Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 126

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1540

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 126

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26, 1886, leaving a widow and five sons, namely: Henry H., living in Chartiers township; J. M., Robert and James S., all three married and resi- dents of Pittsburgh; and William Simon, a wid- ower, in Pittsburgh). Henry, born on February 22, 1822, died in 1844. Nancy Jane, born April 17, 1824, was married to Thomas Wallace, and settled in Knox county, Ohio, where two daughters were born to her: Elizabeth (Mrs. Dr. Hanna) and Jen- nie (wife of James L. Lindsey, living in Columbi- ana county, Ohio, but born in Washington county), the mother died in October, 1883. John, born March 14, 1826, was married to Mary Ann Ander- son, a native of Virginia, who came to Washington county, Penn., in an early day (after his marriage John settled in Chartiers township, but in 1862 left home and enlisted in Company B, One Hun- dred and Fortieth P. V. I. ; he fought in the army of the Potomac, taking part in all the engagements of that division, and after the close of the war re- turned home to find that his wife had passed away in 1864, while he was in the service; he was acci- dentally killed in 1869, in Washington; he left five children, viz .: John Logan, born October 4, 1853, died December 25, 1881; Anna (wife of William White, of Chartiers township), born in. 1855; George, living in Chartiers township, born December 28, 1857; William, living in Chartiers township, born in 1859, and Elizabeth, born April 26, 1861, her home being with Arnold Bros., Char- tiers). Sarah, born in March, 1828, married to William Harsha, who first settled in Ohio, then in McLean county, Ill., where he died in 1872, leav- ing a widow and the following children: William H. (married and living in Missouri), Maggie, Liz- zie, Jennie, Hattie, Simon, Samuel Farley, Wilson, Joseph and James. Elizabeth, born February 12, 1831, wife of Samuel Farley (she died in Feb- ruary, 1864, leaving three children: James, living at Boston, Penn. ; Samuel, married to Anna Mani- fodd, and Elizabeth, deceased June 14, 1890, wife of John Manifodd). Esther Ann, born January 20, 1833, wife of D. M. Stewart, of Cross Creek town- ship. Wilson and Joseph.

WILSON ARNOLD was born July 27, 1836, on the home farm in Chartiers township, and received his education at the cominon schools of the neighbor- hood. After leaving school he began business as a farmer and stock raiser, which he and his brother Joseph have followed with signal success. The home farm consists of 240 acres of well-culti- vated land, upon which they raise large numbers of sheep and cattle. Politically Mr. Arnold is an active Democrat, and he is a member of the United Presbyterian Church at Houstonville.

JOSEPH ARNOLD was born March 28, 1838, in Chartiers township, Washington Co., Penn., on the home place, where he grew to manhood. On June 1, 1864, he was married to Maria Stewart, of

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Cross Creek township, this county, who bore him three children, namely: J. F. (living in Chartiers township), born April 6, 1866; Sadie, born Novem- ber 29, 1867, drowned February 10, 1880; and Simon, born July 29, 1870. The mother of these children died December 26, 1872, and on April 29, 1875, Mr. Arnold married Miss Mary L. Black, of Canonsburg, this county, born October 2, 1847. She is a daughter of John E. Black, who was born, in 1814,in Allegheny county, Penn., and in 1840 was united in marriage with Alice Hanson, a native of Cecil township, this county, born in 1818. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Black settled in Canonsburg, this county, where he became a prom- inent and successful merchant. He was treasurer of Washington and Jefferson College for some time, and during his later years carried on a bank- ing business at Canonsburg. He voted with the Republican party, and in religious faith was a member and ruling elder of the Associate Reformed Church in Canonsburg. He died in December 1868; his widow is yet living in the town.

Joseph and Mary (Black) Arnold began married life on the farm where he is yet living, which he and his brother, Wilson, had conducted for several years prior to the marriage of Joseph, doing a profitable business in sheep raising. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold have had the following children: Kate, born June 11, 1878; Joseph, born August 21, 1882, died at the age of three weeks; one deceased in infancy; James, born July 24, 1884, and Joseph J., born December 9, 1885. In politics Mr. Arnold is an active member of the Democratic party. He and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Houstonville.

OHN K. McMILLAN was born December 10, 1852, in Fallowfield township, Washington Co., Penn., a son of Robert McMillan, a native of this county, whose father was a farmer by occupation. Robert was married to Elizabeth Bennett, and nine children were born to them, of whom the following is a brief record: Leander is deceased; Harvey lives in Pittsburgh; Mary is the wife of Jacob Gibson, of Fallowfield township; Amanda is the deceased wife of Smith Carson, who also lives in Fallowfield; Anna Louisa died in infancy; Cynthia, Robert, Jr., and Jennie H. reside at home; John K. is the subject of this memoir. The mother died in 1867.

