George R. Deems, p. 1188

GEORGE R. DEEMS, a successful farmer of West Pike Run township, is a native of the same, born October 3, 1841, on the old homestead. The father, John Deems, was also a native of the county, and here learned the carpenter and wagon-making trades. When a young man he was married to Mary Reynolds, a native of Fayette county, Penn., who bore him nine children, namely: Mary, wife of Lewis Duvall, a farmer of Hopewell township, Washington Co., Penn.; Martha, widow of Nickson Ailes, a resident of California, Penn.; Sarah J., widow of S. W. Rogers, of Beallsville, Penn.; George R., whose name opens this sketch; Margaret E., wife of Robert Elwood, a resident of Beallsville; Cornelia, married to John D. Springle, a boat builder of Brownsville, Penn.; Frank, living in Ottumwa, Iowa; Elizabeth and Jacob R., both deceased. The father died soon after the birth of his youngest child; his widow is now living, at the age of seventy-seven years, with her daughter, Mrs. Rogers, in the village of Beallsville.

George R. Deems was reared in the West Pike run township, where he received a common-school education, and when seventeen years old learned the cabinet-maker's trade. In 1861 he enlisted in Company I, Eighth P. V. I., and participated in the Seven Days' Fight, the second battle of Bull Run, Fredericksburg, the Wilderness, and numerous other engagements. He served until the close of the war, then returning to Washington county followed his trade about five years in West Brownsville. On November 25, 1869, he was united in marriage with Emma E. Rogers, who was born December 12, 1846, in Washington county, Penn., a daughter of Samuel and Sarah F. (Crawford) Rogers, natives of Maryland, and the parents of children, as follows: Priscilla, wife of Adah Crouch, a farmer of West Pike Run township; Joseph H, a farmer of Beallsville, Washington county; Sarah F., married to Smith F. Scott; Emma E., wife of George Deems; Mary A., deceased; and four who died in infancy. The father of this family was a public- spirited citizen, and a successful agriculturist. He died in 1890 having been preceded to the grave by his wife in 1882. Both were members of the M. E. Church, and in politics he was a Republican.

After their marriage George R. and Emma E. (Rogers) Deems located on the pleasant farm in West Pike Run township which is now their home. It contains seventy-three acres of valuable, well cultivated land, to which Mr. Deems devotes the greater portion of his time. He is identified with the Republican party in politics, and is deeply interested in all public matters. Mr. and Mrs. Deems are members of the Beallsville M. E. Church.

Text taken from page 1188 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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