Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 518] the leading miller of Neshannock township, and one of the county's best citizens, was born in Franklin township, in the neighboring county of Beaver, Nov. 25, 1846, and is a son of John and Margaret (Burton) Gearing.
John Gearing was of German descent and birth and came to the United States with his parents when he was about five years of age; the family made their home in Beaver County, where John, after obtaining a good American district school education, engaged in farming which occupation he assiduously followed all of his life in Franklin township, Beaver county, and was known as a wide-awake, industrious agriculturist who by unremitting efforts has secured to himself a nice farm and many home comforts, which go so far toward making the rough paths of life smooth. In his political belief, he ever adhered to the Jeffersonian principles of the old-line Democratic party. He gathered about his fireside six children, who were: Sophia, who married Jacob Young of Beaver County, and has these children—Katie, Elizabeth, Emma, Molly, Charles, Frank, John, and Amanda; Elizabeth, who married Jacob Brenner, and has this family—Jacob, Henry, Daniel, John, Frank, Matilda, Agnes, deceased, and Annie; Mary, who married Nicholas Workley, a native of Germany, but now a resident of the State of Pennsylvania, to whom she bore Phoebe, Charles, Louise, John, Edward, and Lizzie—after Mr. Workley's death, she married as her second husband Henry Noggle of Lancaster, Pa.; Katie, the fourth child of our subject's parents, married Peter Brua, who was born in Germany, and now lives in Perry township, Lawrence County, and they have two children, Charles and John; William, our subject; Charles, who married Caroline Bentrum of Butler Co., Pa., and has five children—Edward, Matilda, Harry, Fred, and John. The family are Presbyterian in religious belief. Mrs. Gearing died Nov. 5, 1894, but she is still survived by her husband, who was born in 1810.
Our subject adopted the calling of a farmer when a young man, and ever since he finished his schooling in his native town, he has been engaged in farming in Lawrence County, Washington township, until 1894, when he bought a one-half interest in the grist-mill, formerly owned by the Jordan heirs, the other half-interest being in the hands of the trustees of Wilmington College. Mr. Gearing has found this new enterprise very successful, and a good payer of profits. He also owns a silica rock quarry, which he leases to Winfield S. Moore; this rock is used in the lining of the furnaces that are employed in the manufacture of steel. His political views and tendencies are those of the Democratic, party, with whom he enthusiastically sides. He has held the office of school director six years in Washington township.
His first wife, whom he married in 1868, was Amelia, Albarn of Franklin township, Beaver Co., Pa., daughter of Justus Albarn of the same township, and by this union he was made the father of three children, as follows: Margaret C., who married A. E. Dicks of Washington township and has Ida and Effie; John C., who married Lilie Anderson of Wilmington township, Lawrence Co., Pa., and has one son, William A.; and Justus, deceased. Mrs. Gearing died on May 24, 1891, and after the customary period had elapsed he married Maggie Richael, daughter of Henry Richael of Scott township, Lawrence County, and by this second union he had one child, Mary Hazel, who died Sept. 21, 1897. The family are faithful attendants and willing workers of the Presbyterian Church.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 12 Jul 2001