WILLIAM F. PACKER, GOVERNOR UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF 1838. WILLIAM FISHER PACKER, the second son of James and Charity Packer, was born on the 2d day of April, 1807, in Howard township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. His father, James Packer, born in 1773, was a native of Chester County, and a son of James Packer and Rose Mendenhall. James Packer, the grandfather, was born in 1725, in New Jersey, at the site of the present city of Princeton, and was a son of Philip Packer and Ann Coates. Philip Packer was an English Quaker, and among the first emigrants to West Jersey, under the auspices of William Penn and other leading Friends of that day, and his descendants adhered to the same religious faith. Rose Mendenhall, the grandmother, was a daughter of Aaron and Rose Menden hall, and was born in the Great Valley, near Downingtown, Chester County, in 1733. Charity Bye, the mother of the Governor, was born in Bucks County, in 1780. She was a daughter of Hezekiah Bye and Sarah Pettit, who were also members of the Society of Friends. It will thus be seen that Governor Packer was descended from a purely Quaker ancestry, among whom will be recognized the Coateses, the Pettits, the Mendenhalls, and others- names still familiar in Philadelphia and the eastern counties of Pennsylvania. When the Governor was but seven years old his father died, leaving a widow and five small children - the eldest under ten years of age. Bereft of paternal care, the sons, Hezekiah B., now Judge Packer, of Williamsport, William F., the subject of this sketch, and John P., a merchant of WILLIAM F. PACKER, GOVERNOR UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF 1838. WILLIAM FISHER PACKER, the second son of James and Charity Packer, was born on the 2d day of April, 1807, in Howard township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. His father, James Packer, born in 1773, was a native of Chester County, and a son of James Packer and Rose Mendenhall. James Packer, the grandfather, was born in 1725, in New Jersey, at the site of the present city of Princeton, and was a son of Philip Packer and Ann Coates. Philip Packer was an English Quaker, and among the first emigrants to West Jersey, under the auspices of William Penn and other leading Friends of that day, and his descendants adhered to the same religious faith. Rose Mendenhall, the grandmother, was a daughter of Aaron and Rose Mendenhall, and was born in the Great Valley, near Downingtown, Chester County, in 1733. Charity Bye, the mother of the Governor, was born in Bucks County, in 1780. She was a daughter of Hezekiah Bye and Sarah Pettit, who were also members of the Society of Friends. It will thus be seen that Governor Packer was descended from a purely Quaker ancestry, among whom will be recognized the Coateses, the Pettits, the Mendenhalls, and others- names still familiar in Philadelphia and the eastern counties of Pennsylvania. When the Governor was but seven years old his father died, leaving a widow and five small children- the eldest under ten years of age. Bereft of paternal care, the sons, Hezekiah B., now Judge Packer, of Williamsport, William F., the subject of this sketch, and John P., a merchant of Flemington, Clinton County, as they arrived at a sufficient age, applied themselves to the task of assisting their mother in maintaining the family, and cheerfully sustained whatever hardships their situation imposed, receiving at the same time such education as the limited facilities of the country schools of that time afforded. Directed by their mother, and relying upon their own resources for success, it is no marvel that these young men became distinguished, each in his proper sphere, in after life. In 1820, Samuel J. Packer, a kinsman, afterwards a State Senator from the Northumberland district, was publishing a newspaper at Sunbury, called the Public Inquirer, which advocated with great ability the re-election of Governor William Findlay. Ascertaining that he could obtain a place in that office to learn the art of printing, William F., then in his thirteenth year, left his home in midwinter, travelled alone to Sunbury, a distance of eighty miles, and engaged himself as an apprentice. Upon the defeat of Governor Findlay, the Inquirer was discontinued, and, after an absence of a year, he returned to Centre County, where he completed his apprenticeship in the office of the Bellefonte Patriot, then under the control of Henry Petrikin, who subsequently became a distinguished member of the State Legislature, and was deputy secretary of the Commonwealth under Governor Shunk. After the expiration of his apprenticeship, in 1825, he obtained a clerkship in the office of the Register and Recorder of Lycoming County; but, at the commencement of the ses sion of the Legislature, in December of the same year, he went to Harrisburg and engaged as a journeyman printer in the office of the Pennsylvania Intelligencer, published by Simon Cameron, now United States Senator, and David Krause, afterwards President Judge of the Bucks County district. These gentlemen had just previously been elected public printers. In their office he worked for two years, and on the completion of the public printing, in 1827, returned to Williamsport, and entered his name as a student-at-law in the office of Joseph B. Anthony, who afterwards served as a State Senator, mem ber of Congress, and President Judge of the Lycoming district. He never applied for admission to the bar, yet the knowledge thus acquired of the rudiments of the profession was of inestimable value to him in the public stations which he subsequently filled. In the fall of 1827 he purchased an interest in the Lycoming Gazette, one of the oldest and most influential newspapers in the State, published at Williamsport, and, in partnership with John Brandon, conducted the paper until 1829, when, upon the demise of Mr. Brandon, he assumed the entire control of the establishment. His connection with the Gazette continued until the spring of 1836, when he left the paper in a flourishing condition and with a commanding influence. As an editor, his style was bold and energetic, well calculated to command attention and impress his ideas upon the reader. On the 24th of December, 1829, he was married to Mary W., daughter of Peter W. Vanderbelt, an honored citizen of Williamsport, and granddaughter of Michael Ross. Ten children were the offspring of this marriage, six of whom are still living. Mr. Ross was a gentleman distinguished for great energy of character and strength of mind, and was the original owner of the land upon which the present city of Williamsport is built. In 1831, shortly after the system of public improvements had been commenced in Pennsylvania, and after the West Branch Canal had been adopted as a part of the system, through the votes and influence of the representatives from Philadelphia in making appropriations for prosecution of work, this line was omitted and was thus threatened with abandonment. Had this decision been adhered to, the people of that section of the State would have been deprived of a great natural line of communication with the metropolis. Public meetings were immediately held, addresses were delivered, resolutions adopted, and, among other strong measures, a direct appeal was made to the people of Philadelphia against the suicidal policy of their own members. |