USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial and revolutionary families of Pennsylvania; genealogical and personal memoirs, Vol. III > Part 59
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65
Thomas Smith, father of Rev. John Smith above-mentioned, emigrated to America from Newport-Pagnall, county of Bucks, England, and settled in New York in 1710. He was one of the active men in connection with the trustees of Yale College in securing Rev. Jonathan Edwards to preach for them.
Mehitabel (Hooker) Smith was a daughter of James and Mary (Leete) Hooker, of Guilford, Connecticut, the former first judge of the Court of Pro- bate in 1720 and member of Colonial Assembly at New Haven in 1706-07, and granddaughter of Rev. Samuel and Mary (Willett) Hooker, the former a prominent clergyman of Farmington, Connecticut, and granddaughter of Gov- ernor William Leete, great-granddaughter of the famous Thomas Hooker, born in England, who came to New England in 1633 and was one of the founders of the colony of Connecticut, where he died in 1647, and great-granddaughter of Thomas Willett, successor to Miles Standish, and first English Mayor of New York City.
HON. JAMES ROSS SNOWDEN, son of Rev. Nathaniel Randolph and Sarah (Gustine) Snowden, was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, December 9, 1809, while his father was pastor of the Middletown Presbyterian Church in Ches- ter county. The family moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, while James Ross Snowden was quite young. His education was acquired principally un- der the tuition of his father and he became a fine classical scholar. He studied law and was admitted to the Venango county bar in 1828, at the early age of nineteen years, and was soon after appointed assistant attorney-general of Pennsylvania. He practiced law in Franklin, Venango county, Pennsylvania, for several years, and was elected to represent that district in the Pennsylvania Legislature, and served several terms. He was speaker of the House of Rep- resentatives in 1842, and again in 1844, and distinguished himself by his clear- minded rulings. He was state treasurer for the term, 1845-46, and while fill-
1652
MITCHELL
ing that position instituted a number of reforms and placed the state treasury on a sound financial basis. In 1848 he was appointed treasurer and superin- tendent of the United States Mint at Philadelphia and removed to that city. In 1851 he was appointed solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, with offices at Pittsburgh, where he resided until 1853, when he was appointed director of all the United States mints, with offices in Philadelphia, and re- turned to that city. He was admitted to practice at the Philadelphia bar, May 20, 1861, and practiced for many years, achieving considerable eminence, and in the same year was appointed prothonotary of the Supreme Court of Penn- sylvania.
During his terms as director of the United States Mint he organized the cab- inet of Washington Memorial Coins, giving liberally of his time and means to make it complete. He also wrote and published a number of noted mono- graphs on numismatics. He was an eloquent and fluent speaker and delivered a number of memorial and other notable addresses in Philadelphia. He was president of the reception and banquet tendered to the survivors of the Penn- sylvania soldiers in the Mexican war on their return to Philadelphia, July 24, 1848.
He married, September 13, 1848, Susan Engle Patterson, born in Philadel- phia, October 19, 1823, died there February 1I, 1897, daughter of Major- General Robert Patterson, and his wife Sarah Ann Engle. Major-General Rob- ert Patterson was a son of a farmer of Scotch-Irish descent, Francis Patter- son, and his wife, Ann Graham, and was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, Jan- uary 12, 1792. His father came to Pennsylvania and settled in Ridley, Dela- ware county, about 1798 or 1800, where he purchased five hundred acres of land. Robert received a good academic education and entered the counting house of Edward Thomson, a leading merchant of Philadelphia, about 1808. In 1817 he commenced business for himself as a grocer on High (now Market ) street, between Fifth and Sixth streets. He later became the owner of a large sugar plantation in Louisiana and this led to participation in the cotton trade and he abandoned the grocery business and became a large dealer in cotton and subsequently a manufacturer of cotton goods in the country. At the time of his death he was the owner of the Patterson Mills in Chester, the Ripka Mills in Manayunk and the Lenni Mills in Delaware county.
He was for half a century one of the most conspicuous public men of Phila- delphia. He raised a regiment of volunteers at the outbreak of the War of 1812, was elected colonel, October 2, 1812, and was appointed first lieutenant in the regular army of a company in the Twenty-second Regiment of Infantry, April 5, 1813; was transferred to the Thirty-second Regiment, May 27, 1813, and was commissioned captain, April 19, 1814, and was honorably discharged in June, 1815. Returning to Philadelphia, he became interested in the volun- teer branch of the Philadelphia militia, and was elected captain of the Wash- ington Blues, upon the formation of that noted company, August 17, 1817. He assisted in forming the Washington Greys and State Fencibles.
