Through the years of an active business career William F Gould followed farming and carpentering, but is now living retired in Sterling, his prosperity in former years supplying him withtne necessities and comforts and some of the luxuries of life. He has long since passed the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten, his birth having occurred in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, July 20, 1829. In bother the paternal and maternal lines he represents old families of the Empire state. His two grandfathers, William Gould and Gideon De Groff, were natives of New York, were farmers by occupation and lived to old age. Tobias Gould, father of our subject, was born in Saratoga County. New York, was reared to agricultural pursuits and made farming his life work. Removing to Pennsylvania, he settled in Bradford County, where he conducted a farm and also filled the office of coutny sheriff for a time. In early manhood he married Diana De Groff, likewise a vative of Saratoga County, New York. His death occurred in 1831 and his widow afterward married Samuel Scott. By her first marriage she had three sons and a daughter, of whom only William F Gould is now living. By her second husband she had two daughters, one of whom has passed away, while Mary Jone Scott in now the widow of Charles Ayers and resides in Sheldon, Iowa.
