Clearfield County PA Archives - Photos: BLOOM, John I. Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Ellis Michaels, , Oct 2008 Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ ________________________________________________ http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/photos/bloom-john-i.txt Photo may be viewed at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/photos/bloom-john-i.jpg Bloom, John I., leading citizen of Clearfield County photo scanned from Roland D. Swoopes "Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, PA and Representative Citizens", published 1911, page 549 JOHN I. BLOOM, a highly respected retired farmer of Pike Township, Clearfield County, Pa., owns 165 acres of valuable land on which he was born March 22, 1831. His father was John Bloom and his grandfather was William Bloom the latter of whom was the founder of this large and prominent family in Clearfield County. John Bloom was born in New Jersey, in January, 1786, and accompanied his father to Center County, Pa., and later to Clearfield County. He became a farmer in Center County and was there married to Susanna High, who was born in that county, a daughter of John High, June 7, 1788. After marriage, John Bloom bought this farm of 165 acres, in Pike Township, from Matthew Taylor, of Center County, this land then being included in that county. It was entirely undeveloped and so dense was the forest that then covered it that John Bloom was forced to join in with other settlers to make a road through this section of country in order that they might reach Curwensville. John Bloom was a man of much enterprise and became a citizen upon whom rested public cares to some degree as his neighbors relied upon his judgment and often sought his advice. He was a Democrat in his political views and at one time was tax collector for the whole county. His death occurred June 30, 1872. He married as stated above and his widow survived but two years afterward, her death taking place May 26, 1874. Their burial was in the McClure Cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian church. Eleven children were born to John and Susanna Bloom, as follows: Mary, who was born September 22, 1806, married Thomas Spackman, and died November 7, 1876; Effie, who was born July 17, 1809, was the wife of Peter Mays, of Knox Township, and died in August, 1900; Katherine, who was born February 22, 1811, died December 1, 1859; Abraham, who was born May 20, 1813, married Elizabeth Kyler and died December 1, 1862; Matthew, who was born May 12, 1816, married Sarah Polhamus and died in June, 1900; Margaret, who was born August 22, 1818, was the wife of George W. Robins, and died December 26, 1878; George, who was born March 2, 1821, married first Hannah Carson, and second, Jennie Replow, and died in February, 1905; David, who was born May 18, 1823, married Mary Sloss, and died September 30, 1897; Sophia, who was born April 8, 1826, died in December, 1906, her first husband being Martin Hoover, and her second, James Leech; Abigail, who was born July 12, 1828, married John B. Garrison; and John I. Bloom, of Pike Township, the youngest of the family and one of the two survivors. In boyhood, John I. Bloom first attended the cross roads school which was near the Price farm, a log building with very primitive accommodations. Later he attended the Bloomington school for three winter months. He then helped his father and brothers to clear off the land and to place it under cultivation. Being the youngest, he remained on the homestead and after his brothers settled on farms of their own and his father grew old, he took over the entire management. When he came into full possession he erected the present comfortable and substantial farm buildings. The land is all cleared with the exception of forty acres of valuable timber. A coal bank on the farm is leased to the Bloomington Coal Mining Company and its output is 400 tons daily. Until he retired from active labor, Mr. Bloom carried on general farming and was always considered a careful and judicious agriculturist. He has practically spent his entire life on this farm. During the Civil War he was twice drafted for military service but on both occasions was declined on account of physical disability. Mr. Bloom was married August 22, 1854, to Miss Mary Frantz, who was born May 5, 1838, in Clarion County, Pa., a daughter of George Frantz and Eliza (Taylor) Frantz. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bloom: J. Showers, Jefferson, Eliza, Alice, Blake, Lucy, Frank, Annie, Howard and Willard. J. Showers Bloom was born December 11, 1855. He married Elizabeth McHenry and they had four children: Lavada (deceased); Winfield; Alverda, who is the wife of John Shaffer; and Lloyd, who married Pearl Bloom. Jefferson Bloom was born July 26, 1857. He married Mary Peterman and they had three children: Margaret, who is the wife of Abraham Holden; Grove who married Belle Hart; and Lura, who married Calvin Rowles. Eliza Bloom was born June 8, 1860, married C. M. Bloom, and they have three children: Thaddeus, who married Ella Byers; Milford, who married Clara Murphy; and Edna, who lives at home. Alice Bloom was born November 17, 1864 and married David Crider. Blake Bloom was born June 8, 1866, married Sarah Evans and they have one child, Rossie, who is a school-teacher in Clearfield County. Lucy Bloom was born March 29, 1870, and died November 9, 1899. Frank Bloom was born March 30, 1872, married Luella Wise and they have three children: Roland, Wilfred and Harold. Annie Bloom was born March 9, 1876 and married O. B. Wise. Howard Bloom was born August 2, 1879 and married Della Rowles. Williard Bloom was born November 21, 1881, married Emma J. Bloom and they have one son, Donald. Mr. and Mrs. Bloom are members of the Presbyterian church. He is a Democrat in politics and for sixteen years served in the office of constable. He is a member of generation. When John Bloom moved first the Bloomington Grange. Mr. Bloom is a very entertaining conversationalist, having an excellent memory and a wide acquaintance with the other old families of this section which have also assisted in its development. He also recalls much that his father told him and many of these tales of early times possess interest for the present to Clearfield County he settled near the river where a tannery now stands. One day a stranger came up the river and visited him with a tale of a valuable silver mine that he and some comrades had discovered in this vicinity, when they had made a hunting trip through this region, twenty years before. At that time, he represented, that five hunters had each carried off twenty pounds of silver to their distant homes and all intended to return but he was probably the only one who ever came. After showing John Bloom a piece of the ore he said he had picked up, Mr. Bloom consented, for hire, to assist him in finding the location of the mine, which the stranger represented as being between Rock Lick and Peewee's Nest. They had no ax with which to blaze their path and thus they lost their way. Mr. Bloom and the stranger worked over two acres of land but without results and if there ever was a silver mine in that locality it probably is still there. Among his father's possessions which Mr. Bloom has carefully preserved and one that he treasures highly, is a rifle that undoubtedly is 200 years old. It was given to John Bloom by an old pioneer. Its present owner has used it, in his earlier years being considered a fine shot and has brought down birds from a great distance.