood until the fire they built a parsonage which 
was later sold for $900.

He next donated a lot for the erection of the Catholic Church and then sold 
them another for $75, on State Street. The First Ward School building was also 
located on one of his lots on the same street, which he disposed of at the 
nominal price of $70.

A NEW NAME

About 1873 the growth of Rumbarger began to make rapid progress, and from the 
first start until the present it has kept up the march with almost unbroken 
regularity. But a new force had entered into the spirit of growth and it was 
one destined to swallow up the older memories. It came with the arrival of the 
Low Grade railroad and the lumber mills of John DuBois. As Mr. DuBois built 
mills and offices a desire arose to have the name changed from Rumbarger to 
DuBois, and after sundry attempts a compromise was finally agreed upon, and 
the monument which the people first intended to rear to the memory of the man 
who so recently passed the narrow portal into life everlasting was awarded to 
the more powerful rival.

Mr. Rumbarger ceased to be actively engaged in business about ten years ago, 
at which time he severed his connection with Alfred Bell. Since then he has 
lived a life of quietness and peace to which his years of labor and his 
prudent habits of life entitle him.

For a few years previous to his death he had been a sufferer from asthma, but 
it had not been of an annoying type until lately. He had little premonition of 
death until a few days before the summons came, and then he appeared to 
realize that dissolution was close at hand. With the end in view he made a 
will, the provisions of which are substantially as follows:

THE WILL

To his wife is given the use of the homestead and household property so long 
as she may live. For her sustenance is provided $100 per annum and the rent of 
four tenements. After paying all debts the balance is to be equally divided 
amongst the lawful heirs. An account had been kept heretofore for each child, 
and this is to be taken into consideration on making the distribution.

Upon the death of the wife the remaining property is to be divided in like 
manner. A. L. Cole, W. N. Prothero and W. E. Rumbarger are executors.

A LARGE POSTERITY

Mr. Rumbarger’s descendants number 47 grandchildren and 21 great 
grandchildren, nearly all of whom who live.

He never took much hand in politics and his election to such position of honor 
as assistant burgess was not of his seeking. He was a plain man, kind and 
unassuming, and his death has caused many sincere regrets.

END NOTES

1. The Rumbarger family Bible, in the possession of Kelly Marshall, clearly 
states the birth year as 1810. His sister Sarah Rumbarger Fye was born 6 June 
1811.

2. His daughter’s name is Anna Mary Rumbarger (1838-1924), not Anna May. She 
married William Kelker Marshall (1828-1912) and was the mother of twelve 
children.

3. Deceased children include Catharine Rumbarger McClelland, who married 
George B. McClelland and was survived by a daughter, Minnie; Lovila, Alfred, 
and two other sons named John, all four of whom died in childhood.

4. Goodyear was the husband of Elizabeth (Eliza) Rumbarger.

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