Montour County PA Archives Biographies.....GOESER, John H. 1852 - living in 1899
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  Author: Biographical Publishing Co.
  
  JOHN H. GOESER, of the firm of J. H. Goeser & Co., wholesale dealers in
  groceries, is one of the most highly-respected citizens of Danville, Pa., was
  born in Danville January 1, 1852, and is a son of Anthony and Catherine
  (Schumacher) Goeser, and a grandson of John Goeser, who was a farmer of Germany.
  
    Anthony Goeser, the father of our subject, was born on the river Rhine and was
  the first of the family to come to America. He was born and reared upon a farm,
  and, losing his father when a lad, in 1812 began working to assist his mother in
  supporting her large family. A short time later his mother was united in
  marriage, and our subject's father, at the age of nine years, was put out with
  other relatives to seek a living for himself. Attaining his manhood with a
  strong constitution and willing hands, he engaged in farming; he was a man of
  untiring energy and perseverance and by the exercise of economy, he succeeded in
  laying aside most of his earnings. His mother passed from this life at the age
  of fifty-eight years, and Anthony and his younger and only brother took
  possession of their father's farm and carried on general farming until 1843,
  when Anthony sold his interest in the farm to his brother. Leaving his home and
  sweetheart, Anthony departed from his native country, and on the ship
  "Manchester," sailed to the United States, landing in the city of New York. He
  took the steamer to Albany, N. Y., and went thence by railroad to Buffalo. Later
  he went west as far as Wisconsin, where he intended locating, but being very
  much disappointed with this country, he returned to his native land. Shortly
  after arriving in Prussia, he received a letter from a friend who resided in
  Danville, Pa., and in 1842 again sailed for the United States, then locating at
  Danville, where he was employed in the rolling mills as a rail straightener. He
  remained in this country some time and then returned to Prussia, where he was
  united in marriage with Catherine Schumacher, who lived in Muenstereifel Parish,
  on an estate called Hoespelt. Mr. Goeser made her acquaintance while working for
  her father and much against her parents' will they were married. With his bride
  he returned to the United States for the third time to build a home, and to
  accumulate a fortune. They built a home on York's Hill, Montour County, and in
  1857 erected a large house and kept boarders; the hotel was known as the "Father
  Ryne House;" in 1873, when the local option edict was passed against the usage
  of liquor, our subject's father abandoned the sale of liquor and only cider
  thereafter was sold, and the hotel was then known as the "Cider Depot." The
  latter part of Anthony's life was spent in retirement and enjoying the fruits of
  his labors. He entered the world of rest in 1880. One child was born to Mr. and
  Mrs. Goeser, John H., our subject. Mr. Goeser was a German Catholic, and in 1862
  founded St. Hubert's German Catholic Church and school.
  
    John H. Goeser was educated in the common schools of his native town, and his
  younger days were spent working with his father. His first business undertaking
  was in tobacco; purchasing a horse and wagon he engaged in the wholesale
  business, which was successful from the start, and in later years he engaged in
  the wholesale grocery business at Pottsville, Pa., with Joseph Hummell. Two
  years later he sold his interest, moved to Danville, and established his present
  business. He formed a company with Joseph Fish and Joseph Snyder, and they
  erected at No. 122 East Center street a large three-story brick block; they also
  built a large warehouse. Our subject also built a fine store at Mount Carmel,
  Pa., at a cost of $8,000. The proprietors are popular and highly esteemed
  citizens, who have a good reputation for honesty, and their establishment is one
  of the largest of its kind in Central Pennsylvania. Our subject was one of the
  promoters and served as president of the Equitable Stocking Company of Danville,
  now known as the Danville Knitting Mills Company, in which he owns an interest.
  He was instrumental in securing the silk mill.
  
    Mr. Goeser has served three terms as alderman from the Third Ward, and is
  president of the board of trade, of which he is in fact the life and backbone.
  In 1878 he formed a matrimonial alliance with Theresa Liebner, a daughter of
  Joseph Liebner of Pottsville, Pa., and to this union five children have been
  born: Coletta; Joseph; Carl; and Mary and Augusta, both of whom died in infancy.
  Mr. Goeser and family are members and regular supporters of the German Catholic
  Church of Danville. Our subject has enlarged and remodeled his father's
  homestead into a fine residence. He is a very energetic and successful business
  man, and holds a prominent position among his fellow-citizens. Mr. Goeser's
  portrait is shown on another page.
  
  
  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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