598
COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES
became the owner of a gristmil). In the lat ter years o f his life he moved to Virginia, where his death occurred. H e and his w ife were the parents of eight children. Geotge L . Reagan received a common school education, and as a young man c n g a g ^ in the lumber business with a brother, in Schuylkill county. Deciding upon a medical career, he disposed o f his business interests, and cntcrc<l the Vcnnont Medical College al Burlington. V t., from which he w as g rad uated. I)uring the following eighteen years he practiced his profession at Shcnandoali. Schuylkill county, and in 1878 came 10 Co lumbia county and settled at Berwick, where he was engaged in practice for more than thirty-two years. H e had been the first phy sician at Shenandoah, and continued to hold many o f his patients even after coming to Berwick, where he built up a large country practice. In connection with his practice he conductc<l drug stores at Shenandoah and Berwick. In his death, which occurred April 7, 1 9 1 1, Columbia county lost one o f its emi nent medical men, and a citizen who alw ays held the interests o f his community at heart. H e was an active member of the county and State medical societies; of Knapp Lodge. No. 462, F . & .A. M .. and of Berwick Lodge. No. 246, Odd Fellow s: and with his w ife attended the F irst Sfethodist E p i .s c ^ l Church. Politi cally the Doctor was a Republican, and he had been a member of the council for three terms, liaving the honor o f being chosen to the first council of the borougli. On .Aug. 7. 1 866, D r. Reagan w as married to T illie E . Dielrick. who was honi Ju ly 7. i8?9. at Benvick, Pa., daughter o f Jacob and Eliza (Sn yd er) Dictrick. natives of Little Y o rk . Pa., o f German descent. They came to Bervvick at a very early dale, M r. Dietfick establishing himself in business here as proprietor of the only shoe stand in Berwick for a number o f years. Both he and his w ife died here, the parents o f three children: Charles, a resident o f Ocean Grove. N. J .; M ary, the widow o f John L . Freas, living at B en vick : and Tillic I'.. There were several stc|)-brothcrs and step-sisters. M r. Dictrick having been nwrried three times. G E O R G E M IC H A E L BOWF.R. the old est living citizen o f Briarcreek township. Co lumbia county, was bom at F-vansvillc. that township. Dec. 20, 1822. son o f George Michael and M argaret (Zencr) Bower. John Bower, the grandfather o f G coigc Michael Bower, was born in Germany and
emigrated to America in young manhood, finally Jettling on a farm in Briarcreek town ship, where ne passed the remainder o f his life. H e and his w ife, who was a Hill, were members of the German Lutheran Church, and arc buried in Briarcreek township, at Uie old Brick Church. They were the parents of the following children: Jacob, who m a r r i^ Catherine Zimmerman; tolomon, who m ar ried M ary E v a n s; Abraham, who married Nellie R em ley; Daniel; Esther, who m arried Bastian K in tc r; Philipcna, who m a r r i^ David W hitm ire; and George .Michael George .Michael Bower, son o f John Bower, and father o f George Michael Bow er ( 2 ), was born on whal is now the lohn Fester farm, in Briarcreek township, Columbia Co., P,a. He received a public school education, and in young manhood learned the trade o f weaver, but subsequently turned his atten tion lo farm ing, owning a tract o f fifty-three acres which he devoted to general agriculture. There he raised his own flax, from which he wove carpets and linens. H e spent his en tire life at Evansville, and w as actively en gaged in work up to within seven years o f his death, which occurred when he was eightyone years old. During the early days, when Montour and Columbia counties were known as Columbia county, he w.is a frequent passencr on the old packet boat which plied to ‘anvillc. He was a Democrat in politics, and served on various occasions as jurym an at Danville. U p lo the age o f sixty years lie was a member of the German Lutheran Cliurch, at that time changing to the United Evangelical Church, in the faith o f which he died. H e and his w ife were buried at E van s ville, where they had been so long and so favorably known. M rs. Bow er bore the maiden name of M argaret Zcner. and w as a daughter o f Gcoige and .Annie (Zim m erm an) Zener. .She and her husband Itad the follow ing children: Sarah, who married WiUiam W hitm ire: Isaac, who niarricd Elizabeth Hagenbuch; Reuben, who married Sarah D iclterick: Samuel, who married Sarah W 'right; Daniel, who marricil M argaret ReniIcyand (second) M ary Rem ley; Hannah, who marric<l Henry M a n z; George M ichael; Cath erine. who married D iaries W hitm ire; Enos, who died at the age o f sixteen y e a rs; and Isaiah, who married Hannah Hagenbuch. George .Michael Bower, son o f George Michael Bower, received his education in the okl jiay schools o f Briarcreek township, and with the exception of one year worked with Ills father until the latter’s death. D uring that
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