John K. McMillan was reared on his father's farm, and received his elementary education in the common schools of his native township, which was supplemented with a course at the Southwestern State Normal School, California, Penn., and at Duff's Business College, Pittsburgh, class of 1877- 78. He then came to Washington, and for a time carried on an insurance business. In 1881

he purchased first the half and later the entire in- terest in his present drug store in the borough. Mr. McMillan is a registered pharmacist (1887), and his store is equipped with everything essential to a first-class prescription establishment and general drug business. In 1879 our subject was united in marriage with Miss Kate E. Jones, daughter of William McK. Jones, a farmer of the county, of Somerset township, now of Monongahela City. Three children have blessed this union, viz .: Bes- sie Ula, Ariel Vivene and John Adrian, all at home. The family are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. McMillan is a member of the F. & A. M. ; in pol- itics he is a Democrat.

OHN MEHAFFEY, the largest landholder in Donegal township, and one of the most extensive in Washington county, is descended from a vigorous Scotch-Irish race, noted for their honesty, industry, energy and loyalty.

Robert Mehaffey, a native of Ireland, born in 1772 in County Tyrone, set sail about the year 1800 for the Western Hemisphere, landing at New York after a lengthy voyage. From "Gotham " he proceeded to Lancaster county, Penn., where for some time he rented and worked a farm. Here in 1801 he married Eleanor Mitchell, who bore him the following named eight children: James, Joseph; Robert, Mitchell, Jane, John, Ellen and Lizzie, all of whom lived to an adult age except Lizzie, who died in infancy, and two are yet living, viz .: Jane (wife of Patrick Rodgers, of Donegal township) and John. About the year 1816 Robert Mehaffey moved from Lancaster to this county, where he leased the McDowell farm in Buffalo township, along the National pike, and here re- mained some years, after which he came to Done- gal township, settling on a farm about four miles northwest of Claysville. Here he followed agri- cultural pursuits during the remainder of his busy life, dying July 22, 1824, aged fifty-two years; his widow continued to live on this farm (it being op- erated by her sons) until her death, which occurred September 9, 1846, when she was sixty-six years old.

John Mehaffey is a native of the county, as has already been intimated, having been born January 11, 1821, in Donegal township, his education, which owing to circumstances was very limited, being obtained at the public schools of his locality. He was but three years old when his father died, so, his widowed mother requiring all the assistance on the farm she could muster, he began very early in life to work about the place, "doing chores," etc. But it was a sound, practical training that proved of invaluable service to him in after life- an education that brought him wealth that no clas- sic lore of ancient Rome or Athens could ever help him to, as a tiller of the soil. Farming has been

John Mahaffey

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his life-work from boyhood, and fortune has smiled upon his labors. By good management, sound judgment, indefatigable perseverance and wonder- ful sagacity lie has accumulated possessions, until he is now the owner of over 1,000 acres of prime farm land, on which he has many tenants, and whereon browse his sheep, numbering in the hun- dreds, for Mr. Mehaffey, in addition to general farming, is extensively engaged in wool growing. He himself now does little or no real active farm work, as the management of liis vast estate, to- gether with his other business affairs, occupies about all his time.

On March 31, 1859, Mr. Mehaffey was married to Sarah Jane Barr, who was born in Buffalo township, this county, March 6, 1834, a daughter of Robert Barr; she died September 4, 1864, leav- ing one child, Eleanor, an accomplished and re- fined young lady, still living with her father. His second wife, whom he wedded November 22, 1866, was Elizabeth Sawhill, also a native of Buffalo township, born November 29, 1830, who bore him one son, William J., a promising young man. Mr. Mehaffey, after his marriage with Miss Barr, lived in various parts of his native township up to 1870, in which year he located on his present piece of well-improved land lying four miles northwest of Claysville, and here he has since made his home. His residence, which he erected himself, stands on an elevated part of the grounds, and commands a fine view of the surrounding country. Prior to his first marriage he had followed farming on the old homestead, the place of his birth.

Mr. and Mrs. Mehaffey are consistent members of the Presbyterian Church at Claysville, and they are known and respected, far and wide, for their philanthropy and many charitable acts. In his political associations our subject was first a Whig, and since the organization of the party has been an equally zealous Republican. He believes in protection for American industries and workmen. Much of his attention has been devoted to the wool industry, which he believes to be dependent upon a protective tariff. Mr. Mehaffey is a man of pro- nounced views, genial and quiet and pleasant in his manner; and though now somewhat advanced in years, he is still hale and active. He and his family enjoy the respect and esteem of a wide cir- cle of friends and acquaintances.

W O. STEVENSON. The first ancestor of this gentleman, of whom we have authen- tic record, was Richard Stevenson, of Berkeley county, Va. (now W. Va.), where he was born and reared.

