James Holgate

James Holgate, deceased, was born at Philadelphia, Pa., July 26, 1804, where his parents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Sheets) Holgate, then resided. His grandfather came from England and carried on a fulling mill, which the son, Jacob, converted into a paper mill and finally into a cotton factory. His mother, Elizabeth, was born in Pennsylvania, of German parents. In 1820 James Holgate moved to Luzerne county, Pa., learned milling there, but turned his attention to woolen manufacture, and in 1829 established a store at Kingston. In April, 1827, he married Miss Sylvina Trux, of Troy, Luzerne county, Pa. In 1833 he sold his woolen mill and store, came to this county, and purchasing a claim of eighty acres, settled three miles northeast of Wyoming, in Penn township, and there resided until 1875, when he moved into the town. For eight years he was county judge; for sixteen years, assessor of Penn township; served as justice of the peace, member of the legislature, and in other offices of trust. He voted for Jackson, in 1828, and continued Democratic to his death. Of his twelve children, ten are living. Jacob and Erastus are in Oregon; Maria married John Snare, of Penn township; Elizabeth married William P. Buswell, of Neponset; Charles is in Washington territory; Mary Ann married Calvin Hart, of Nebraska; Harriet is the wife of E. Gharrett, of Montana; James is a physician at Castleton; William resides at Wyoming, and Reuben at Osceola. The mother of this family died in November, 1872, and the father has only just crossed the river which old time bridges.