Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Bosler, Joseph February 24, 1846 - 
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Source: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County Pennsylvania, T. S. Benham & Company and the Lewis Publishing Company, 1904
Author: Ellwood Roberts, Editor

  JOSEPH BOSLER, a widely and favorably known resident of 
that section of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, immediately 
adjacent to the city of Philadelphia, has been during a long 
and active career prominently identified with various of the 
most important commercial and financial interests of that 
region. He has long been an influential leader in the 
Republican party, to which he has ever adhered, and is held 
in honor as a type of that excellent class of Americans who 
engage in politics as a duty incumbent upon the true 
citizen, and not for sake of personal aggrandizement.

  He comes of a family which, as its name indicates, is of 
German origin. His great-grandfather, who was his immigrant 
ancestor, on coming to America lauded in Philadelphia. His 
wife came with him, and their son Joseph was born after 
their arrival. Joseph Bosler in his young manhood located in 
the village of Shoemakertown (now Ogontz) and took 
employment as a teamster, hauling grain to the Cheltenham 
mills, and later delivering the flour therefrom. He 
eventually prospered and acquired property. He married 
Hannah McBride, of Paoli, Chester county, and they became 
the parents of two sons and three daughters: Joseph, who 
died June 23, 1828, at Columbia, Pennsylvania, where he was 
engaged as a contractor and bridge builder; Charles, 
mentioned at length hereinafter; and Ann, Emma, and Ellen. 
Hannah (McBride) Bosler, the mother of the above named 
children died January 16, 1831, and her remains were 
interred in the Friends' burying ground on Chelten avenue in 
Cheltenham.

  Charles Bosler, second of the sons of Joseph and Hannah 
(McBride) Bosler, was born August 27, 1810. He attended the 
neighborhood schools and received an education sufficient 
for all practical purposes. When he was sixteen years of age 
occurred the death of his father, whom he succeeded in the 
business of wagoning flour from the old Cheltenham flour 
mills at Shoemakertown to Philadelphia and grain on his 
return trip to the mills. He was eminently successful in 
this work, and in 1847 was able to purchase the 
Shoemakertown flour mills, formerly the property of Charles 
H. Shoemaker, and with the assistance of his sons he 
operated the same from that time until his death, a period 
of twenty-six years, and accumulated a considerable estate. 
He was highly esteemed in the community, and one of its most 
valuable members. A man of the greatest energy, industry and 
integrity, his business career was characterized by sound 
judgment and prompt decision, and he held his verbal 
obligations as binding as if based upon a bond, the 
forfeiture of which would bring ruin and dishonor. He was of 
lively and sanguine disposition, benevolent and 
kind-hearted, and charitable both in thought and deed. 
 
  In politics he was a Whig until the formation of the 
Republican party in 1856, when he connected himself with 
that organization, of which he was thenceforward an earnest 
and active member, voting for its candidates as a matter of 
principle regardless of the results at the polls. He married 
Mary Watson, daughter of William and Hannah Gillingham, of 
Buckingham, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Their children were 
as follows: 1. William G., born December 2, 1840. Early in 
the Civil war period he enlisted in Company C, One Hundred 
and Thirtieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, in which he 
served nine months, being wounded at the battle of 
Fredericksburg, Virginia.  He re-enlisted in Captain Samuel 
W. Comly's company of Cavalry. He was all active Republican, 
and took a prominent part in public affairs in Cheltenham 
township, where he was school director and auditor for some 
time. 

  From 1871 to 1874 he served as transcribing clerk in the 
state senate. For a number of years he was in partnership 
with his father in the milling business, under the firm name 
of Charles Bosler & Son. After his death, which occurred 
March 19, 1871, and on January 1, 1872, his brother Joseph 
took his place in the firm, which was continued under the 
same name. 2. Joseph, who is further referred to 
hereinafter. 3. Charles, a twin brother of Joseph, who died 
in infancy. 4. Hannah, born January 22, 1848. Charles 
Bosler, father of the children above named, died August 11, 
1873, and his remains were interred in the Friends' burying 
ground at Abington, where those of his willow, who passed 
away January 3, 1899, were laid beside him.

  Joseph Bosler, second child of Charles and Mary (Watson) 
Bosler, was born February 24, 1846. He acquired his literary 
education in the public schools of Cheltenham township, the 
Abington Friend;' School, and the Friends' Central School in 
Philadelphia, located at Fifteenth and Race streets. He then 
completed a commercial course in the Philadelphia Business 
College, from which he was graduated in 1864, at the age of 
eighteen years. 

  He shortly afterward engaged in a lumber and coal business 
at Shoemakertown, now Ogontz, which he successfully 
conducted until January 1, 1872. Since that date he has 
devoted his attention to the operation of the old Cheltenham 
flour mills, which was formerly conducted by his father and 
brother.  Mr. Bosler was elected township auditor of 
Cheltenham in 1871, and has consecutively served as a member 
of the board up to the present time. He is also actively 
connected with various financial institutions, among them 
the Jenkintown National Bank, in which he is a director, the 
National .flank of Germantown, Philadelphia, and the Penn 
Mutual Life Insurance Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
in which he is a member of the board of trustees. 

  For many years he has been a member of the Commercial 
Exchange of Philadelphia, and he also holds membership in 
the Union League of that city. In his community he is a 
leader in every movement conducing to the public interest, 
and is known as a man of sound and stable judgment, a wise 
counselor, and a sympathetic and helpful neighbor. He has 
ever been a stanch advocate of Republican principles, and 
has taken a prominent part in every important political 
campaign since entering upon the duties and privileges of 
citizenship, but without thought of personal advancement, 
and he has never sought a public office. 

  He has been a delegate to numerous county, congressional 
district and state conventions, and was either a delegate or 
an alternate in the national conventions of 1884, 1888, 
1892, 1896, 1900, and was nominated in 1904 for presidential 
elector from his district. It is scarcely necessary to add 
that the calling of one individual to so many consecutive 
national bodies is a most unusual distinction, and 
emphasizes in the strongest possible way the worth and 
usefulness of him who is so honored.

  Mr. Bosler was married, October 6, 1860, to Cynthia G. 
Comly, who was born October 8, 1844, a daughter of Watson 
and Mary (Lester) Comly, well known Friends of Byberry, 
Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania. Born of this marriage 
were the following named children: Mary who is the wife of 
Walter S. Comly; Caroline C., who is the wife of Davis L. 
Lewis; Charles W., a civil engineer, residing at Altoona, 
Pennsylvania; and Lester C., who is a student in the 
University of Pennsylvania.

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