Sometime after its formation Captain Patterson was elected colonel of the City Volunteer Infantry Regiment, though retaining command of the Blues. On the resignation of Brigadier-General Thomas Cadwalader in 1824 Colonel Patterson was elected brigadier-general of the City Brigade, and in 1833 suc-
1653
MITCHELL
ceeded General Cadwalader as major-general, which rank he held until 1867, when he resigned. During all the period General Patterson was prominent in city affairs. He was in command of the troops sent to Harrisburg during the Buckshot war, and had command of the troops in Philadelphia during the na- tive American riots of 1844. At the breaking out of the war with Mexico he was appointed a major-general in the United States army. He was in command at many of the important engagements during the war and entered the city of Mexico with the conquering army. Returning to Philadelphia and devoting himself to his business interests he was frequently called upon to fill important positions of honor and trust, and held a number of civil offices at different peri- ods. He was one of the founders of the Aztec Club formed by the officers of the Mexican war, at the city of Mexico, and its president from the organi- zation in 1848 until his death. On the outbreak of the Civil war General Pat- terson was commissioned major-general by Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania, and he was assigned to the command of the Pennsylvania Volunteers who had entered for the three months service. He was immediately appointed by the war department of the United States to the command of the military depart- ment composed of the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, and in District of Columbia. In command of the three months men he crossed the Potomac, June 15, 1861, and with them participated in the campaign in the Shenandoah valley. On the expiration of the three-months service he retired from the army and returned to Philadelphia where he continued his business, social and political activities. He died in that city, August 7, 1881, in his nine- tieth year. He lived from 1833 until his death at 1300 Locust street, now the Hall of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
James Engle, father of Sarah Ann (Engle) Patterson, was born in Ger- mantown, 1757, died in Philadelphia, January 5, 1821. He was commissioned ensign of Captain Watson's company in the Second Pennsylvania Battalion, Colonel Arthur St. Clair commanding, to rank from September 20, 1776. He was also ensign of a company in the Third Battalion of Pennsylvania line under Colonel Joseph Wood, later commissioned lieutenant and participated in the battle of Germantown and other important battles of the Revolution. After the close of the Revolution he was elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature, and was speaker of the House of Representatives in 1809. Ensign James Engle married Margaret Adam, widow of James Marshall, of Philadelphia. He was a son of John and Ann (Witmer) Engle, of Germantown, and a grandson of Paul Engle, one of the founders of Germantown, and his wife, Willamker Ty- son.
SARA PATTERSON SNOWDEN, daughter of Hon. James Ross and Susan Engle (Patterson) Snowden, married John Stevenson Mitchell, now deceased, son of Dr. John Stevenson and Margaret (Kinsey) Mitchell, both of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. She is a member of Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America, historian of Pennsylvania Chapter, Daughters of Founders and Pa- triots, former historian of Philadelphia Chapter, Daughters of American Revo- lution, president of Pennsylvania Society, United States Daughters of 1812, re- gent of General Robert Patterson Chapter, United States Daughters of 1812, president of Plastic Club of Philadelphia, and vice-president of Fellowship of Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
,
JOHN DENNISTON LYON
Mr. Lyon's membership in the patriotic order, Sons of the American Revo- lution, is based upon the military service of his paternal great-grandfather, Lieu- tenant William Lyon, in the Revolution, and in the defense of the Western frontier at a much earlier date. Another line of patriotic descent is from the Revolutionary officer, General Charles Campbell, the brave Indiana county, Penn- sylvania, soldier, from whom he descends along maternal lines.
JOHN LYON, father of William Lyon, emigrated with his family from En- niskillen, County Fermanagh, Province of Ulster, Ireland, to the Province of Pennsylvania, in the year 1763, and settled in Cumberland county, now Mil- ford township, Juniata county, about two miles west of Mifflintown. The war- rant for this tract of land, two hundred and seventy-three acres and sixty- three perches, is dated September 18, 1766. In 1773 the Proprietaries grant to John Lyon et al. twenty acres of land for the use of the Presbyterian Church of Tuscarora, where he is buried. He died in 1780. He married, in Ireland, Margaret Armstrong, sister of Colonel John Armstrong, one of the prominent and patriotic Pennsylvanians of Provincial and Revolutionary times. She was a woman of bright intellect, remarkable intelligence, and a fine conversational- ist; she died about 1793 and is also buried in Tuscarora.
