NameMary Ann METTLER 653,1233
Birth Date10 Apr 1756
Birth PlaceAlexandria, Hunterdon, New Jersey
Birth Date8 Feb 1756
Birth PlaceAlexandria, Hunterdon, New Jersey
Death Date4 Aug 1827 Age: 71
Death PlacePike Township, Clearfield Co., PA, USA
Birth Date8 Feb 1756
Birth PlaceAlexandria, Hunterdon, New Jersey, United States
Death Date4 Aug 1827 Age: 71
Death PlacePike Township, Clearfield Co., PA, USA
Burial PlaceCurwensville, Clearfield Co., PA, USA
Birth Date10 Apr 1754694,4738
Birth PlaceAlexandria Township, Hunterdon Co., NJ, USA
Death Date4 Aug 1827694 Age: 71
Death PlacePike Township, Clearfield Co., PA, USA
Burial PlaceMcClure Cemetery, Curwensville, Clearfield Co., PA, USA798,694
FatherJohann Philip Mettler (1724-1783)
MotherAnn APGAR (~1724-1763)
Misc. Notes
11 children 12 children
Spouses
Birth Date25 Feb 1752
Birth PlaceGermany
Death Date4 May 1828 Age: 76
Death PlacePike Township, Clearfield Co., PA, USA
Burial PlaceCurwensville, Clearfield Co., PA, USA
Residence Date1790
Residence PlaceMifflin, Pennsylvania, United States
Residence Date1800
Residence PlacePotters, Centre, Pennsylvania
Residence Date1820
Residence PlacePike Township, Clearfield Co., PA, USA
Residence Date1810
Residence PlaceClearfield, Pennsylvania, United States
Residence Date1780
Residence PlaceHunterdon County, New Jersey, United States
Birth Date26 Feb 1752130,694,4741
Birth PlaceNeuwied, Rhine Valley, Wurttemberg, GERMANY
Death Date4 May 1828175 Age: 76
Death PlacePike Township, Clearfield Co., PA, USA
Burial PlaceMcClure Cemetery, Curwensville, Clearfield Co., PA, USA798
OccupationFarmer
FatherJohann Peter BLUM (1732-1814)
MotherEva Ann WAGNER (1733-1796)
Misc. Notes
“William Bloom” Americanized.3

Very likely named after his dead grandfather.4742
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Bloom Name, Meaning and History
Americanized spelling of Blum.
Americanized spelling of Dutch Bloem.
Swedish: variant of Blom.

English: metonymic occupational name for an iron worker, from Middle English blome ‘ingot (of iron)’. The modern English word bloom ‘flower’ came into English from Old Norse in the 13th century, but probably did not give rise to any surnames.4743
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With the dawn of the nineteenth century, an ever increasing tide of emigration set in towards the land formerly of the "Chingleclamouche Savages." William Bloom, the elder, a man of German descent, whose ancestors at an early [d]ay settled in New Jersey and who had emigrated to Penns Valley, Centre County, settled near the old "Red House," on the bottom above Anderson's Creek in the year 1801.4744
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The Bloom family is one of the most numerous in Clearfield County, and is largely connected with many other families by marriage. It is claimed by observers that there are but few natives of Clearfield County who are not related to the Blooms, McCracken's, or Straws, and they were largely interrelated by marriages. The Bloom’s have mostly been an industrious people, having assisted very materially in the development of the resources of the County.

The early members of the family were large, strong muscularly built men and well adapted to withstand the hardships attenuated by pioneering and lumbering. They were among the very earliest of the white settlers who came into what is now Clearfield County. The progenitor of the Bloom family in Clearfield County was Wilhelm/William Bloom, Sr.
4189
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When William was born fragmentary data that's available suggest that life expectancy was around 35-40 years.  The figures however are skewed down by dreadful infant mortality rates, and early childhood deaths.

http://www.deathreference.com/Ke-Ma/Life-Expectancy.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_the_average_life_expectancy_in_1700%27s
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The Bloom (Blum) family immigrated to Hunterdon Co, NJ in 1752. After the Revolutionary war, many persons 'Went West'. William Bloom, and associated families, were no exception. First going to Centre Co, Pa. then to Clearfield Co, Pa.

