BIO: Joseph W. FOLMAR, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  JOSEPH W. FOLMAR, a skillful farmer, and the present efficient 
supervisor of Boggs township, Centre county, residing in Bald Eagle 
Valley, was born March 8, 1839, at Milesburg, Centre county, and within 
the borders of that county has always made his home.  His father, John 
Folmar, was a native of Prussia, and was a son of Joseph W. Folmar.  
The former was a soldier under Napoleon, and on coming to the New World 
located at Bellefonte, Penn., where he married Cresintha Windelin, who 
was born in Switzerland, and came to America with her parents, Joseph 
and Ocello Windelin, also natives of that country.  They located at 
Clearfield. Penn., where her mother's death occurred, but her father 
died in Centre county.
  John Folmar and his wife began their domestic life in Milesburg, 
where they remained until 1851; when they went to Clearfield county, 
Penn.  There both died, the father on June 20, 1888, at the age of 
seventy-eight years, and the mother on January 10, 1888, at the age of 
seventy-seven years.  Both held membership in the Catholic Church.  In 
early life the father followed the trade of blacksmithing, but later 
engaged in farming and lumbering.  In his family were the following 
children: Joseph W., subject of this sketch; Jacob and John Z. of 
Clearfield county; Andrew C., of Peale, Penn.; Francis, a farmer of 
Clearfield county; James, a carpenter and wheelwright of Peale City, 
Penn.; William, a farmer of Clearfield, Penn.; and Mary M., deceased 
wife of F. D. Volmont.
  At the age of four years, Mr. Folmar, the subject of this review, 
entered the schools of Milesburg, which he attended until he had 
attained his twelfth year, and then went to Clearfield county, where he 
was variously employed until 1861, mostly in the lumber woods.  He then 
became a member of Company C, 5th Pennsylvania Reserves, under Col. 
Simmons.  While cutting wood on duty at Camp Pierpont, through an 
accident of some kind he cut himself with an axe in the right foot, and 
later was wounded at Bethesda Church, Virginia, in the left hip.  He 
participated in many important engagements including the battles of 
Antietam and Gettysburg, also the seven-days' fight at Richmond, and in 
1864 was honorably discharged at Harrisburg.  On being mustered out, he 
engaged in lumbering for nine years, and then returned to the old home 
farm, which he operated until 1889, when he came to Centre county, and 
has since lived on his present farm.  He is a stalwart Democrat in 
politics, and in 1895 was elected on that ticket to the office of 
supervisor of Boggs township, which he is now so capably filling.  He 
holds membership in the Catholic Church, and with the Grand Army of the 
Republic.
  Mr. Folmar has been twice married, his first union being with Miss 
Catherine Piffer, whom he wedded in 1876, and to them were born two 
children: Mary C., deceased; and Catherine, deceased wife of John Hill.  
The mother of these died in October, 1882, at the age of thirty-seven 
years, and November 8, 1886, Mr. Folmar was united in marriage with 
Mrs. Mary A. Rolley, who was born in Paris, France, November 19, 1826, 
and is a daughter of Peter and Jeanne C.. (Henry) Fontenoy, who came 
from that country to the New World in 1824, locating at Frenchville, 
Clearfield Co., Penn., where the father died April 28, 1871, at the age 
of seventy-two years, and the mother on May 31, 1853, at the age of 
fifty-seven years.  In their family were three children: John, who died 
March 17, 1894; Mary A., wife of our subject; and Josephine, wife of 
Frank Jennie, of East Farmington, Wis.  The paternal grandparents of 
Mrs. Folmar were Peter and Jeanne C. Fontenoy, who never left France, 
their native land, while the maternal grandparents were Louis P. and 
Mary Henry, also natives of that country, where the last named died; 
the grandfather's death occurred at Frenchville, Pennsylvania.
  On April 21, 1845, John Bronel was married to Miss Mary A. Fontenoy, 
and to them were born children as follows: Frank, of Osceola, Penn.; 
Augusta, of Gettysburg; Leopold, of Plano, Ill.; Jennie, deceased wife 
of James Derr, of Bellefonte; Sidonie, who makes her home at Westfield, 
N.Y.; Pauline and Justin, at home; Mary, wife of P. Hayes, of Spangler, 
Cambria county; and Minnie, of Philadelphia.  Mr. and Mrs. Bronel 
removed to her present home in 1864, but six months later he was killed 
by a train at the Milesburg cross road in Bald Eagle Valley.  He had 
formerly resided at Frenchville, and was a lumber merchant by 
occupation.  In 1869, Mrs. Bronel married John Rolley, who died in 
1882, at the age of forty-six years.  He was a general farmer and 
lumberman. Two children

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  309

blessed their union: Flora, wife of Emil Lioret, of Michigan; and 
Odilla, wife of A. M. Mott, of Bellefonte, Penn.  Both Mr. and Mrs. 
Folmar are widely and favorably known, and have many friends throughout 
the community where they reside.