WILLIAM LYON, son of John and Margaret (Armstrong) Lyon, preceded his father and family to the Province of Pennsylvania, having arrived about 1750, and attained the position of assistant surveyor to his uncle, John Armstrong, who was deputy surveyor and justice of the peace for Cumberland county, a well-educated man, who had arrived from Ireland in 1748. Together they laid out the town of Carlisle, by order of the Proprietaries, in 1751, and the seat of justice was then permanently established there. William Lyon entered the Pro- vincial military service for the defense of the frontier against the French and Indians, and as first lieutenant of the Pennsylvania regiment, appointed Decem- ber 6, 1757, participated in Forbes' great expedition against Fort Duquesne, in 1758. He resigned in March, 1759, and was appointed a magistrate in 1764, by Governor John Penn, then in Carlisle, dispatching Colonel Bouquet on his second expedition. On the opening of the Revolution and the suppression of the Provincial authority, he was appointed by the Supreme Executive Council a member of the Committee of Safety, October 16, 1776; prothonotary for Cumberland county, March 12, 1777; clerk of the orphans' court, February 9, 1779; and register and recorder, February 13, 1779; he was reappointed by Governor Mifflin register of wills, September 4, 1790, and prothonotary, regis- ter and recorder, and clerk of the orphans' court, August 17, 1791 ; he was also reappointed by Governor Mckean, January 29, 1800, prothonotary and clerk of the courts, and continued prothonotary by proclamation in 1802 and 1805; he was appointed by the Supreme Executive Council to receive subscriptions for Cumberland county for a loan of twenty million dollars, authorized by Congress, June 29, 1779.
1655
LYON
William Lyon, born March 17, 1729, in Ireland, died in Carlisle, Pennsyl- vania, February 7, 1809; married (first) in 1756, Alice Armstrong, daughter of his uncle, Colonel John Armstrong, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He married (second) in 1768, Ann Fleming, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
GEORGE ARMSTRONG LYON, son of William and Alice (Armstrong) Lyon, was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, April 1I, 1784. On January 14, 1815, he mar- ried Anna G. Savage, daughter of Thomas Lyttleton and Marguriet (Teackle) Savage, of Northampton county, Virginia. Mr. Lyon was a prominent law- yer and for many years president of the Carlisle Bank, and was one of the most prominent and influential citizens at the time of his death, January 6, 1855.
ALEXANDER PARKER LYON, son of George Armstrong and Anna G. (Sav- age) Lyon, was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, June 29, 1829, and died in Pitts- burgh, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1861. He was educated at Dickinson Col- lege, Carlisle, and settled in Pittsburgh early in the fifties, where he associated himself with James B. Lyon, under the firm name of James B. Lyon & Com- pany. They engaged in the manufacture of glass and Mr. Lyon continued in that business until his death. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and of the Republican party. In 1861 he was appointed by President Lincoln consul to the Island of Cyprus. On his way to his post of duty he sickened and returned to Pittsburgh, where he died later in the same year. Alexander Parker Lyon married, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1855, Eliza T. Den- niston, daughter of John and Catherine (Thaw) Denniston, and granddaugh- ter of John and Eliza (Thomas) Thaw. Her father, John Denniston, was a son of Samuel and Rebecca (Campbell) Denniston, and her grandmother, Re- becca (Campbell) Denniston, was a daughter of General Charles Campbell, of Revolutionary fame, from Indiana county, Pennsylvania.
John Thaw, maternal grandfather of Mrs. Eliza T. (Denniston) Lyon, was of English descent. He was a son of Benjamin and Hannah (Engle) Thaw, and a grandson of John Thaw, who was born in Philadelphia in 1710, and died near the close of the century. The Engles were good Quaker stock. John Thaw (later of Pittsburgh) was apprenticed to a Philadelphia merchant large- ly engaged in foreign commerce. While in this employ John Thaw made one voyage with a trading vessel, and subsequently embarked in trade on his own1 account by sending to Senegambia a ship laden with a cargo of his own. Both voyages resulted disastrously ; the first ship was seized under Napoleon's or- ders, and on returning he was attacked by yellow fever. The second was com- manded by a treacherous captain who disposed of the cargo, invested the pro- ceeds in African slaves, which he sold in the West Indies on his own account, never reporting to his employer. This expedition bankrupted the young mer- chant and he obtained employment in the Bank of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia. In 1803 he was induced by General O'Hara to go to Pittsburgh to become teller of the Pittsburgh Branch of the Bank of Pennsylvania. He was the first teller of that branch, and was chosen for that position for his practical knowl- edge of banking. In 1817 he became cashier of the Pittsburgh Branch of the United States Bank which had absorbed the Bank of Pennsylvania. This latter position he held until the veto of President Jackson closed the bank. John Thaw had the distinction of being the first practical banker to become a perma- nent resident of Pittsburgh. In 1803 he married Elizabeth Thomas, daughter
1656
LYON
of a sea captain. Their son, William Thaw, born in Pittsburgh, October 12, 1818, became one of Pittsburgh's wealthiest and worthiest citizens, the radi- ance of whose life will grow more and more effulgent through the coming years and history will assign him a place among the greatest of his state.
