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PROMINENT CITIZEN ANSWERS SUMMONS Captain John Brewster Was For Many
Years Identified With All Town's Activities Captain John Brewster, whose
death occured at his late residence on Warm Springs avenue, Huntingdon,
at 2:40 o'clock a.m. Friday of last week, November 28, was for many
years prominent in the business, political, social and religious affairs
of Huntingdon county. His life was one worthy of emulation by the
generation now succeeding him and those to follow. The esteem in which
he was held by his many friends was a tribute to his long life of
honesty, sincerity, and religious activity. His home and his church were
the chief joys of his life, and yet no person enjoyed more to mingle in
social intercourse with his friends and neighbors in the community. The
deceased was a son of Henry and Nancy Campbell Brewster and was born at
Concord, Franklin county, Pa., August 4th, 1838. When about ten years of
age his parents moved to the state of Indiana, where they lived about
two years, and then returned to Pennsylvania. They settled at
Shirleysburg, where the Captain's boyhood days were spent, and where in
his declining years he enjoyed to visit his friends and scenes of his
youth. He attended Prof. Kidder's Academy and graduated from Duff's
Business College, Pittsburgh, after which he entered the mercantile
business at Saltillo and later engaged in the same business at
McConnellstown, and during the Civil war raised a company, Company K,
78th Regiment, P.V.I., of which he was Captain until the end of the war.
He then clerked in the U.S. pension office at Philadelphia, and later
entered the railway mail service, in which he was engaged for thirteen
years. He was twice elected Prothonotary of Huntingdon county, serving
from 1888 to 1893, inclusive. He was a competent and obliging official.
He was President of the Standing Stone National Bank from the time of
it's organization in 1902 until January 1917, when he retired from
active business life. For many years he was one of the Board of Managers
of the Orphans' Home, George Simpson Post No. 44, Grand Army of the
Republic, and has been their Chaplain for many years. His comrades
performed their ritualistic burial service at the grave. Captain
Brewster lived a most devoted and faithful Christian life. He always
endeavored to be consistent in living up to the standard he professed.
He was a member of the Reformed church and has been an elder for many
years. His special interest was the Sabbath School, and he served as
Superintendent for more than fifty years. He was married in 1861 to
Phoebe Hudson, of Saltillo. His wife died November 1, 1906. Three
daughters survive: Grace Brewster and Mary, wife of Charles C. Brewster,
of Huntingdon, and Maude E., wife of Parker Heikes, of Simms, Montana.
Mrs. Martha R. Douglas, of Harrisburg, a sister, and A. McGinley
Brewster, of Chicago, a brother, also survive the deceased. The funeral
services were held at his late residence Sunday afternoon, conducted by
his pastor, Rev. D.E. Master, assisted by Rev. S.F.Forgeus, with
interment in Riverview cemetery.