Columbia County PA Archives Biographies.....EDGAR, Alfred H. 1870 - 
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  EDGAR & HUNT are the present proprietors of the Crystal Springs Distillery, an
  old establishment well-known throughout the state for the excellent pure rye
  whiskies which are distilled there. Edgar & Hunt (Alfred H. Edgar, George B.
  Hunt) succeeded the firm of Edgar & Beishline (Alfred H. Edgar, Clem G.
  Beishline); the latter firm purchased the plant January 1, 1898, and set out to
  sustain the reputation established by the former owner, B. Frank Edgar, father
  of Alfred H. The partnership of Edgar & Beishline was terminated by the death of
  the junior member of the firm, Mr. Beishline, on November 13, 1898. Mr. Edgar
  then admitted George B. Hunt as partner, and the business has since been
  conducted under the firm name of Edgar & Hunt.
  
    Alfred H. Edgar, who is one of the best distillers of the state, was born in
  Fishing Creek township, November 11, 1870, and is a son of B. Frank and Susan
  (Hartman) Edgar.
  
    The Edgar family is of Scotch origin, and James Edgar, the great-grandfather
  of our subject, was a native of the state of New York, but at an early day moved
  to Benton, Benton township, Columbia County, Pa. After a time he moved to
  Fishing Creek township, in the latter part of the eighteenth century. The later
  years of his life were spent as a resident of the state of Ohio, where he passed
  to his eternal resting place. His wife's maiden name was Buchanan, and she was
  descended from the same ancestors as was President Buchanan; their union
  resulted in the following offspring: John married Hester Zimmerman and lived in
  Indiana, where he died; Robert married Susanna McHenry, and died in Fishing
  Creek township; Martha married Moses McHenry, and lived in Fishing Creek
  township; Ellen married Elias McHenry; Elizabeth became the wife of John Jackson
  of Indiana; Edward was a resident of Ohio; Christina married Silas McHenry, and
  died in Ohio; and James, the youngest, who was the grandfather of our subject.
  
    James Edgar was born August 22, 1806, and early in life was a farmer and
  lumberman of Benton township, but subsequently sold his property there and moved
  to Fishing Creek township, where he followed the same occupation and became a
  prominent man. He was deeply interested in public affairs and for several years
  served as constable. In 1828 he was joined in wedlock with Sarah McHenry, a
  daughter of Daniel McHenry, whose father was the well-known pioneer of that
  name. She was born April 28, 1810, and was called to her home in the unknown
  beyond in Fishing Creek township, September 10, 1882. To their union were born
  nine sons and one daughter, as follows: Daniel married Louisa Stokes, and
  resided in New Columbus, Luzerne County, where he died October 23, 1890; Robert
  died February 25, 1897, at the age of sixty-four years; Emanuel, deceased,
  married Martha McHenry, and was a stonemason and plasterer by trade; George W.,
  a farmer and stock raiser of Clay County, Neb., married Nellie Smith of
  Pittston, Pa.; William E., a late farmer and stockraiser of Fishing Creek
  township; Hiram R., a stockraiser of Loup County, Neb.; James C, who married
  Rosa Smith, a sister of Nellie Smith, named above; Thomas Hardy, a record of
  whose life appears elsewhere in this Book of Biographies; and B. Frank, the
  father of our subject.
  