Many of the family members did not leave, but stayed in the Hunterdon County area. Over the years, there has been a lot of interaction, marriages/migrations, back and forth. You cannot draw a line between the PA families and the NJ families. Their records are intertwined. Persons wishing a more in depth reference to the NJ records may wish to review the 5 Vol. set of material by the Apgar Family Association at http://www.apgarfamily.org4745
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The Bloom family now numerous in Northumberland and Clearfield counties, Pa., is descended from two brothers who came into Pennsylvania from New Jersey.4746
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In 1786 William came to Centre county, an ox team drawing the palace they rode in. In 1798 he came with his sons to what is now Clearfield county, but which then formed a part of Lycoming county. They settled on what is known as the Col. E. A. Irwin farm. Here the elder William Bloom, assisted by the older sons of the family, cleared up a large farm. When the farm was under a good state of cultivation the title was found defective and others took possession. Wm. Bloom, Sr., then moved, in his old age, to the Bloomington highland, and lived the remainder of his life where C. J. Bloom
now lives.2309
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In the archives of [the State of New Jersey] are recorded the names of five Bloom brothers who served in Baxter's Brigade of New Jersey volunteers. One was killed in action.‡ After the war one remained in New Jersey, the other three coming to Pennsylvania. Of these, Stephen Bloom, the ancestor of Urias Bloom, of Sunbury, settled in the Shamokin Hills, in Northumberland county; William, the ancestor of Isaac Bloom and of Ames Bloom [sic, probably Amos], also of Sunbury, took up a large tract of land in Clearfield county; the third settled in a valley near Bellefont, in Center [sic] county, where a large number of his descendants have since lived.

From the Philadelphia North American of 18 August 1909, as being of interest in this connection:

The Bloom reunion was held at the 'Peewee's Nest', on the bank of the Susquehanna river, near Curwensville, Pa. The Bloom clan is one of the largest in Clearfield county. They are descendants of William Bloom, a native of New Jersey, and a Revolutionary war veteran, who came to Clearfield county with his wife in 1796. They came up the West branch of the Susquehanna river in a canoe and settled on the spot where the family reunion was held.

The ancestor Bloom and his helpmate had eleven children, seven sons, four daughters, and from them are descended the many hundred of Blooms of Clearfield and surrounding counties. The eighth generation of the family participated in the reunion in 1909.

The Blooms have figured extensively in the affairs of Clearfield county since its organization. They are a hearty and tall people, noted for longevity and multiplicity. Ross Bloom, of near Curwensville, who was eighty-eight years old, attended the gathering of the family.

Benjamin Bloom, who attended the reunion is seventy-seven years old and the father of thirteen children, eleven of whom are living. He has so many grandchildren that he fears missing some shoud he endeavor to count them, scores of great-grandchildren and seven great-great grandchildren.' '

The Blooms are members of the Democratic party. During the Civil war the family sent many of its sons to do battle for their country.756
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William Bloom was born in Germany, and came to this country during the latter part of the last century, He first located in New Jersey, but soon came to Centre county, and in the part thereof known as Penn’s Valley. In the year 1803 he moved with his family to this county, and located in what is now Pike township, about three-fourths of a mile above the mouth of Anderson’s Creek. Here he and his sons cleared one hundred acres of land…. The Blooms have been the most prolific of any of the families in the county, and among them have been numbered some of the foremost men of the county; and although they have never sought social or political preferment, there has been hardly a year during the last three-quarters of a century that some member or descendant of that original stock has not been prominently before the public, either in county or township affairs. 4747
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William immigrated to the United States as a seven-month old infant 15 Sep 1752 with his father settling in Hunterdon Co., NJ.

The Blooms, as a class, are worthy citizens; almost all farmers, and are the largest or one of the largest families in Clearfield county. William Bloom, Sr., was born in Germany, and emigrated to this country at an uncertain time, reaching Clearfield county in 1801. Previous to this he had been in the State of New Jersey, also in Penn's Valley, Centre county, Pennsylvania. During the Revolutionary War he served for some time in the ranks, but we have no means of ascertaining the length of time.

The pioneer Bloom came to Clearfield county alone, and settled on what is now known as the "Irvin farm," one mile up the river from Curwensville. Here he proceeded to make a clearing and succeeded in getting out a five-acre field of wheat and a few turnips, preparatory to bringing his family to the scene of operations. Little did he imagine that the name he was then striving so hard to maintain was destined to become the most common one in a rich and populous county of 60,000 inhabitants. In all eleven children were born of this union-seven boys, and four girls ...”

