Hon. John Philip Gephart and May M. Swartz

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Husband Hon. John Philip Gephart ¹

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           Born: 9 Jan 1827 - Bellefonte, Centre Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: Michael Gephart (1803-1873) 2
         Mother: Elizabeth Emmert (1803-1852) 2

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       Marriage: 1 Aug 1847 3

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   Other Spouse: Sarah E. Corshells (      -      ) 3

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Wife May M. Swartz ³

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            AKA: Mary M. Swartz,4 Molly Swartz 5
           Born: 18 Sep 1829 - Millheim, Centre Co, PA 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 14 Dec 1874 - Bellefonte, Centre Co, PA 3
         Buried: 

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         Father: George Swartz (Abt 1798-1874) 6
         Mother: Unknown (      -      )

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Children

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1 F Sarah E. Gephart ³

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           Born: 14 Jun 1851 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: L. T. Munson (      -      ) 3

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2 M J. Wesley Gephart ⁷

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           Born: 25 May 1853 - Millheim, Centre Co, PA 8
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Ella Hayes (      -      ) 4
           Marr: Oct 1879 4

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3 F May Gephart ³

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           Born: 21 Nov 1856 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: J. W. Dix (      -      ) 3

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General Notes: Husband - Hon. John Philip Gephart

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The subscription schools of Millheim, Centre County, Pennsylvania, furnished him an elementary education, to which observation and private study added largely. From the age of fourteen until he was thirty-one he worked on the home farm, and then for seven years he was engaged in mercantile business at Millheim. His popularity had in the meantime led to his entrance into the political arena, and in 1863 he was elected clerk and register and recorder of the Orphans' Court. After serving two terms he entered the law office of Orvis & Alexander as clerk, and remained there until his election, May 30, 1870, to the office of justice of the peace for the South and West wards of Bellefonte. In 1875 he was re-elected on the Democratic ticket, this time for the North ward, with a majority of forty-eight, overcoming the usual Republican majority of ninety. In 1878 he became chairman of the Democratic County Committee, and in the same year he was elected to the State Legislature, his re-election in 1880 showing the people's appreciation of his efforts. While in that body he held positions on several important committees, including those on Appropriations and Schools, and he was active in securing the defeat of the Pillsbury Bill.

He owned the old family farm in Penn township, Centre County, comprising about 400 acres. As administrator he was under heavy bonds for the settlement of the estate, but he and his brother never divided it, sharing its proceeds in peace.

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General Notes: Wife - May M. Swartz

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"She was a quiet, unpretentious, good woman, with a heart overflowing with kindness and sympathy toward every one, and with a hand always ready to assist and comfort in every time of distress. As a neighbor none could be better, and the families who lived near her all bear testimony to the exceeding loveliness of her character. Her nature was all womanly, tender, charitable, forbearing and sympathetic. She won the love and the esteem of all with whom she was thrown in contact. It was her own family, however, where her worth was best known and appreciated, and there will her loss be most grievously felt. It was her hand that managed, her eye that saw, her heart that felt for each member of that little circle. The father, the son and the daughter all drew their comfort from her. For them the fires were bright, the room cheerful, the table invitingly spread. For them there was peace and quietness and domesticity in every department, and no happier family ever assembled around the hearthstone. She was the wife and mother in the fullest sense of those significant and tender words, and in her intercourse with her family she was careful to order her walk and conversation in accordance with the injunction of the law of her God and Master. She had been a member of the M. E. Church from her childhood."

1 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 125, 538.

2 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 125, 539.

3 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 539.

4 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 459.

5 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 541.

6 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 459, 541.

7 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 458, 539.

8 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 458.