HENRY FORKER (deceased) was
born in Mercer, Penn., in August, 1823, and was a son of Gen. John and
Isabella (Graham) Forker, of that borough. He grew up and received his
education in Mercer, and there carried on the mercantile business up to
1857, when he sold his interest to his brother Joseph and Mr. Zahniser,
and removed to Sharon, where he entered the coal business in
partnership with his father-in-law, T. J. Porter, Esq. In company with
Samuel Kimberly, under the firm name of Kimberly & Forker, he
opened Keel Ridge coal mine in 1863. He was successfully engaged in
coal operations until his sudden death by a railroad accident at
Altoona, Penn., May 20, 1885. He was married February 22, 1849,
to Miss Sauna J., daughter of the venerable T. J. Porter, Esq., of
Sharon. Of this union three sons and two daughters survive: John,
teller of the Sharon National Bank; Thomas J., dry goods merchant of
Sharon; Harry P., Julia A., wife of Frank H. Buhl, of Sharon, and Bella
G. Mr. Forker was a stanch Republican, but took no active
interest in political affairs. He was deputy sheriff under his father
one term. He was a regular attendant at the United Presbyterian Church,
and did a great deal toward building up that denomination in Sharon.
Source: (History of Mercer County, 1888, pages 723-724)
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