History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 1887



Bubb Family - NATHANIEL BURROWS BUBB Biography

Nathaniel Burrows Bubb, one of Williamsport's most prominent citizens, present Republican nominee for mayor, man of many business interests in this city and other places, was born in Montoursville, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, September 4, 1851.

He is a descendant of German stock, but knows little of his paternal ancestors. His grandfather, Michael Bubb, was a hard-working, plodding farmer in Lycoming county. He was born in Germany. He married Mary Fribley, of Lycoming county, reared a large family of children and died here. He and family were Methodists religiously.

George Bubb, father of Nathaniel Burrows Bubb, was born on a farm in Lycoming county in 1820. He married Miss Sarah J. Burrows, of Montoursville, Pennsylvania, daughter of Nathaniel Burrows, who was a son of General John Burrows. The Burrows family is one of the oldest and most prominent in this part of the country. Mrs. George Bubb was born in 1827 and died in 1897, while her husband died the year previous, 1896. Mr. George Bubb was a farmer in early life. Later he conducted a general country store at Montoursville, Pennsylvania, with marked success from the start. He was in business there until 1861, when he was appointed Internal Revenue Collector of his district by President Abraham Lincoln, but during the period after Lincoln's death he resigned. When General Grant was elected president Mr. Bubb was appointed again by him to the same position. In 1870 he moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and organized the Lycoming National Bank, becoming its first president, and held that position until his death in 1896. He was an uncompromising Republican but held no office. He and his family were members of the Presbyterian Church. He reared a family of five children : 1, Nathaniel Burrows Bubb; 2, Mary, who married James S. Lewars, of Montoursville, Pennsylvania; 3, Henry Clay Bubb, who is in the wholesale grocery business here; 4, Alice, who married George H. Good, of Osceola Mills, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania; 5, Nellie, who married Samuel Stephens of Boston; she died in 1901.

Nathaniel Burrows Bubb spent his boyhood days in Montoursville, where he attended the public schools and later took a commercial course at Binghamton, New York. At the early age of eighteen Mr. Bubb was engaged in the wholesale grocery business at Williamsport. The firm name was at first Corcoran, Weaver & Co., later Corcoran, Bubb & Co., and then George Bubb & Sons. In 1897 Mr. Bubb disposed of his interest and became identified with the chemical business. He is treasurer and manager of the following firms : McKean Chemical Company, Otto Chemical Company and Wilcox Manufacturing Company. He is also largely interested in the manufacturing of Gas Carbon Black. The factories are in West Virginia, as follows : Castle Brook Carbon Black Company and Columbian Carbon Black Company. He is treasurer and manager of all these concerns. He is also president of the Burns Fire Brick Company, of Williamsport; vice-president of the Lycoming National Bank; vice-president of the Williamsport Clutch and Pulley Company; treasurer of the Williamsport Hospital; manager of the Williamsport Wooden Pipe Company and president of the Manufacturers Charcoal Company, which handles about 1,500,000 bushels of charcoal annually. It is one of the largest concerns in this country.

In 1876 Mr. Bubb married, in Allegheny City, Rebecca, daughter of B. Frank Agnew. They have been blessed with a family of five boys : 1, Harry Agnew; 2, George Lashells; 3, Nathaniel Burrows, Jr.; 4, James Lewars; 5, Albert Hermance. Mr. Bubb is a staunch Republican and has many friends of both parties. He stands high in Masonic circles, having attained the thirty-second degree. He has been secretary of the Ross Club since its formation, a member of Haleeka Country Club, Buffalo Club, of Buffalo, New York; Susquehanna Club, of Newberry, Pennsylvania; Tivvy Club, of Newberry, Pennsylvania, and Williamsport Golf Club. He is a trustee of the First Presbyterian Church of Williamsport and an active and prominent member of Williamsport's Board of Trade.


Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Lycoming County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1906.










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