Richard Stevenson was married in early man- hood to Mrs Onora Crawford (widow of Hugh Crawford, an old Indian trader, by whom she had

two sons, William and Valentine). William Craw- ford was colonel of the Fifth Virginia Regulars, commissioned in 1781. The circumstances of his death, which occurred June 11, 1782, in Sandusky, Ohio, are recorded in nearly every U. S. history. He was burned at the stake by Indians (who had captured him) for the evident purpose of wreaking vengeance on their victim in return for the historic massacre at Gnadenhutten, Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, many Indians having been there slaughtered by the whites. 'At the time of his capture Col. Craw- ford was conducting a campaign against the Wyandotts and Moravian tribes. To the union of Richard and Onora (Crawford) Stevenson children were born as follows: John, Hugh, Richard, James, Marcus and one daughter. Mrs. Steven- son possessed great physical strength, and was a. kind and affectionate mother; she died in 1776. Gen. George Washington was a frequent visitor at this home, often taking part in athletic contests. with the sons. The early friendship ripened with the passing years, and when Gen. Washington rose to prominence in military life, James Stevenson was yet his dearest friend and constant companion ..

James Stevenson, son of Richard, was born and reared on his father's farm in Berkeley county (W. Va.), where he was united in marriage with" Rachel Mckeever; their children were Moses, William, Mary, Theodosia, James and Sarah. In 1781 Mr. Stevenson concluded to take advantage of the cheap lands then open in western Pennsylvania. He was then in the prime of life, and a splendid specimen of physical manhood. In company with. a negro slave named Fortune (who had been the property of George Washington, from whom Mr. Stevenson purchased him), he started on foot'on a. journey of exploration, leaving his family at home, not wishing them to undergo the perils of such a hazardous expedition. The two men arrived safely in Washington county, Penn., and Mr. Stevenson took up a "tomahawk claim" of 500 acres of choice land, four miles southeast of Burgetts- town, Smith township. 'A humble cabin was soon erected, some rude improvements made, and a crop of corn planted. The negro previously mentioned was then left to manage the place, and Mr. Stevenson then returned to West Virginia, the negro subsisting on game and roots during his ab- sence. The entire family were located in their pioneer home, which was afterward supplanted by a larger log cabin. Mrs. Stevenson died Decem- ber 14, 1789, and for his second wife Mr. Steven- son married Martha Barr, the following children being born to their union: Benjamin, Richard, Joseph, Achsalı and John. The land increased in value as civilization progressed, and at the time of his death Mr. Stevenson was a wealthy man. He died in 1813, being followed by his wife in 1816.

William Stevenson, born January 24, 1771, was a.

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son of James and Rachel (McKeevers) Stevenson, and the grandfather of W. O. Stevenson. He was married to Margaret Crawford, and they reared a family of ten children. Their father died March 1, 1851, their mother May 11, 1819. Oliver Stevenson, their son, was born in 1801 in Smith township, on his father's farm, and received his elementary education at the country schools. On January 12, 1826, he was united in marriage with Sarah Curry, who was born in 1803, daughter of Robert Curry, a cooper by trade, and a native of Scotland. He immigrated to Pennsylvania, locating in Allegheny county, near the present site of Allegheny, and was often obliged to flee to a neighboring blockhouse from the Indians. The children of Oliver and Sarah Stevenson were as follows: Margaret A., born January 15, 1827 (wife of J. B. Haines, a prominent wholesale, merchant of Pittsburgh, Penn.); Isabel M., born June 5, 1829 (died at the age of twenty-one years); W. O., born May 5, 1832; R. T. C., born August 15, 1839, a citizen of Burgettstown, Penn .; Sarah Juliet, born August 15, 1843 (died in youth); and Oliver M., born December 5, 1848, died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson first settled on a farm in Smith township, and afterward moved to the farm where the remainder of their lives was passed. At the time of his death Oliver Stevenson was quite an ex- tensive landowner. In politics he was much inter- ested in the success of the Democratic party, with which he was connected. He died in 1854, his widow on June 18, 1885, aged eighty-three years.

W. O. Stevenson was born on the home farm in Smith township, where he is now living. On March 2, 1869, he was married to Ophelia Ann Walker, who was born September 21, 1847, in Jefferson township, this county, daughter of Sam- nel and Elizabeth (Jerome) Walker. They have had three children, namely: Sarah L. (deceased in infancy), Maggie B. (at home), and Nellie Ophelia. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson have always lived on the home farm, which consists of 160 acres of valuable land, lying four miles south of Burgettstown. He has successfully followed agricultural pursuits; in politics he is a lifelong Democrat.