The Blooms have been the most prolific of any of the families in the county, and among them have been numbered some of the foremost men of the county; and although they have never sought social or political preferment, there has been hardly a year during the last three-quarters of a century that some member or descendant of that original stock has not been prominently before the public, either in county or township affairs.4748
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During the Revolutionary War he served for six years mostly in General Waggner’s Brigade from New Jersey.

William and his family left New Jersey about 1785 for Potter Township., Cumberland Co. (now Centre Co.), PA where he is listed on the assessor’s list in 1801.4749
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Was one of the first settlers of Clearfield county, coming from Centre county as early as 1802. He served in the Revolutionary War for a term of six years, under Washington, and was engaged in several of the battles. In the year 1810, a small mill was erected which was known as Maxwell’s the first in the county that ground wheat and bolted flour. The Indians were quite numerous at that time, but they were very friendly, often rendering assistance to the settlers. Mr. Bloom’s grandfather [sic] built the first cabin at the mouth of Anderson creek. There was a settlement, prior to that time, about three miles up the river, among whom were the McCrackens, McClures, Ogdens, Bells, Halls, &c.1486
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William Lived in Penn’s Valley, Centre County, PA. before moving to Clearfield County in 1803 at age 51. There are now literally thousands of people with roots in Clearfield County who can trace their lineage back to him.

By 1887 the Blooms were almost all farmers and were the largest family in Clearfield County. Pike Township was the stronghold of the family where probably two-thirds of them were then located.

A story often handed down by tradition and often told by his grandson James Ross Caldwell is; “When William Bloom was called to the military service, two men came to notify him. While he was getting his things together to go with them, his wife cast bullets for his muzzle loading gun and after he left, she went to the field to continue the plowing with an oxen team.”4750

[See more on this story below at “[Another] statement runs something like this.”]
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Many years ago [as of 1904], there was a reunion of the "Blooms and their connections," at which Hon. John Patton [1823-1897] stated that there were then more than three thousand descendants of William Bloom living within the borders of the County [Clearfield].1015
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Residence: 1783 Old Fort, Potter Twp, Cumberland, PA
Residence: 1798 Clearfield Co., PA

The Family Bible and Clearfield Co. PA Records listed William’s place of birth as Rheinpflaz, Germany.

John Peter Blom and John Peter Blom (son). Name on tax list of Potter Township., Centre Co. 1801

Served six years in Revolutionary War under General George Washington. Mostly in General Wagner’s (of New Jersey) brigade. Wounded on cheek by British bullet, served with Robert Askey.* ‡

Served as bodyguard to General Washington. Came to U.S.A. in 1752 aboard the ship “Two Brothers,” settled in Hunterdon NJ. Ship sailed from Rotterdam 1785 to Potter Twp.. Centre Co. (Then known as Cumberland Co.) PA, Penns Valley.

Moved to Clearfield County 1801.

German Reformed Church was driven out of Europe by French Devastation from the seven year war and related conflicts. (ref. Book by Chambers, Early Germans of New Jersey) was brought to America when he was 7 months old. Confirmed 19, May 1771 German Reformed Church of Alexandria.

Fought at the Revolutionary Battle of Monmouth.† Moved from Penns Valley, settled on bottom land above Anderson Creek, in 1801. (Clearfield Co., PA) Came with 4 sons and 1 daughter in fall returned to Penns for the rest of his family.

He was probably born in a region of Dierdorff in Rhine Valley, Wittenburg,[sic] Germany. (Source: Parish Registry of the German Reformed Church, Alexandria, "The Jersyman" June 1897, page 46.)

William Bloom and his wife were born in New Jersey, and on coming to Pennsylvania located at the old fort in Centre County, whence they afterward removed to Pike township, Clearfield county, residing near the mouth of the river in 1801. Mr. Bloom developed a farm, and largely aided in opening up this region to civilization. In his family were seven sons.4751
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In 1783, he resided in Old Fort, Potter Twp., Cumberland, Pa., which is now Centre County, Pa. In 1798 he went to Clearfield Co.

William Bloom, a native of Germany came to the New World in Colonial days, and located in New Jersey, where he entered the Continental army, and for six years served under Gen. Washington, not laying down his arms until independence had been achieved.

Prior to 1783 by ox-teams, he and his family migrated to Centre county, Penn., but in 1798 came to Clearfield county, where they made a permanent settlement.

