History of Bucks County, Pa Volume 3 by William H. Davis
Names and Page # Index

The family of Garner is of German origin, and descended from Hans (John) GARNER, who came to Bucks county about the middle of the eighteenth century and settled in New Britain township, near the present village of Colmar on the county line. Samuel GARNER, son of John, the pioneer, was reared in New Britain township, Bucks county, and became a prominent man and a large landowner there and in Warrington. He reared a large family of children, among whom was Samuel, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. By a later division of the township most of the land of Samuel GARNER, Sr., in New Britain township, was incorporated into the township of Warrington and is still owned and occupied by his descendants.

Samuel GARNER (2) was born in New Britain township, Bucks county in 1798, and inheriting a portion of his father’s real estate, followed the life of a farmer there and in Warrington during the active years of his life, removing late in life to Doylestown township, where he died about 1877. He took an active interest in the affairs of his locality, filled a number of local positions, and was a soldier in the Mexican war. He married Mary A. SNARE, whose father was for several years proprietor of the old historic Green Tree Tavern on the county line in Warrington township. On the maternal side she was descended from the Polks, and other prominent Scotch-Irish families of Neshaminy colony in Warwick and Warrington.

Samuel S. GARNER, son of Samuel and Mary A. (SNARE) GARNER, was born in Warrington township, Bucks county, in March, 1828, and lived there until the age of eighteen years, when he went to Philadelphia and learned the trade of a bricklayer, and resided there the greater part of his life. He married a widow RAY, whose maiden name was Elizabeth CARR. He died in 1890.

Samuel J. GARNER, the son of Samuel S. and Elizabeth (CARR) GARNER, born in Philadelphia, May 2, 1852, attended school in Philadelphia and in Doylestown township, Bucks county, where a portion of his boyhood was spent. He later learned the jewelry trade, and in 1872 located in Hatboro and opened a jewelry store, later opening a clothing and a more general merchandise store. He conducted both businesses for ten or twelve years, and then engaged in the real estate business, which he has since followed with success. In politics Mr. GARNER is a Republican, but he has never aspired to public office. He has served many years on the local school board, of which he is president, and has always taken an active interest in educational matters. He has also served for several years as a member of borough council, and taken a leading part in all that pertained to the best interests of the borough. He is one of the directors of the Bucks County Trust Company, and interested in a number of Bucks county’s local enterprises.

He married Fannie H. WILSON, daughter of Silas WILSON, a well known dry goods merchant of Philadelphia, and they are the parents of five children: Howard W., a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and now studying in Paris; Marion, residing at home; Samuel Carl, in the brokerage business in Philadelphia; and Ralph and Florence, who are attending the public school.

Test taken from page 344-345 of:

Davis, William W. H., A.M., History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1905] Volume III

Transcribed March 2002 by Joan Lollis of IN. as part of the Bucks Co., Pa., Early Family Project, www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/bucksindex.html

Published March 2002 on the Bucks County, Pa., USGenWeb pages at www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/