Surnames: Dearth, Williams, Simmons, Mills, Miller
John W Dearth, a leading and progressive farmer of Luzerne township, is a son of Larkins S Dearth and Mary Williams Dearth, and was born in the house in which he now resides in Luzerne township, Fayette county, Penna, November 3, 1833.His great grandfather, James Dearth, was born in 1720 in England and died in 1797 in Luzerne township. He came to Maryland, bought slaves in 1777 and removed to Luzerne township, and ten years later patented 300 acres of land.
His second wife was Miss Sophia Simmons, and a son of his, George Dearth, was born April 23, 1762, and died October, 1846, on the home farm. In 1796 he was commissioned by governor Thomas Mifflin, major of the First Battalion of the First Fayette County Brigade of the militia of
Pennsylvania for the term of seven years. In 1800 he was commissioned by governor Thomas McKean, major of the First Battalion in the Ninety first Regiment of Pennsylvania, composed of the militia of Bedford, Fayette and Somerset counties for seven years. He was a contemporary in the
Pennsylvania legislature of Andrew Stewart in 1816 and 1817 and was a democrat.He married Elizabeth Mills. They had five daughters and two sons: John Dearth of Ohio; and Larkins S Dearth, father of John W Dearth.
Larkins S Dearth was born October 5, 1797, and died in June, 1850. He was by occupation a farmer, in politics a democrat, and was married to Miss Mary Williams. To them were born three daughters and one son.
John W Dearth had the advantages of a good common school education; leaving school he has since been engaged in farming and stock raising.
April 21, 1869, he was married to Miss Bertha Virginia Miller, daughter of Samuel Miller. They have three children: Walter L Dearth; William M Dearth, and Louise E Dearth. Mrs Dearth is a member of the Central Presbyterian church at Hopewell. She is an amateur astronomer, owns a
good telescope and takes deep interest in tracing the constellations of the northern heavens.Mr Dearth is a democrat and owns a farm of 250 acres of valuable land. The farm is known as "Trail Hill" on account of an Indian war trail that passed over it in early times. In the old graveyard on teh farm sleep his paternal great grandparents, grandfather and wife, his father, mother, and one sister. Mr Dearth is one of Luzerne's leading farmers.