At that time some of his family were grown and married, but all located on or near the west branch of the Susquehanna river, in what is now Pike township, though the county had not yet been organized. The country was on vast wilderness, where many wild beast and savages roamed at will, and it required courage and strength of will to establish a home here; but this Mr. Bloom possessed to a remarkable degree. Upon the farm which he established he spent his remaining days. In his family were eleven children.4752
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William Bloom, who came to America during Colonial days and located in New Jersey. For six years he valiantly served under General Washington in the Revolutionary war, and on the close of the struggle returned to his New Jersey home, where he resided until 1795, when he moved with an ox-team to Centre County, Penn. In 1802, however, he came to Clearfield county, where he organized Pike township, and there reared his family of seven sons and three daughters, from whom are descended all bearing the name of Bloom in this section of the State.52
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William Bloom, Sr., came first with Paul Clover or soon after and settled on a joining tract of land about three-fourths of a mile above the mouth of Anderson Creek (along the river now Bailor farm). He brought some of their older children to build a cabin and clear some land in preparation for the coming of the remainder of the family from Potter Township, Centre County in 1801.

He had no title to the land where he settled had not peaceable possession 21 years and was obliged to move off. A law suit developed and a compromise was made under which he acquired a new location near Bloomington (named for him) where he died 1828. His wife died in 1827.

Due to a misunderstanding of where William Bloom was to settle, he settled a mile above the mouth of Anderson Creek instead of a mile belowΩΩ, which was the cause of the trouble about his settlement.710
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William Bloom, Sr., arrived with his family [in Clearfield County in 1802].1372
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William Bloom, brother of Stephen, took up a large tract of land in Clearfield County, Pa., at what is known as the “Peewee’s Nest.” He was born in New Jersey in 1752, and lived to the age of 104 years [sic]; he is buried at Curwensville, Clearfield county.

He followed farming on land which he himself cleared, and where he erected a log house and barn. His wife, like himself a native of New Jersey, also attained an advanced age, living to be ninety-eight [sic]. They were the parents of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters: Abraham, James, Isaac, John, William, Benjamin, Pete, Mary (married Matthew Caldwell) and three daughters whose names are not recalled.2303
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The Blooms as a class have been and are worthy citizens, almost all farmers and lumbermen, and are by very great odds the largest family in Clearfield county. Wm. Bloom, Sr., was born in Germany and emigrated to this country at an uncertain period. He arrived in this township of rather what was afterwards Pike township in 1801.

Previous to this he had been in the State of New Jersey, also in Penn’s Valley, Centre county. For a time he served as a soldier in the revolutionary war. He
was born Feb. 26, 1752, and married Mary Metler on April 2, 1778. She was born April 10, 1754.

The pioneer Bloom came here alone and settled up the river about one mile from Curwensville. Here, he proceeded to make a clearing and succeeded in
getting out a five acre field of wheat and a few turnips preparatory to bringing his family to the scene of operations.

Little, we presume, did he imagine, when working on alone clearing and grubbing in order to plant a few acres, that his family was destined to become the most numerous one in a rich and populous county of nearly 80,000 inhabitants. In all eleven children were born of this union, seven boys and four girls. They all grew to manhood and womanhood, married and in most cases had large families....

This does not include those who died before coming to maturity, but only those who grew up to manhood and womanhood, and were married. It will thus be seen that the original Bloom had 119 grand children who married. The present generation is the sixth from Wm. Bloom, Sr. A conservative estimate of the number of Bloom’s and their descendants made by one of the family, place the number at 2,000.

Pike township is the stronghold of the Bloom’s. There are 50 names of Bloom’s on the register of voters for that township. Many of the name also reside in Knox, Bloom, Bell, Ferguson and Lawrence townships, and Curwensville borough.

The name Bloom is synonymous with the Democratic party. An extended inquiry, on the part of the writer has determined the fact that, so far as known, the Bloom’s are Democrats, with only one or two exceptions. In religious matters, the old stock were Presbyterians, but now, the Methodists, the Baptists, the Lutherans and perhaps other denominations have representatives in the family.

