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Below is a family biography included in the Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania published in 1904 by T. S. Benham & Company and The Lewis Publishing Company; Elwood Roberts, Editor.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JOSEPH BOSLER, a widely and favorably known resident of that section of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, immediately adjacent to the city of Philadelphia, has been during a long and active career prominently identified with various of the most important commercial and financial interests of that region. He has long been an influential leader in the Republican party, to which he has ever adhered, and is held in honor as a type of that excellent class of Americans who engage in politics as a duty incumbent upon the true citizen, and not for sake of personal aggrandizement.

He comes of a family which, as its name indicates, is of German origin. His great-grandfather, who was his immigrant ancestor, on coming to America landed in Philadelphia. His wife came with him, and their son Joseph was born after their arrival. Joseph Bosler in his young manhood located in the village of Shoemakertown (now Ogontz) and took employment as a teamster, hauling grain to the Cheltenham mills, and later delivering the flour therefrom. He eventually prospered and acquired property. He married Hannah McBride, of Paoli, Chester county, and they became the parents of two sons and three daughters: Joseph, who died June 23, 1828, at Columbia, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged as a contractor and bridge builder; Charles, mentioned at length hereinafter; and Ann, Emma, and Ellen. Hannah (McBride) Bosler, the mother of the above named children died January 16, 1831, and her remains were interred in the Friends’ burying ground on Chelten avenue in Cheltenham.

Charles Bosler, second of the sons of Joseph and Hannah (McBride) Bosler, was born August 27, 1810. He attended the neighborhood schools and received an education sufficient for all practical purposes. When he was sixteen years of age occurred the death of his father, whom he succeeded in the business of wagoning flour from the old Cheltenham flour mills at Shoemakertown to Philadelphia and grain on his return trip to the mills. He was eminently successful in this work, and in 1847 was able to purchase the Shoemakertown flour mills, formerly the property of Charles H. Shoemaker, and with the assistance of his sons he operated the same from that time until his death, a period of twenty-six years, and accumulated a considerable estate. He was highly esteemed in the community, and one of its most valuable members. A man of the greatest energy, industry and integrity, his business career was characterized by sound judgment and prompt decision, and he held his verbal obligations as binding as if based upon a bond, the forfeiture of which would bring ruin and dishonor. He was of lively and sanguine disposition, benevolent and kind-hearted, and charitable both in thought and deed. In politics he was a Whig until the formation of the Republican party in 1856, when he connected himself with that organization, of which he was thenceforward an earnest and active member, voting for its candidates as a matter of principle regardless of the results at the polls. He married Mary Watson, daughter of William and Hannah Gillingham, of Buckingham, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Their children were as follows: 1. William G., born December 2, 1840. Early in the Civil war period he enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Thirtieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, in which he served nine months, being wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. He re-enlisted in Captain Samuel W. Comly’s company of Cavalry. He was an active Republican, and took a prominent part in public affairs in Cheltenham township, where he was school director and auditor for some time. From 1871 to 1874 he served as transcribing clerk in the state senate. For a number of years he was in partnership with his father in the milling business, under the firm name of Charles Bosler & Son. After his death, which occurred March 19, 1871, and on January 1, 1872, his brother Joseph took his place in the firm, which was continued under the same name. 2. Joseph, who is further referred to hereinafter. 3. Charles, a twin brother of Joseph, who died in infancy. 4. Hannah, born January 22, 1848. Charles Bosler, father of the children above named, died August 11, 1873, and his remains were interred in the Friends’ burying ground at Abington, where those of his widow, who passed away January 3, 1899, were laid beside him.

Joseph Bosler, second child of Charles and Mary (Watson) Bosler, was born February 24, 1846. He acquired his literary education in the public schools of Cheltenham township, the Abington Friends’ School, and the Friends’ Central School in Philadelphia, located at Fifteenth and Race streets. He then completed a commercial course in the Philadelphia Business College, from which he was graduated in 1864, at the age of eighteen years. He shortly afterward engaged in a lumber and coal business at Shoemakertown, now Ogontz, which he successfully conducted until January 1, 1872. Since that date he has devoted his attention to the operation of the old Cheltenham flour mills, which was formerly conducted by his father and brother. Mr. Bosler was elected township auditor of Cheltenham in 1871, and has consecutively served as a member of the board up to the present time. He is also actively connected with various financial institutions, among them the Jenkintown National Bank, in which he is a director, the National Bank of Germantown, Philadelphia, and the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in which he is a member of the board of trustees. For many years he has been a member of the Commercial Exchange of Philadelphia, and he also holds membership in the Union League of that city. In his community he is a leader in every movement conducing to the public interest, and is known as a man of sound and stable judgment, a wise counselor, and a sympathetic and helpful neighbor. He has ever been a stanch advocate of Republican principles, and has taken a prominent part in every important political campaign since entering upon the duties and privileges of citizenship, but without thought of personal advancement, and he has never sought a public office. He has been a delegate to numerous county, congressional district and state conventions, and was either a delegate or an alternate in the national conventions of 1884, 1888, 1892, 1896, 1900, and was nominated in 1904 for presidential elector from his district. It is scarcely necessary to add that the calling of one individual to so many consecutive national bodies is a most unusual distinction, and emphasizes in the strongest possible way the worth and usefulness of him who is so honored.

Mr. Bosler was married, October 6, 1869, to Cynthia G. Comly, who was born October 8, 1844, a daughter of Watson and Mary (Lester) Comly, well known Friends of Byberry, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania. Born of this marriage were the following named children: Mary W., who is the wife of Walter S. Comly; Caroline C., who is the wife of Davis L. Lewis; Charles W., a civil engineer, residing at Altoona, Pennsylvania; and Lester C., who is a student in the University of Pennsylvania.

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This family biography is one of more than 1,000 biographies included in the Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania published in 1904 by T. S. Benham & Company and The Lewis Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

View additional Montgomery County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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