John Banks and Katharine Keiser

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Husband John Banks ^{1 2 3}

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           Born: 13 May 1793 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 3 Apr 1864 2
         Buried: 

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         Father: Andrew Banks (1767-1855) 3 4 5
         Mother: Elizabeth Lintner (1766-1848) 3 4 5

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       Marriage: 

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Wife Katharine Keiser ²

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1888
         Buried: 

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - John Banks

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His earliest years were spent at work on the farm, but inclining to study, he attended a classical school taught by Rev. John Hutcheson, in Mifflin, Pennsylvania. He walked three miles every day to recite, and made rapid progress in his studies. He was an accomplished scholar in Latin, Greek and German. He pursued his course in law at Lewistown, and after being admitted to the bar he married and located in the town of Mercer (1819). He was very successful in his profession, and grew rapidly in the esteem and confidence of the people. He was chosen to represent his district in Congress, (1830) was twice elected his own successor, and was the youngest member of the Congress of Clay and Webster. After serving eleven years he resigned and accepted a presiding judgeship from Governor Ritner, for the counties of Northampton, Lehigh and Berks, which office he filled with distinction eleven years, after which he resigned, and was nominated for Governor on the Whig ticket in 1841. The State at that time being largely Democratic, he was defeated, although his personal strength reduced the state majority. Subsequently he was elected state treasurer, after which he gave exclusive attention to the practice of law, and was engaged in very many heavy lawsuits, involving the highest legal ability in the state. After his appointment to the judiciary, he removed from Mercer to Reading, where he resided until the date of his death.
John Banks was a man of many valuable traits. He was intellectually very strong, refined in his manners and upright in his habits. He was distinguished for his integrity and high sense of honor, and in executive and legal ability ranked among the first men of the state, while socially, he commanded the respect of all who knew him.
His widow continued to live in Reading, spending the evening of life in the quietude of her own pleasant home, enjoying the constant presence and affection of a dutiful daughter and son, all that remained of a family of ten children.

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General Notes: Wife - Katharine Keiser

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from Lewistown, Mifflin Co, PA

1 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 257.

2 —, History of the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys (Philadelphia, PA: Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886), Pg 828.

3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., A History of the Juniata Valley and Its People (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1913), Pg 1197.

4 —, History of the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys (Philadelphia, PA: Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886), Pg 827.

5 Addams S. McAllister, The Descendants of John Thomson, Pioneer Scotch Covenanter (Easton, PA: The Chemical Publishing Company, 1917), Pg 107.