The Bloom’s have always taken an active part in politics and many of them have been called upon to fill important county and township offices. It is but seldom, that so many members of a connection are owners of homes, and free from debt. The merits and unexampled strength of the family, in numbers fully entitles them to first rank in the families of Clearfield county.4753
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Wm. Bloom, Sr. had 64 grandsons and 55 granddaughters, who all grew to manhood and womanhood, and married, it will be apparent to all that the tracing of 119 separate and distinct families is no easy task. There has been no family in the county that has attained to anything like the prominence of the Blooms. Indeed, it is an open question whether if in the entire State of Pennsylvania, can be found so numerous a family. [in 1897].2290
_________________________________________________________________

THE WINTER OF 1801-1802

William Bloom, who was also a Revolutionary soldier, came to the mouth of Anderson Creek and built a cabin on what is now the Irvin Farm near Curwensville, presumably in the spring of 1801.

He brought with him his sons John and Benjamin and his daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth was about 16 and Benjamin 9 or 10, therefore as Elizabeth was born in 1784 and Benjamin on the last day of the year 1790, they must have come in 1801. Paul Clover who is said to have been an uncle of the Bloom children, was the only neighbor, living about three-fourths of a mile away at the mouth of the creek.

That summer after the cabin was built, without any door except a blanket hung up to keep the wind out, (in style again because there were no sawmills yet to make boards for a door) the Blooms cleared a little patch of ground and sowed turnips which did well, so they at least had plenty of turnips for winter, if not much else. Then Mr. Bloom went back to Nittany in the fall to bring over the rest of the family, leaving the children to keep the cabin until he should come back. But for some reason, he did not get back until spring and the children were left to shift for themselves. John though fourteen, liked to live with the Indians and hunt, and did not bother at all about Elizabeth and Benjamin.

How Betsy and Ben Kept the Cabin all Winter Long [sic]. There were two Clover boys, Paul and Seth, who were about Ben's age, and they and Ben spent a good deal of time wrestling. But Ben could always throw the Clover boys, which they, boy like, somewhat resented. Anyway they thought they would have some fun with Ben, and so told him that an old Indian, whose tribe was camped where the P. R. R. station now stands in Curwensville, was going to kill him and Betsy.

Now these Indians were perfectly friendly, and before going away, Mr. Bloom had asked the old Indian to go over sometimes and see how the children were getting along, and the Indian had promised to do so. But Ben believed the story the boys told him. So he hunted up his father's old Revolutionary musket and some powder, but could find no bullets, so he cut up a pewter spoon for bullets and loaded it up. Then Ben posted himself in the cabin behind the blanket to wait for the old Indian, and sure enough . the Indian, thinking he had better go over as he had promised, went up the path to the door.

When Ben saw the old Indian's outline through the blanket toward the light, he pulled the trigger of the old musket expecting to shoot him, but the gun, being a flint lock, and likely not in the best of order and probably not properly "primed", did not go off. However Ben made considerable noise in the act of trying to fire it, and too, the Indian could see enough around the blanket to know what was going on inside and so started to run. Now Ben was so bent upon getting away with the Indian that he did not intend that he should escape so easily. He had a bull dog in the cabin with him and immediately hissed him on the Indian, but the dog did not catch up until the old fellow was near the camp and the other Indians drove the dog off with clubs.

After a while the old Indian went over and complained to Paul Clover, and asked him what Ben meant by trying to shoot him when he went over to see how the children were getting along, as he had promised their father to do. Mr. Clover didn't understand it, but agreed to go and see Ben about it.

Ben, who told the story to his grandson afterwards, said he noticed that his uncle whom he considered a rather stern man, seemed to be in an unusually good humor when he came over that day. He said to Ben "I understand you tried to shoot the old Indian?" "Yes", Ben said. "The old fellow was planning to kill me and Betsy, so thought I would shoot him, but the gun wouldn't go off." "Who told you the Indian was going to kill you?" Clover asked. "Why your boys, Paul and Seth," said Ben. "Well," said Clover, "let me see the gun, maybe I can fix it so it will go off next time." Ben handed over the gun thinking nothing of it.

Now Clover was lame and walked with a cane and as he took the gun from Ben and set it aside, he collared him and gave him a most thorough flogging with the cane. "You little fool" he said, "didn't you know that if you were to kill the old Indian, the other Indians would come over and kill us all?" But Ben smarting under his flogging was angry and resentful, and putting a turnip in his pocket, slipped off through the woods and started for Nittany where his father and mother were.

After a while Elizabeth found he had disappeared and went and told her uncle that Ben had run off. So they got on the horses and started after him, but did not catch up to him until they were nearly to Philipsburg. Then they pretended they were going to Nittany too, and Clover induced Ben to get on the horse with him. When he was once on, and within Clover's hold, they turned around and went back to Anderson Creek, and by that time Ben's temper having cooled off, he was agreed to stay.

