My Genealogy Hound

JAMES POTTER COBORN, the eldest child of Dr. Charles and Margaret (Huston) Coborn, was born July 11, 1831, at Aaronsburg. After leaving the common schools of his native town he spent three years in school at Owego, N. Y., two years in the Harrisburg Academy, and then entered the “Old Tennent School” in Bucks county to prepare for Yale College. Soon afterward both his father and mother became invalids, and he gave up his plan of finishing at Yale to care for them in their declining years. For seven years he engaged in the mercantile business at Aaronsburg. at the same time reading law in the office of Hon. A. G. Curtin and Edmund Blanchard, Esq., at Bellefonte, and in 1860 was admitted to the Centre county Bar. He is a man of excellent business qualities, enterprising and progressive, and has been instrumental in promoting important business ventures, probably the chief of which is the construction of the Lewisburg and Tyrone railroad, of which he is a director. He also long served as a director of the First National Bank of Bellefonte, and on July 1, 1896, was elected its president, which position he still holds. This is one of the oldest, most reliable and successful banking institutions of central Pennsylvania. Colonel Coborn, as he is familiarly known, gained his title through serving on General George Buchanan’s staff, and also through being a member of Governor Curtin’s staff with the same rank.

On Oct. 17, 1860, Col. Coborn was married to Miss Jane E. Huston, oldest daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hammond) Huston. They live in a beautiful home in Bellefonte, and are among that city’s most highly esteemed and generous hearted people.

From this brief sketch it may be seen how one of Cumberland county’s old and honorable families has contributed to the substantial citizenship of other sections. Going hence more than a hundred years ago, James Huston settled in a new land, built a home and gave to the world a family who honored him and the section in which they lived. They took up life’s duties, and guided by the principles inherited from their forefathers, in their turn, wrought conscientiously and successfully and honorably. Cumberland county feels a filial interest and pride in such descendants, and with pleasure dedicates to them a place in its history.