Sullivan County PA Archives Biographies.....Gainer, James S. 1856 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 31, 2008, 9:43 pm Author: Thomas J. Ingham (1899) JAMES S. GAINER. - Among the family names that will ever be remembered in connection with the pioneer history of Cherry township, Sullivan county, that of the prosperous and successful farmer, whose name stands at the head of this sketch, shines clear and prominent. Mr. Gainer is of the third generation of a sturdy Irish family, which in the early years of the present century left their native land, and in a new country laid the foundations for a new fortune. The grandfather who thus severed his home ties to endure the trials and hardships of a journey to a distant and unknown land was James Gainer. With his young wife, who had been Bridget Finan, and with his small children he, in 1832, bade adieu to his friends in county Longford, Ireland, and took passage for the long ocean voyage. Upon his arrival in America he lived for a time in Philadelphia and in New York, then removed to Bradford county, Pennsylvania, whence he came to Cherry township, Sullivan county, arriving March 25, 1841, and taking up his abode upon a small and wild tract of sixty-one acres, which is now a portion of the beautiful farm owned by his grandson and namesake, the subject of this sketch. A small clearing was made, upon which the primitive log cabin was built, that for many years remained the homely but endeared family shrine of the emigrants. Honest toil gradually cleared the acres, crops brought return, and the little farm began to expand by the purchase of adjacent tracts. Thomas Gainer, his son, and the father of our subject, was born in Ireland, August 1, 1831, and was only one year of age when brought by his parents to America. He was ten years old when the future home in Sullivan county was founded - old enough to vividly recall in his later years the scenes of desolation that environed the pioneer cabin. He was old enough, too, to realize in a great measure the great labor that must be performed to reduce those monarchs of the forest and bring to a state of prolific cultivation those broad acres. Perhaps he discerned with prophetic vision the rewards that were to come to him in after years, but at any rate he was manfully ready to assist with his young strength in the work of subduing wild and cheerless nature. When he grew to manhood Thomas Gainer chose for his helpmate Margaret Cullen. He had met her in Cherry township and they were married in January, 1856. Like her husband, she was a native of Ireland, the daughter of Daniel and Mary (Murphy) Cullen, who had emigrated to America and settled in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where they remained lifelong residents. Seven children were born to Thomas and Margaret Gainer, of whom but two survived - James S., the oldest and the subject of this sketch, and Kate, who is the wife of Thomas Doyle, a farmer of Cherry township. Two children died in infancy; Peter and Mary D. died in childhood, and Maggie at the age of twenty-nine years. Thomas Gainer remained through life a farmer of Cherry township. He was eminently successful, possessing one of those rare judgments, combined with industry, which made the acquisition and accumulation of property easy. In politics he was a Democrat, and he and his family were devout members of the Catholic church. His useful and successful career was closed by death July 30, 1898. His wife had many years preceded him to the grave, passing away September 8, 1886, at the age of twenty-nine years. Both parents were buried in St. Basil's cemetery. James S. Gainer, our subject, was born on the farm he now owns and occupies on December 26, 1856. There he was reared, and obtained such education as was afforded by the time and place of his youth. He adopted the vocation, so successfully followed by his father, and devoted himself with diligence and liking to the independent pursuits of farming.His marriage to Miss Bridget Farley was celebrated at Dushore April 18, 1891. She was born in county Cavan, Ireland, February 1, 1866, daughter of Cornelius and Margaret (Burns) Farley, and granddaughter of Michael and Ann Farley and of Edward and Bridget Burns. All her grandparents died in Ireland. There, too, her father now resides, an active old gentleman of ninety years, yet engaged in farming. The mother of Mrs. Gainer died April 23, 1891, aged forty-five years. The family of Cornelius and Margaret Farley consisted of the following children: Michael, a farmer in Ireland; Ann and Edward, both living in Ireland; John, a farmer of Wilmot, Pennsylvania; Bridget, wife of our subject; Patrick, a farmer of Wilmot, Pennsylvania; Mary, residing in Ireland; James, a merchant in Ireland; Margaret, deceased; and Thomas, residing in Ireland. Bridget was seventeen years of age when, in 1883, accompanied by her younger brother Patrick, she migrated to America, arriving July 18th of that year. For four weeks she remained in Philadelphia, then removed to Wilmot, Pennsylvania. Her future husband she first met at a picnic at Overton, Pennsylvania. Mutual regard followed and a happy marriage. Mr. Gainer has been a life-long resident of his present home. He is a prominent member of the Catholic church, and in politics he is a Democrat. He has inherited the excellent business talent of his father and has established for himself the reputation of being not only a prosperous and successful farmer, but a man of affairs, whose opinions and judgments are prized, and whose acts are naturally those of a leader among men. His farm now consists on one hundred and fifty-three acres, of which one hundred and five acres were purchased, and the remainder inherited from his father. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History of Sullivan County Pennsylvania by Thomas J. Ingham Compendium of Biography The Lewis Publishing Company Chicago: 1899 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 6.4 Kb