JOHN DENNISTON LYON, son of Alexander Parker and Eliza T. (Denniston) Lyon, was born in Allegheny, now North Side, Pittsburgh, January 24, 1861, and the same spring the family moved to what is now known as East End, Pittsburgh. He attended the Hiland School until 1874, when the family moved to Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh, opposite Trinity Church. He attended the West Philadelphia Academy and the Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, New Jer- sey, where he graduated in June, 1878, after which he tutored for a year and a half, and on February 20, 1880, entered the First National Bank of Pittsburgh as messenger, afterwards being promoted to collection clerk. In December, 1881, he entered the banking house of Semple & Thompson, which was after- wards changed to William R. Thompson & Company. February 1, 1890, he became a member of the firm, in which he remained until April 1, 1900, when he bought out the interest of William R. Thompson and consolidated the firm of William R. Thompson & Company with N. Holmes & Sons, which was the oldest banking house west of the Allegheny Mountains, having been established in 1822. He remained in that firm until its consolidation with the Union Na- tional Bank of Pittsburgh, July 1, 1905, when he was elected a director and vice-president of that bank. He also holds the office of president of the Conti- nental Improvement Company, is vice-president of the Safe Deposit and Trust Company of Pittsburgh and the People's Savings Bank, is a director of the Pittsburgh Coal Company, the Monongahela River Con. Coal & Coke Company, the A. M. Byers Company, the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Company, the Pittsburgh Mckeesport & Youghiogheny Railroad Company, the Westinghouse Machine Company, Follansbee Brothers Company, Sixth Street Bridge Com- pany, and the Monongahela Water Company. Mr. Lyon is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Republican in political preference. He belongs to the Pittsburgh, Duquesne, Union, Allegheny Country and Pittsburgh Golf Clubs, of Pittsburgh, the Metropolitan and the Racquet and Tennis Clubs of New York, and the Pittsburgh Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution.
He married, February 18th, 1896, Maude Byers, daughter of Alexander M. and Martha (Fleming) Byers. They have one child, Martha Byers Lyon, born October 3, 1900.
WT. Bather NY
Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
MARGARET LUCINDA (KENT) ASKIN
MARGARET LUCINDA (KENT) ASKIN (Mrs. William J. Askin), of Pitts- burgh, Pennsylvania, is a lineal descendant of Nicholas Dupui, commissioned justice of the peace of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, March 9, 1774, who rendered valuable service to his adopted country during the struggle for Independence. Mrs. Askin's genealogical descent from Nicholas Dupui is ob- tained from state records, and can be traced by means of wills and deeds with great clearness. The early members of the family were among the first set- tlers of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and were active in public and military ser- vice both prior to and during the Revolution. The family is of French origin as is the name. The members of the Dupui family fled from France at the time of "The Edict of Nantes" and settled at Utrecht, Holland, from whence they crossed the seas to New Amsterdam (New York) and finally settled in Pennsylvania.
Nicholas Dupui (I) died on Broad street, Philadelphia, and is buried in the Dutch churchyard (see "Valentine's History", pp. III-333).
Nicholas Dupui (2) married Gretchel Willett, and went on a commission up the Delaware and located in Burks county, Pennsylvania, in 1720.
Nicholas Dupui (3) was born August 22, 1738, at Smithfield, Pennsylvania, died March 23, 1808, at Shawnee, Pennsylvania. There is on record letters written by him to the government, representing the great distress of the settlers and re- citing the sufferings and privations caused by the raids of the Indians (see "Colonial Records", vol. xii, p. 312). Fort Dupui is mentioned as one of the frontier forts of Pennsylvania. This fort was six miles from Fort Hamilton, a fine plantation on the banks of the Delaware river. It was one hundred miles from Philadelphia, thirty-five miles from Easton and thirty-eight miles from Bethlehem in Smithfield township, Monroe county, at the mouth of Mill Creek. Captain Wetterholt's company garrisoned the fort. Nicholas Dupui was com- mander and commissary of this fort, which he built from his own private for- tune. Nicholas Dupui is of record as a member of the General Assembly of Penn- sylvania during the sessions of 1775 and 1777. His wife was Eleanor Shoemaker, born July II, 1748, and married November 30, 1770. Their children were: Sam- uel, born September 21, 1772; Moses, September 17, 1774; Elizabeth, June I, 1776, died September 22, 1815, married John Stroud; Jane, January 22, 1779, died April 18, 1813; Ann, April 28, 1781, died January 6, 1862, married Dr. Eli Erb; Benjamin, May 15, 1783, died August 7, 1806; Rachel, December 3, 1785, died March 5, 1856, married Rev. Jacob F. Field; Nicholas, February 19, 1788, died July 17, 1816, married Theodosia Reading.
