Biographical Information - Wilcox / Jones Township
A. A. CLEARWATER,
A.A. CLEARWATER, superintendent for the Wilcox Tanning
Company, was born in Ulster county, N.Y., March 21, 1846. His parents, Richard
and Rachel (Osterhout) Clearwater, were also natives of that county. His mother
was a sister of W.H. Osterhout of Ridgway; his father was a millwright by trade
and moved to Susquehanna county, Penn., in 1864, and for some years was a car
builder in the Susquehanna shops. He was a member of the Republican party, and
filled various township offices. He was a deacon and superintendent of the
Sunday- school in the Baptist Church for many years, and died in 1882. The
mother is still living and resides in Ulster county, N.Y. Their family consisted
of nine children, of whom six are living: D.J. (of Scranton, Penn.), A.A., W.W.
(of Wilcox, Penn.), Mary C. (wife of Lafayette Hines, of Wayne county, Penn.),
Ida E. (wife of B.E. Miles, of Susquehanna county, Penn.) and Leah F. (wife of
Elder Campbell, of Ridgway, Penn.). A.A. Clearwater was reared in Ulster county,
N.Y., and received an ordinary education. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, One
Hundred and Fifty- sixth New York Infantry, and was appointed sergeant of his
company. He was wounded at Port Hudson, June 14, 1862, and was honorably
discharged in 1863. He then attended the Harford University in Susquehanna
county, Penn., for one year, and then began to learn the tanner's trade with his
uncle, W.H. Osterhout, at Glenwood. He served an apprenticeship of four years,
and then took the superintendency of a tannery at Herrick Centre for four years,
after which, in connection with two partners, he purchased the Glenwood Tannery.
After conducting that two years he purchased the interest of one of his
partners, and two years later became sole owner of the same, which he conducted
for seven years. He then, in company with W.H. Osterhout, began operations at
Penfield, Clearfield Co., Penn., which he continued for one year. In 1883 he
came to Wilcox, and has since acted as superintendent of the Wilcox Tannery. In
1872 he married Miss Ella B., daughter of William D. Ketchum, of Herrick Centre.
They have three children living, Bertha, Libbie and William. One son, Allen B.,
died in 1886. Mr. Clearwater is a member of Capt. Lyon Post, No. 85, G.A.R., of
Susquehanna county, and the Nicholson Lodge, I.O.O.F. He is a Republican in
politics, and for six years has served as school director of Jones township. He
and his family attend the Presbyterian Church.
Source: Page(s) 745-759, History of Counties of McKean, Elk and
Forest, Pennsylvania. Chicago, J.H. Beers & Co., 1890.
Transcribed February 2007 by Nathan Zipfel for the Elk County Genealogy Project
Published 2007 by the Elk County Pennsylvania Genealogy Project