    B. Frank Edgar was born in Fishing Creek township, Columbia County, September
  9, 1836, and remained at home with his parents until he was eighteen years of
  age, when he learned the trade of a carpenter. This he followed for a period of
  twenty years, when he learned the trade of a distiller, and embarked in that
  business at Van Camp, Fishing Creek township, establishing the business which is
  now conducted by his son. He operated it successfully until 1894, when he moved
  the plant to Crystal Springs owing to the excellent facilities there for
  carrying on the business. Crystal Springs is a never-failing stream of as pure
  and good water as can be found in Columbia County. Mr. Edgar accumulated money
  rapidly and purchased considerable real estate, owning at one time three large
  farms, two of which he disposed of prior to his death. He was a man of strict
  integrity and fine business qualifications, and conducted his business up to the
  1st of January, 1898, when he disposed of the establishment to his son, Alfred
  H., and Clem G. Beishline. He retired from business life and lived in peace with
  himself and the rest of the world until his death, which occurred April 22,
  1898. Politically, he was a stanch Democrat and held many of the township
  offices, serving as county commissioner for six years. He formed a marital union
  with Susan Hartman, a daughter of Solomon Hartman, and the following children
  blessed their union: Warren, who is bookkeeper for his uncle, Thomas Hardy
  Edgar; Dora B., the wife of A. B. McHenry, a merchant of Stillwater, Pa.;
  Charles M., a late farmer of Fishing Creek; Hattie M., the wife of George B.
  Hunt, who is junior member of Edgar & Hunt; Alfred H., whose name heads these
  lines; and Thomas E., who died at an early age. After the demise of his wife Mr.
  Edgar formed a second alliance with Martha Colder, by whom he had four children:
  Herald; Alma; Madge; and Olive. Prior to his death he moved to the town of
  Bloomsburg, where his wife and family still reside.
  
    Alfred H. Edgar was reared on the farm and obtained an intellectual training
  in the public schools, after which he learned the trade of a distiller, serving
  in that capacity for his father up to the latter's death. He then became the
  senior member of the firm of Edgar & Beishline, and it is mainly due to his
  expertness as a distiller that his pure and well-flavored whiskies find a ready
  sale on the market and rank with the best in the state. They manufacture a pure
  rye, sweet-mash, copper-distilled whisky, to which is bestowed much labor, care
  and personal attention. It is kept until fully matured, and at the present time
  they have on hand 6,000 gallons ranging in age from two to five years. Mr. Edgar
  is equally as popular in private circles as in business, and has a large number
  of friends in the community, where he has always resided. June 30, 1896, he was
  united in matrimonial-bonds with Anna R. Savage, a daughter of David Savage of
  Bloomsburg, by whom he has one daughter, Clara Savage.
  
    Clem G. BEISHLINE, who was junior member of the firm of Edgar & Beishline, and
  a man of excellent business propensities, was a son of John W. and Sarah E.
  (Hess) Beishline, and was born in Benton township, September 29, 1869.
  
    His great-grandfather was Michael Beishline, who was born in Germany, and in
  the early part of the eighteenth century located in America. He settled in
  Butler township, Luzerne County, where he followed the occupation of a farmer.
  His son, John B. Beishline, was also one of the leading agriculturists of that
  section, but the later years of his life were spent in Benton township, Columbia
  County, where John W., our subject's father, was born, February 15, 1840. In
  early life John W. Beishline followed teaching in connection with farming, but
  later learned the trade of a carpenter. He was quite proficient at that
  occupation and became an extensive contractor and builder, doing work throughout
  the county. His career came to a sudden end while working upon the residence of
  Capt. C. G. Jackson of Berwick, August 14, 1878, at the early age of
  thirty-eight years. He was a soldier of the Civil War, first enlisting as a
  musician, but after the expiration of his term again enlisted as a lieutenant.
  When he left the service he was captain of Company A, 74th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf.
  Politically, he was a Democrat, whilst in religious belief he was a member of
  the Reformed Church. Socially, he belonged to the I. O. O. F. He was united in
  marriage with Sarah Hess, a daughter of Benjamin Hess, a farmer of Fishing Creek
  township, and they reared one son, Clem G. Mrs. Beishline is now residing at
  Pond Hill, Luzerne County.
  
    Clem G. Beishline received a good English education in the public schools and
  at New Columbus Academy, and after arriving at maturity was engaged in several
  different lines of work until he formed a partnership with Mr. Edgar and
  operated the Crystal Springs Distillery. Socially, he was a member of the Odd
  Fellow Lodge and the Patriotic Order Sons of America of Berwick. On January 25,
  1893. he was united in marriage with Laura McMichaels, a daughter of James
  McMichaels of Berwick, and one daughter was born to them, Virginia.
  
  
  
  Additional Comments:
    Extracted from:
      
      Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District
      Published by 
      Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)
  
  
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