However, the Clover boys were not satisfied to let Beta alone but put up Catfish, an Indian boy who lived at the Indian camp, to banter him for a "wrastle." Now Ben knew that Catfish was hot-tempered, and suspected that he would get "mad" if Ben threw him. So he refused. However, being "egged on" by the Clover boys, Catfish still persisted in wanting to "wrastle", and finally Ben told him he would, if Catfish would promise not to get angry if Ben threw him. Oh, he was perfectly ready to promise to keep in a good humor no matter who got the best of the "wrestling match." So Ben agreed to wrestle, and, quick as a flash threw Catfish, who lit on his head and got up in a terrible rage, flying into Ben and ' biting his shoulder until Ben had to choke him to make him let loose.

Soon after this, Ben was across the river helping the Clover boys to haul in "corn - tops", when Ben who had a pitchfork and was loading the "tops" on the sled, saw Catfish coming plauting right through the river, and decided that he was coming after Ben. So when Catfish got pretty close, he jumped off the sled and made for Catfish. This was too much for the Indian boy, and he turned and ran with Ben close behind him and had nothing to do but plunge into the river and run for his own side, making the water fly at every jump!

Soon after this, Catfish's father, thinking it better to avoid trouble with the white boy, took his boy away and left him with another party of Indians at some distance.

As winter came on, it became harder and harder for Ben and Betsy to get along by themselves. They had only a crude fireplace over which to cook their meals and by which to keep warm. It took a lot of wood, for much of the heat went up the chimney and most of the remainder escaped out through the crevices between the logs of the cabin. They had all their wood to gather out of the surrounding forest and then cut up so it could be burned in the fire place.

Four feet of snow fell and everything was eaten up but the turnips. So it was turnips for breakfast, dinner and supper until they decided they could stand it no longer, and finally succeeded in making a path through the deep snow three quarters of a mile to Paul Clover's to try to get something else to eat. Now Clover's were not very flush of eatables, but gave the Bloom children a hunk of corn bread, all they had, to take home. This they are said to have relished wonderfully, and they made it last them two weeks. So by one means and another, these children made out to help themselves and to get along until spring when their father brought over the other members of the family.4754

[See more on this story below beginning with “In the fall of 1801 ...”]
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William Bloom is listed among the earliest settlers of Clearfield County, PA. His descendants, who were mostly farmers, are the largest or among one of the largest families in Clearfield county.

William made a clearing along the Susquehanna in 1801 on the land now called the Irvin Farm. It was a small tract of land near the present borough of Curwensville, in Pike township, which is now called Peewees Nest.

A few years before 1911 Colonel E. A. Irvin of Curwensville had the site of this settlement marked by a sign bearing a suitable inscription. Owing to some misunderstanding about the ownership of this land, William who was a man of peace waived his claim and moved to the Col. Irvin farm, on the west branch of the Susquehannah River, which by 1911 was owned and occupied by his great grandson, C. Judson Bloom.

By that time some of his children were married, and they established their own homes on or near the river, although a large part of the country was nothing but a wilderness, with Indians numerous and hostile. There were no roads, the county not yet having been organized, and such conditions prevailed that only men and women of courage and endurance could have been content to make so wild a region their home. William Bloom and wife had eleven children born to them.

[Bloom] township was named in honor of one of its pioneer families, and the descendants of William Bloom are now scattered by hundreds all over the county and in various states.4755
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There is a strong family tradition that William served in the Revoltionary War. This statement appears several times in local Histories of Clearfield County, PA. One statement is that he and Robert Askey* fought side by side, mostly in Gen. Wagner’s Brigade. Another that he was one of Washington’s body guards.

Physically he could qualify for this. He was a large and powerful man and wore a full beard of dark color. A spot on one cheek was white where a British bullet had made a slight wound. The fact of his foreign birth may have been set aside since he was only a few months old when brought to America.

In 1904 Clearfield County celebrated it’s centennial. A number of things pertaining to the early history of Clearfield County were on exhibit. It is said that among them was a paper showing the discharge of William Bloom from the Revolutionary Army. Efforts to locate this discharge have been unsuccessful.742
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[Another] statement runs something like this: "One day when he was plowing, two men from the army came to where he was at work and told him the British soldiers were near and that his services were needed. He said, "I will go. We will first go to the house and get something to eat. He put his team in the barn, went with the men to the house and told his wife what was expected of him. She said, "How will I manage while you are away?" His reply was for her to get a neighbor to look after things during his absence.

