History of Clearfield, (Northampton County) Pennsylvania United States of America

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Biographies:

William Bigler, governor of Pennsylvania, was born at Shermansburg, Pa., in December, 1814. He was a brother of John Bigler, governor of California, and at the age of fifteen entered his brother's printings-office, at Bellefonte, Pa. After remaining there for four years he established a paper of his own, the Clearfield Democrat, which he began in the smallest possible way, but which developed into an influential journal, and made his name well known. He disposed of the paper in 1836, and five years later was elected state senator, holding his seat until his election as governor of Pennsylvania in 1851. He was elected to the U.S. senate in 1855, and was a member of the Democratic national conventions of 1860, 1864 and 1868. He introduced a bill in the 37th Congress; and advocated it before the senate, providing that the Crittenden compromise be submitted to popular vote in the several states. He was a member of the state constitutional convention of 1873 and a member of the board of finance of the Centennial exposition, 1876. He held other important public offices, and died at Clearfield, Pa., Aug. 9, 1880.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Edward Scofield, governor of Wisconsin, was born at Clearfield, Pa., March 28, 1842. He attended the district school, worked in printing offices, 1855?61; enlisted as a private in the 11th Pennsylvania regiment in 1861, and rose to the rank of major. He was captured by the Confederate army in May, 1864, and was a prisoner until March, 1865, and on reaching Washington he was honorably discharged and returned to his home in Pennsylvania. He was a railroad surveyor, 1865?68; foreman of a lumber mill at Oconto, Wis., 1868?76, and in 1876 became a lumber manufacturer in that place. He was a Republican member of the state senate, 1887 and 1889; was elected governor in 1896 and re-elected in 1898 over Hiram W. Sawyer, Democrat, by 37,802 plurality his term expiring January, 1900.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor