Montour-Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....GEARHART, Bonham R. (Jr.) 1843 - living in 1899
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  Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 29, 2005, 8:51 pm
  
  Author: Biographical Publishing Co.
  
  BONHAM R. GEARHART, Jr., who had been cashier of the First National Bank of
  Danville, Pa., until March, 1870, when he became president, is one of the most
  prominent and highly-esteemed citizens of that town. He was born at Turbotville,
  Northumberland County, Pa., May 20, 1843, and is a son of Bonham R. and
  Elizabeth (Boyd) Gearhart.
  
    Our subject's great-grandfather was Jacob Gearhart, a native of Strangsberg,
  Germany, who came to this country prior to the Revolutionary War; he located in
  the state of New Jersey, in what is now Hunterdon County. He served throughout
  the Revolutionary War and was captain in a New Jersey regiment. After
  independence had been gained he moved to Northumberland County, Pa., where he
  had friends. With his family he made his way over the uncultivated land by means
  of horses and wagons; at an old log house which had been deserted they stopped
  to rest, and, finding the land very fertile and well adapted for farming,
  decided to make a settlement there. Mr. Gearhart purchased a large tract of the
  land, which he cleared with the aid of his sons, and erected one of the first
  frame houses in the county, the one in which William F. Gearhart now resides;
  the house is still in good condition and is one of the old landmarks. The
  great-grandfather purchased land from time to time and was soon the owner of 500
  acres, of which he cleared 200 acres and set out a large orchard, which was
  destroyed by a hailstorm in 1846. He married Catherine Kline and they were the
  parents of the following children: John, born in 1758; Jacob, born in 1763 and
  died in 1778; Herman, born in 1765, died in 1770; William died in 1854, at the
  age of seventy-eight years; George; Tunis; Charles, born in 1783 and died in
  1863; Isaac; Catherine; Mary; and Betsey.
  
    George Gearhart, our subject's grandfather, was born in what is now Hunterdon
  County, N. J., and removed to Northumberland County with his parents. When
  George attained his majority, his father gave him a large tract of land, which
  was situated one mile south of the bridge that crosses the Susquehanna. He
  erected many buildings upon the land and successfully followed the occupation of
  a farmer all his life; he also purchased land at different times and at his
  death he was the owner of some 300 or 400 acres along the banks of the
  Susquehanna. His farm is now a portion of South Danville, and has been laid out
  in town lots. His wife was Achsah Runyon, who bore him four children, namely:
  Bonham R., our subject's father; Benjamin; Eliza; and Rebecca. Mr. Gearhart,
  upon the death of his first wife, married Phoebe Lott, and this union resulted
  in the birth of three children, as follows: Achsah; George; and Herman.
  
    Bonham R. Gearhart, Sr., father of our subject, was born in Rush township,
  Northumberland County, Pa., was educated in the district school, and, entering
  Jefferson Medical College was graduated before he attained his majority. He
  pursued his chosen profession at Sunbury, Washingtonville, later at Turbotville,
  and then moved to Danville, Montour County, Pa. He was considered one of the
  foremost physicians and surgeons of the county, and built up a large and
  lucrative practice. He passed from this life at the age of forty-two years, the
  cause of his death being an attack of pneumonia. He was wedded to Elizabeth
  Boyd, a daughter of William Boyd, and the following children blessed their happy
  home: Bonham R., Jr., our subject; Jasper B.; James B.; Alexander M.; and M.
  Grier. Our subject's mother still resides in Danville and has passed her
  eighty-fourth year.
  
    Our subject attended the public school, and during his boyhood days was a
  clerk in a store at Wrightsville, York County, Pa. After serving five years as
  clerk he learned telegraphy, in which he soon became quite proficient, and was
  employed as operator and agent at Catawissa, Pa., serving in that position until
  1865. In October, 1865, he became teller of the First National Bank of Danville,
  remaining in that position but a short time, when he was promoted to cashier.
  The bank is One of the most substantial financial institutions in this section
  of the state and was established January 25, 1864, when a charter was obtained
  from the Government by the first board of directors, who were as follows: Samuel
  Yorks; George F. Geisinger; C. Laubach; Charles Fenstermacher; William Yorks;
  Fred Piper; and G. H. Fowler. At their first meeting Samuel Yorks was chosen
  president and W. A. M. Grier cashier. The bank is located in what is known as
  the A. F. Russell store, on the corner of Mill and Bloom streets. The second
  floor is used as a dwelling and the first floor consists of the bank and
  offices, which are large and well furnished. The vault is quite safe against
  burglary, the sides being twenty-four inches in thickness; it is made of solid
  steel railroad rails bolted together, two inches of steel plate, and the inner
  space is filled in with cement and emery from top to bottom; the door weighs
  8,000 pounds, and has one of the best locks made, a Yale automatic time-lock.
  The present officers of this bank are: B. R. Gearhart, our subject, president;
  S. A. Yorks, cashier; and William L. McClure, assistant cashier.
  
     Mr. Gearhart was married in 1870 to Mary Louise Yorks, a daughter of Samuel
  and Mary Ann (West) Yorks, and this union was blessed by the birth of two
  children, namely: Anna M.; and Robert Y., a student. Anna M. is the wife of M.
  Grier Youngman, cashier of the Danville National Bank of Danville, who is a son
  of John C. Youngman, and they are the parents of two children, Mary Louise and
  John Bonham. Mr. Gearhart is a strong Republican in politics. He has served in
  the city council, as treasurer of the State Hospital of Danville; and treasurer
  of The Thomas Beaver Free Library. He is a trustee of the Grove Presbyterian
  Church and served as treasurer of the building committee when the church was
  erected. Socially he is a member of the Masonic fraternity and is a Knight
  Templar. In the Civil War he enlisted in Company D, under Col. Ramsey, in 1863,
  and served a full term of enlistment. Our subject owns a handsome home on Bloom
  street.
  
  
  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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