William was a large man and wore a full beard of dark color. A spot on one cheek was white where it was alleged to have been grazed by a British bullet during his military service.

After the war, William returned to Hunterdon County, NJ where he remained until 1785. In that year, he and his family migrated by ox-team first to Penn's Valley in Mifflin (now Centre) County Pennsylvania, where he settled in Potter Township. He is listed in that county in the 1790 and 1800 U.S. census,§ and on Potter Township tax list in 1792. The 1790 census shows a family of one male over sixteen, four males under sixteen and three females - this is probably William, Maria [sic] and their first six children.

Around 1800, or perhaps a year of two earlier, he moved to join a former neighbor from Hunterdon County, NJ, Paul Clover, who had moved to Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, around 1797 and where Paul was the first settler; Clover was married to Nancy Mettler, William's sister-in-law.

There William settled on a tract along the Susquehanna about three-quarters of a mile from the mouth of the Anderson Creek near the "Old Red House" on what was called, in 1949, the Bailor Farm. He brought five of his older children - four of his sons and his daughter Elizabeth - with him to build a cabin and clear some land in preparation for the coming of the remainder of the family from Potter Township in the Spring of 1802. They planted corn, potatoes and turnips and erected but did not finish a small house; the door was made from bearskin.

In the fall of 1801, William returned to Penn's Valley vith his sons Isaac and William to fetch the rest of the family. That left Elizabeth (age seventeen), John (age fifteen), and Benjamin (age eleven) to take care of the homestead until he returned. For some reason that is now unclear, he was prevented from returning until the spring, leaving his three children to fend for themselves during an unusually bitter winter. John was fond of adventure, and spent most of his time hunting with the Indians. However, by February, their stock of provisions was almost depleted. For two weeks during which John was hunting, the other two children were without bread and survived by eating turnips "raw, cooked and roasted."

When John returned, Elizabeth instructed him to go over the mountain to a mill to get some ground corn. He started off, but on the way met up again with his Indian friends and, not realizing the danger of starvation that his siblings faced, proceeded to join them on yet another hunting expedition. During his protracted absence, the snow fell to a depth greater than four feet and Elizabeth and Benjamin "were reduced to the greatest straits for the want of food." As a result, Elizabeth, "being a girl of determined character and indomitable energy", decided that they should shovel a path to their uncle Paul Clover's house. While it was only a distance of three-fourths of a mile between the two houses, it took them two days to reach the Clover's place.

Although the Clover family was not in much better shape, he gave the Bloom children all of the bread there was in the house at the time, which was an Indian cake "not much larger than a four-penny load." They returned home with it, and made it last almost two weeks, at which time John returned with fresh game. They passed the rest of the winter like this in the half-completed house. [See more about this story above at “The Winter of 1801-1802”]

When William and the rest of the family returned, it became apparent that he had no clear title to the land upon which he had settled and was ordered to move off it. A law suit developed, and a compromise eventually reached under which he moved to a new area in Pike Township, south of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, latter called Bloomington in his honor.

He is listed with his son William Jr. in the December 1806 list of taxable of Chinklacamoose Township (encompassing all of Clearfield County at the time), and in the first assessment of Pike Township in 1814.

William died on Sunday, 4 May 1828, in Pike Township. He was buried next to his wife. His tombstone reads:

Wm BLOOM Sen
Died
May 4 1828
Aged
76 years 2 mo
and 8 ds4756

See also4757
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William Sr., and Jr. as well as Isaac are all listed as among the earliest settlers of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania and “here before December 1806, when the first tax assessment was made.”1005
_________________________________________________________________

Western Pa Genealogical Society Quarterly, May 1982 vol.8, #4 p. 197
"William Bloom-Pioneer Of Clearfield Co.” by Ken McFarland.

