Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-02-19
j OBITUARY..
EX-GOVERNOR JOHN W. GEARY
His Sudden ndeath--sketches OF Ills sIilitar r,
and Civil Career. taftri -
HARRlsnuau, reb. .S..-The eitt WAS

morning BY tho announcement that
ex.6ov John W. Geary had died while
at tho breakfast table in bis private
residence. Yesterday afternoon at 4
O'Clock the deceased returned from
New York, where he had been for
several days attending to business =
In tho evening number Of visitors
called and remained in pleasant con
vcrsation for sevcrcal hours, and after
they departed tho deceased and Mrs.
Geary retiredSths familyrall retiring
also for the night. Nothing unusal
was noticed in the appearance or bear
ing of tho ex-governor. He was in
fine spirits, converscd freely with his
visitors, and when he laid his head
upon his pillow was in comparatively
us good health as he ever was in his
life. At the usual hour the family
rose. Governor Geary was in the par
lor with the children, reading the
morning papers, and in pleasant con-
versation with the whole family, until
breakfast was announced. At the
breakfast table tho Governor occupied
one end and Mrs. Geaiy the other end
of the table, the children being ranged
on both sides, While Mrs Geary was
engaged in helping the children near.
est herself the Governor occupied
himself in doing the same with
lhosc near him, and just as he was in
the act of handing some butter to one
of them his head fell heavily on his
bosom, which Mrs. Geary Immediately
noticed and rose TO assist him, one of
the elder children starting for q ply
sician living next door. In the mean
time the servants came 10 the assis-
tance, and when the doctor arrived
which was not more than thico min
utcs from the time OF the attack, The
pulse Of the man had ceased 10 beat,
and life WIS extinct lie uttered but
one deep and heavy sigh after bis
head fell upon his bosom, and died
without acute pain.
In u very short time the news of
this sad event spread TO all parts of
tho city, and soon the streets were
filed with anxious inquircrs, seeking
either for denial or corroboration of
the bewildering announcement. The
corroboration speedily came in the
tolling of the bells OF tho city, the fir
ing of signal guns from the Arsenal,
and black strcamcr floating from the
flag staff on the domc OF the Capitol.
Mrs. II. w. Lamberton was the
first of the neighbors to go to the as
distance OF the bercaved family, and
when she entered tho dining room
she discovered the PROSTATE form of
tho Governor on tho floor, he having
fallen from his chair, and Mrs. Gcary
giving orders with great presence Of
mind and coolucss to panc-stickcn
servants and the older children, She
refused to have tho corps taken up
stairs and directed it's removal to the
parlor, for the reason that the cx.Goy-
crnor was large in form, and there.
fore t0o heavy to be carried to tho
second floor. Olhcr'neigbbors enter
cd and bore the lifeless form to the
parlor. Mrs Geary soon after broke
down with the load Of hor aflliction,
and was taken to her chamber,
PARESTAGE AND EARLY LIFE
John White Geary, the youngest Of
four sons, was born near Mt Pleas
ant, Westmorland county, Pennsyl-
vana, on the Both OF December, 1919,
having at the time of his death entor
ed on the oftn yoar % nis ago MS
father, Richard Gcary, was native Of
Franklin county, Pa, man ofliberal
education, refined iastes, and moral
cxoclIonce. Margaret White, his moth !
er, was native of Washington county,
Maryland, and like his father, was of
Scotch Irish ancestry, Richard Gcary
removed soon after his marriage TO
Western Pennsylvania, where hc be-
came pioneer in the industry ofiron
manufacture. But this pursuit was
evcn more prccarious then than now,
and Richard Geary not only failed
in business, and lost the whole Of his
original Investment, but found him
sell also under pecuniary obligations
which be wa- unable TO discharge. =
He lheroupon rcsortcd To teaching as
a means Of support, opened u select
schoolin Weslmoreland county, and
died insolvcnt, leaving his family
without provision for maintenance
and education
| For years the home Of the Gearys
was humble log 'housc near Mount
Pleasant, Westmorelund county where
four children, all sons, were born
Tho frat and third died young the
second is tho Rev. Edward r. Geary,
q Presbyterian clergyman, who has
been 'laboring for nearly twenty years
in Oregon; and tho yonngest was the
late ex- Governor Of Pennsyivsnis.--
AfteY the uanal nraliminarx nourse. l.