Jane Dupui, daughter of Nicholas and Eleanor (Shoemaker) Dupui, mar- ried John Watson.
Jane Watson, daughter of John and Jane (Dupui) Watson, married John Shepherd. Children: Jane Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Sprague, and is a
1658
VAN OSTEN
member of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolu- tion; George Frederick, deceased ; Mary Francis; Margaret Lucinda.
Margaret Lucinda Kent, daughter of Jacob and Mary Jane (Shepherd) Kent, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She married William J. Askin and their children are: George Kent; Margaret Ethel; William James Jr .; Jean Francis, who died when an infant, four months of age, in 1892.
CORNELIA EWART VAN OSTEN
CORNELIA (EWART) VAN OSTEN (Mrs. Frederick William Van Osten) is a descendant of Rev. Hugh Henry Brackenbridge, who although barred by the "cloth" from being an active combatant on the field of battle, was conspicuous as a speaker for the cause of Independence, and during the "Jersey" campaigns, served as chaplain. His sermons to the men were most fervid exhortations to "fight and win." He was born in Scotland, but came in early life to America, and was a graduate of Princeton College. "Frederick Frelinghuysen, Dr. Beat- ty, Dr. McKnight, Rev. Hugh Brackenbridge, Philip Freneau and James Mad- ison were among the students in college at that time (1770) and all became dis- tinguished for their services to their country in the Revolutionary War". (Hag- eman's "History of Princeton", vol. I, p. 102). He married Sabrina Wolff.
Alexander Brackenbridge, son of Rev. Hugh H. and Sabrina (Wolff) Brack- enbridge, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and died there. He married Mary Porter.
Mary Brackenbridge, daughter of Alexander and Mary (Porter) Bracken- bridge, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, November 28, 1832, died there October 6, 1910. She married, July 10, 1860, Samuel Ewart, who was born at Pittsburgh, July 26, 1835. Children : Henry B., deceased; Mary; Frederick C., married Mary Kirkpatrick, had no issue; Cornelia, mentioned below.
Cornelia Ewart, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Brackenbridge) Ewart, mar- ried Frederick William Van Osten, Jr., born in the city of Philadelphia, July 12, 1867, son of Frederick William Van Osten, grandson of James Brown Van Osten, great-grandson of William Van Osten, all of whom were natives of Philadelphia, and many of the family are buried in Holmesburg, now a part of Philadelphia. Frederick Villiam Van Osten Jr. came to Pittsburgh when three years of age; was educated in the public schools; went into the Masonic Bank, now the Lincoln National Bank, and was employed there for twenty- five years, resigning one year prior to his death. He left one daughter, Ger- trude.
WARREN EDGAR BALLARD
WARREN EDGAR BALLARD, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a member of the Sons of the Revolution by reason of his direct descent from Colonel Asa Whitcomb, his great-great-grandfather, who held a command at Bunker Hill.
LUTHER BALLARD, great-grandfather of Warren Edgar Ballard, was born at Keene, New Hampshire, January 15, 1796, died at Canton, Ohio, June 12, 1874. He married Rebecca, born at Alstead, New Hampshire, October 13, 1796, died at Canton, Ohio, November 27, 1863, daughter of Colonel Asa Whitcomb, and granddaughter of John Whitcomb, who was born May 12, 1684.
Colonel Asa Whitcomb was born at Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1719-20, died March 16, 1804. He was in command at Prospect Hill during the siege of Boston, was colonel of a Massachusetts regiment from June 3 to December, 1775, and colonel of a Continental regiment from January I to December 31, 1776. He participated actively in a number of engagements, but when the army was reorganized, his name, with that of some others, was omitted from the new list of commanders on account of his advanced age. The soldiers of his form- er regiment were, however, so dissatisfied with the new arrangement that they decided not to serve under a new officer. Colonel Whitcomb tried to influence them to return to their duty, when they were serving their country in so import- ant a cause, and as a means of inducement to this end, volunteered to serve with them as a private. Following is an extract from the Orderly Book of General Washington, dated November 16, 1775:
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.