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William Bigler; Pennsylvania 1852-1854
After John became owner of the Centre Democrat, he brought his younger brother, William, into the business. Here he graduated from the printing press, "the poor boy's college." Starting at 14, he remained with the Democrat from 1830 to 1833. He was a Jacksonian Democrat and although only 16, some of the early political fervor of the town influenced him and he served as the leader of the local Andrew Jackson Fourth of July celebration of 1832.
With Andrew G. Curtin's advice and $20 borrowed from friends, for the purchase of a worn out press and type he moved into Clearfield. Within a few days he set up the Clearfleld Democrat, devoted to promoting Jackson. He wrote the editorials, set the type, worked the press and dispatched the paper. The newspaper never made much money so he turned his eyes towards politics -- and, incidently, to MariaJ. Reed, the daughter of Alexander B. Reed, a lumberman of Clearfield. She married the young publisher in 1836.
He sold his paper, joined his father-in-law in business and by 1850 was the largest producer of lumber on the West Branch of the Susquehanna river. One of his favorite sports was riding the lumber rafts on the Susquehanna from Clearfield to Harrisburg. The press dubbed him the "Clearfield Raftsman."
Through his participation in politics with the paper, his popularity as a sportsman and his knowledge of business, he was elected a State Senator from 1841 to 1844, as Speaker in 1844. By 1851 he was in the race for governor and he went to Harrisburg in 1852-- the same year his brother, John, became governor of California.
He was opposed to the chartering of "Wildcat banks," the passage of the "omnibus" bills, advocated free public schools and was a developer of Pennsylvania's railroad system. He became a United States Senator in 1855 and also president of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad in that year. In October of 1973 he was elected to the Pennsylvania Newspaper Hall of Fame.
His home, now the Clearfield Court House Annex, was placed on the Pennsylvania Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks in 1972.
William Bigler obituary
Democratic Watchman, August 13, 1880, page 8
DEATH OF GOV. BIGLER
"Hon. Wm. Bigler, ex-governor of Pennsylvania, died at his home in Clearfield, Clearfield county, on Monday last, aged about 67 years. He had been ill for a long time, and death, instead of being unwelcome, was a relief to him.
Mr. Bigler was elected governor in October, 1851, and took his seat on the 20th of January, 1852. His competitor at the election was Governor William F. Johnston, the Whig nominee. At the next election Gov. Bigler was again the candidate of the Democracy, but was beaten by the Know-Nothing candidate, Hon. James Pollock. This was in October, 1854. One of the largest political meetings ever held in Bellefonte was on the occasion of Mr. Bigler's candidacy the first time. He was himself present and made a speech. At that time he was familiarly called "Bill Bigler, the raftsman of Clearfield," and the chorus of one of the popular songs of that day read:
"Bill Bigler, the raftsman of Clearfield, Will carry us gallantly through."
And he did. Had it not been for the Know-Nothing craze in 1854, he would have been elected the second time, but that year "Sam," as the Know-Nothing party was mysteriously called, upset the calculations of everybody. During the administration of President Buchanan, Gov. Bigler was a senator of the United States, in which capacity he served for six years, and was recognized by all parties as one of the most sensible men in the senate. He was an able debater and a man of the strictest integrity of character. During the whole of his public life, no charge of dishonesty or of personal or political meanness was ever brought against him.
Gov. Bigler was a printer by trade and learned the mysteries of the art preservative with his brother John Bigler, afterwards governor of California, in Bellefonte, John at that time being editor and proprietor of the Centre Democrat, and being afterwards succeeded by S. T. Shugert. In 1884 Mr. Bigler went to Clearfield and in company with the now Judge Barrett opened a law office and established a newspaper in that town. There he has ever since resided, and his death will be deeply mourned by the citizens of the place as well as widely regretted throughout the whole state and country. Ho was a man of the most generous disposition, eminently hospitable, and one of the most unpretentious of human beings. In short be was that noblest work of God - an honest man.
The funeral took place on Wednesday from his home in Clearfield, and was attended by a very large concourse of people. The banks, stores and business places of the town were all closed, and hundreds from the adjoining country and towns joined in a last sad tribute to one whose memory will long, remain green in the hearts of the people of the state.
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