BIO: Amos BONSALL, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 511 & 512.
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  AMOS BONSALL, a retired farmer, residing in Brady township, Clearfield county, 
Pa., on his valuable farm of 161 acres, near Troutville, is one of the most 
venerable residents of this section and one of the most highly esteemed.  He has 
spent almost his entire life in Brady township but was born in Perry county, 
Pa., August 31, 1822, and was brought here when two years, two months and 
sixteen days old.  His parents were Benjamin and Maria (Fowler) Bonsall.
  Benjamin Bonsall was a tanner in his early manhood, in Perry county, where he 
also cleared up considerable land and engaged in farming.  In 1824 he brought 
his family to Clearfield county and bought a farm in Brady township, near 
Luthersburg, where he spent the remainder of his life.  Benjamin Bonsall and his 
wife and youngest son Reuben died within six weeks.  They were the parents of 
eleven children, as follows:  Rebecca, John, Jackson, Sarah, Amos, Jane, Emily, 
Joseph, Anna Maria, Reuben and Louisa, the last named being the wife of Adam 
Foust of DuBois.  She and her brother Amos are the only survivors of this large 
family.
  Amos Bonsall had but meager school advantages in his youth.  The family was a 
growing one and there was a great deal of necessary work to be done on the farm 
and very early Mr. Bonsall and his older brothers, John and Jackson, were able 
to be of great assistance to their father.  Farming in the summer time and 
lumbering in the winter seasons in large degree filled up the measure of Mr. 
Bonsall's time prior to his marriage, after which he left the homestead and 
bought a farm of fifty-two acres at Coal Hill.  After clearing one-half of that 
land he sold it and bought the farm on which he stills resides, it having 
previously been the property of his father-in-law, Jacob Kuntz.  Mr. Bonsall 
paid $1,500 for the 161 acres, which was then underlaid with coal which he 
subsequently sold for $87.50 per acre.  He also realized a large sum from the 
sale of timber.  In 1857 he built his comfortable farm-house.  Recently he has 
disposed of his interests to his son Jackson Bonsall, with whom he now resides.
  On January 25, 1849, Mr. Bonsall was married to Miss Cahterine Kuntz, who was 
born in Germany and came to America with her parents in childhood.  She lived to 
be eighty years of age.  Mr. and Mrs. Bonsall had ten children:  three died in 
infancy; the others were:  Jacob L., Susanna (deceased), Sarah (deceased); Mary, 
wife of Jonas Peifer; Vina, wife of George H. Weber, and Jackson.  Mr. Bonsall 
has a number of grandchildren and even great-grandchildren and takes much 
pleasure in viewing such a vigorous lot of descendants.
  For many years Mr. Bonsall has not taken much interest in public matters 
although he never fails to cast his vote for the candidates of the Democratic 
party.  In earlier years, however, he was considered one of the reliable men 
when it came to appointments to office and it is related that in 1848, against 
his own wishes, he was made constable of Brady township and while serving in 
that capacity it became his duty to take Lorrin Solliman to Clearfield, on a 
charge of murder.  It created a great excitement, as that was the first murder 
case ever tried in the county.  Mr. Bonsall is a valued member of the Lutheran 
church.