BIOGRAPHY: Jonathan CUSTER, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 394
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Jonathan CUSTER

JONATHAN CUSTER, one of the prominent citizens of Vinco, Jackson township, is a 
son of Frederick and Sophia (Fisher) Custer, and was born in Somerset county, 
Pennsylvania, near Scalp Level, September 11, 1838.
     Frederick Custer was born in Maryland and moved with his family to Somerset 
county Pennsylvania, when Jonathan was about fifteen years of age, and came to 
this county in 1833, locating in Richland township, where he resided up to his 
death, in 1881, aged eighty years. He was a member of the Evangelical church, 
and followed farming, having cleared up a fine tract of land. He was highly 
esteemed for his qualities as a Christian gentleman and a citizen.
     Grandfather, John Custer, was a native of Maryland, but removed to Somerset 
county, Pennsylvania. He was a shoemaker and also a farmer by occupation. He 
resided in Somerset county until his death. Great-grandfather Custer was a 
native of Holland. The mother of Jonathan Custer was a native of Somerset  
county, and was greatly revered for her many virtues. She was born in Somerset 
county, and died in 1875, aged sixty-nine years. She was a member of the 
Evangelical church.
     Martin Fisher, father of Mrs. Custer, and grandfather of Jonathan, was a 
native of Germany, and came to the United States when a young man. Soon after 
his arrival he married and located in Somerset county, where he resided until 
his death at an advanced age. Like most of the early settlers in that county he 
followed agricultural pursuits.
     Jonathan Custer, the subject of this sketch, was reared principally in 
Richland township, Cambria county, and his educational training was received in 
the common schools. He learned the trade of a blacksmith, and followed that 
calling in Richland until the spring of 1858, when he located at Vinco, 
continuing the business of blacksmithing until 1883, when he retired. He owns a 
farm in Jackson township.
     Mr. Custer was married in 1852 to Miss Frances, daughter of Samuel Ream, of 
Conemaugh township. They have two sons and three daughters living: Emanuel; 
Frederick; Elizabeth, married to Jacob H. Stiffler, a farmer of Jackson 
township; Sophia, married to William Davis, of Conemaugh; Annie, married to 
Samuel Sinsibaugh, of Conemaugh. Mr. Custer has been actively interested in 
public affairs, and has filled nearly all the elective offices in his township.