The tendency to be profilic did not die with William & Mary. All their children carried on that trait, as well. (Mary Bloom Caldwell had 21 children!) Bloom is by far the single most common surname in Clearfield County today."4758
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Bloom Township (organized in 1860) and the village of Bloomington in Clearfield county PA are both named after the family of William Bloom.3

Bloom Township was named in honor of one of its pioneer families, and the descendants of William Bloom are now [1911] scattered by hundreds all over the county and in various states.3815
____________

As of December 2010, there are nearly 1850 individuals listed in my family database that are direct descendants of William Bloom. Spanning nine generations to seventh great grandchildren, this record is certainly nowhere near comprehensive, and represents just a portion of William’s family legacy.3
____________

Wurttemberg, Germany, formerly known as Wirtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia.4759
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There are lots of land records that this source has seen involving William, Abraham and James Bloom in the Clearfield County Court House, Clearfield, PA.2117


*Robert Askey (1768-1851) was a Pike Township, Clearfield County resident and in the 1850 Census is a next-door neighbor to the Bloom family, which appears to be the Benjamin Bloom family.

Robert served under Maj. Gen. "Mad" Anthony Wayne in the 1792-95 campaign to subdue the Indians in the Ohio/Illinois Territories. He also served during the War of 1812 under the command of Commodore Perry at Lake Erie. [Although there hasn't been found any records to place him at Lake Erie.]

He and his wife Polly, had 13 children.52
___

Robert Askey was a neighbor and friend of William Bloom in the State of New Jersey. They fought side by side during the Revolutionary War, being most of the time in General Wagner’s brigade.

Mr. Askey came to Pike township in 1804 and settled a short distance from Curwensville where the farm now owned [1897] by Zachariah McNaul now is.

He had a family of twelve children, but strange to relate, not one of the name now reside here, nor is it positively known, that a single male descendant of Robert Askey is now [1897] living.1293


†The Battle of Monmouth was an indecisive engagement in the American Revolution fought on June 28, 1778, near Monmouth Courthouse (now Freehold), N.J.

The American army of about 13,000 men, including 2,000 Jersey militia, was led by George Washington, who took a personal hand in the fighting. Monmouth was the Continental Army's first major test after the winter at Valley Forge and the last major engagement fought in the northern theater of the war, as the British holed up in New York and shifted their attention to the southern colonies. Both sides ultimately claimed victory.4760


‡New Jersey has no record of [Williams’s Revolutionary War] service, and no information about the brother who was killed in action. I sent queries to the State of New Jersey Archives expressly asking these questions. Their answer was that they had no records on the Brigade, all they showed was Johann Peter [William’s father] and one son serving in the local militia. 

The interesting thing was that the militia company was commanded by Philip Mettler, the brother of Mary Ann, who was Wilhelm’s wife.
 
I intend to try to work on this Baxter’s Brigade again, but I have a problem with Askey, saying that he and Wilhelm served in General Wagner’s brigade, and some other source placing him in Baxter’s Brigade of NJ Volunteers.  When I see conflicting information like this I tend to doubt both issues.4655


§See William Bloom family census records in marriage notes.
Family ID195
Marr Date2 Feb 17784761
Misc. Notes
This source indicates William and Mary were married 2 April 1778.4738
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A William Bloom is listed in the 1790 census for Mifflin County, PA.

Number of Free White Males Under 16 : 4
Number of Free White Males 16 and Over: 1

Number of Free White Females: 3

Number of Household Members: 84762
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A William Bloom is listed in the 1800 census for Potters [sic] Township, Centre, PA.

Free White Males Under 10: 3
Free White Males 10 to 15: 2
Free White Males 16 to 25: 2
Free White Males 45 and Over: 1

Free White Females Under 10: 4*
Free White Females 10 to 15: 1*
Free White Females 26 to 44: 1*
Free White Females 45 and Over: 1

Number of Household Members Under 16: 10*
Number of Household Members Over 25: 3*
Number of Household Members: 154763*

Note: Accompanying page (504) reads:
“Total Amount of Free White Males in Potters [sic] Township Centre County” 598
Females - 553
All other persons ?? - 19
Total - 11704763
____________

A Family Group Sheet, part of the Pennsylvania Family Group Sheet Project, is posted for this family at this link:
http://www.fgs-project.com/pennsylvania/b/bloom-w.txt



*These numbers do not appear to match what would have been the case with William’s family at that time.
ChildrenAnne “Annie” (1779-1855)
 Isaac (1780-1859)
 William (1782-1871)
 Elizabeth “Betsy” (1784-1875)
 John R. (1786-1872)
 Peter (1789-1840)
 Benjamin (1790-1877)
 Mary (1792-1877)
 Abraham (1795-1874)
 Sarah “Sally” (1796-1871)
 James (1798-1866)
Last Modified 19 Sep 2016Created 17 May 2017 Rick Gleason - ricksgenealogy@gmail.com