BIOGRAPHY: James Nicholas BLYMYER, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 469-470.

  JAMES NICHOLAS BLYMYER, deceased, was born at Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., 
April 4, 1847, son of George and Mary (Crull) Blymyer.  After receiving his 
primary education in the common schools of Lewistown, and taking an academic 
course at the academy of the same place, he finished his studies at Lititz, Pa.  
He was then employed by his father in his milling and other business interests 
at Lewistown.  For three years he conducted the bottling business in the 
interest of his mother-in-law, Mrs. Bossinger, and during the ensuing three 
years, was engaged in the hotel business at the Davids House in Lewistown.  He 
then again gave his attention to the affairs of his mother-in-law, until his 
health failed.  He died March 26, 1890.  Mr. Blymyer was a Republican, and, with 
his family, attended the Lutheran church.
  James N. Blymyer was married, March 22, 1878, to Frederica, daughter of John 
Henry and Frederica (Knoell) Bossinger.  The children of this marriage are:  
John Henry, born March 7, 1879;  Mary Margaret, born April 10, 1881, died 
September 2, 1889;  and George G., born December 15, 1883.
  John Henry Bossinger, father of Mrs. Blymer, was born about the year 1814, at 
Maggstadt, a small town in Wurtemburg, Germany.  He was the son of Frederick M. 
Bossinger, and one of a family of four daughters and two sons.  He passed his 
youth in the fatherland;  was there married to Frederica, only child of 
Bartholomew and Mary Margaret (Holzapfel) Knoell, and there all their children 
were born.  As a youth he had learned coopering, but not liking that trade, he 
afterwards learned brewing and distilling, in which he met with success.  At 
last, however, he determined to try the broader lands of the Western Continent, 
and emigrated to America, landing in New York, June 12, 1864.  For one year he 
resided in Philadelphia, and then settled in Juniata county, where he bought 
4,000 acres of timber land, and began the manufacture of cooperage stock and of 
barrels.  This enterprise proved a financial success.  In May, 1868, Mr. 
Bossinger removed with his family to Lewistown, where some time after he went 
into business as a brewer, having as his partner his eldest son, John Henry 
Bossinger, Jr.  In this business he continued during the rest of his life.  As 
may be inferred from this sketch of his life, Mr. Bossinger was an active, 
enterprising man of business;  another most important element of his success was 
his known integrity, his just and conscientious dealings with his fellow men.  
Before leaving his native land he had served in the town council of Maggstadt, 
and had been its treasurer for ten years.  His generosity and hospitality won 
for him the warm regard of every one with whom he came in contact.  He was a 
sincere Christian, and always ready to contribute liberally to the work of the 
church.  Mr. Bossinger has considerable musical talent, the cultivation of which 
is not neglected in the excellent schools of Germany.  He was for twenty years a 
member of the choir in the church of his youth at Maggstadt.
  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Bossinger are:  John Henry, who married Mary 
Frash, and has eight children;  Christoph Andrew, married Matilda Kauffman, who 
died leaving five children, and he afterwards married Barbara Harshberger, by 
whom he has four children;  Frederica Muhr, married Martha Heineman, has five 
children;  Catherine Agnes (Mrs. August Miller), has eight children;  Louis H., 
married Elizabeth Fall, has four children;  Gottlieb, died when he was two years 
old;  Frederica (Mrs. Blymyer);  Mary E. (Mrs. Philip R. Young), has four 
children;  and Sophia Margaret (Mrs. Abraham Kitting), has four children.  The 
excellent father died October 14, 1879;  his wife, now over seventy-six years of 
age, still survives him.
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TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:   One of the children listed as a son of Mr. & Mrs. 
Bossinger in the last paragraph is "Frederica Muhr Bossinger" who married Martha 
Heineman.  I believe that his name is a typo and should read "Frederick Muhr 
Bossinger".  He is listed as Frederick in all the censuses and one of his 
sisters is named Frederica.