OHN B. WEIR. In the galaxy of names of the influential citizens of Washington bor- ough, that of John B. Weir ranks with the first. He is a descendant of Scotch-Irish an- cestors, to which two races many of the most intelligent and enterprising citizens are proud to trace their lineage. In the latter part of the eighteenth century three brothers first landed on American soil, whose descendants are numbered among the leading families of the Eastern States: Adam, William and Samuel Weir (with his wife) crossed the ocean together, and soon after their

arrival in the United States settled near the head of Chartiers creek. The families of Adam and Will- iam in after years pushed farther westward, their descendants being scattered throughout Iowa and the neighboring States.

Samuel Weir, the grandfather of John B., made a permanent settlement on a farm in Washington county, Penn., where he followed agricultural pur- suits and distilling, the latter industry being then a common occupation; and not many years ago one could count, from a neighboring hill on his pioneer farm, the smoke from fifteen distilleries, all in operation. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Weir were the parents of the following children: Joseph, Adam, Thomas, Polly (married to Thomas Axtell, of this county, and leaving descendants in Solsberry; Ind.), Jane (deceased wife of John Buck, a stage driver on the National road, who settled in Ohio, where her descendants are living), Rachel (de- ceased), Sarah (widow of Charles Rettig, in Am- well township) and Mrs. Deaver (of Hillsborough, this county). Samuel Weir was a Democrat in politics. He died many years ago, and his widow afterward married George Ringland. She died in the year 1847, at an advanced age.

Joseph Weir, a son of Samuel, was born in Franklin township, on the farm now owned by Stephen Post. He was married to Jemima Squires, a native of Morris township. (The Squireses were among the pioneer settlers of Franklin town- ship, now scattered, some of the members having moved to Ohio). The young couple settled on the farm in Franklin township which is still in the possession of their descendants. Their children were as follows: Samuel C. (died at the age of sixty-one years, leaving two sons, who are residents of this county), William L. (died at the age of thirty-three), Elizabeth (Mrs. Post), Jane, George and Joseph (all three died in infancy) and John B. (subject of this sketch). The mother of these children died in 1842, at the age of forty- two years, and in 1844 Mr. Weir married Mrs. Phobe Hanna, of Carrollton, Ohio, to whom two children were born, namely: Morris (living near Washington) and Margaret (wife of John M. Day, of Franklin township). Mr. Weir was an active member of the Democratic party. He served one term as director of the poor, and filled various township offices. He was school director for many years, also supervisor, and was twice elected jus- tice of the peace. He was familiarly known as "Uncle Joe" among his friends, being a genial and popular man. He followed farming, but devoted his attention to raising sheep, being so fond of these animals that he would neither kill one nor eat its flesh. He shipped the wool one year to Lowell, Mass., and received the highest price paid for fleeces in the entire county. Joseph Weir was a regular attendant and supporter of the

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Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He was a man of strong convictions, one who never swerved from any duty which lay before him, and a perfect speci- men of physical manhood. Though far advanced in years, his death was an unexpected blow to all. He was salting the sheep one morning, and, failing to return to the house, was found dead in the pasture. The medical authorities gave a ver- dict of heart failure, but liis son John is of the opinion that the old gentleman, being crippled by sciatica, tripped in the deep grass over the salt pail, and could not regain his breath. Joseph Weir died in 1867, at the age of seventy-one years, being followed by his widow in 1881.

John B. Weir was born in 1837, in Franklin (then Morris) township, and received his early education in the common schools. He attended Waynesburg College, and finally graduated at Duff's Business College, at Pittsburgh. He after- ward taught a term of school, later going to Van- Buren, where he sold goods for his uncle (Adam Weir), and in the summer of 1865 began business for himself. In this he continued three years, then finding his health failing, retired to a farm in Morris township, this county, where he remained fifteen years. In 1864 lie married Miss Julia Bane, granddaughter of Benjamin Lindley, a pioneer settler of Washington county. To them four children were born: Mary J. (wife of W. E. Baldwin, of Franklin township), Ida M. (studying for a professional nurse, at the Homoeopathic Hospital, Pittsburgh, Penn.), Chester and Annie (living with their parents). The mother died in January, 1886, and in 1887 Mr. Weir married Mrs. Mattie Burgan, daughter of Jacob Braden, of Edgar county, Ill., and widow of Langdon Bur- gan, by whom she had two children: James (a telegraph operator at Terre Haute, Ind.) and Mollie (wife of Rev. W. F. Schrontz, of New York). No children have been born to Mr. Weir's last marriage. Fifteen years after settling on the farm in Morris township, the house of John B .. Weir was burned. He then sold the farm, and moved to his present home in Washington borough, where he is living a retired life. His early years were actively employed, as a general farmer, giving attention to the breeding of heavy draft horses, having been the first to introduce the registered heavy draft horse brought into Wash- ington county in the year 1879. In politics he is a Democrat. The position of road commissioner in Morris township was filled by him for nine years, and he served as a constable and assessor several years. His business career has been most successful, and during the period of active life he settled many estates, and collected the county school and road taxes. He has been a member of the Church for twenty-five years, and is now a

member of the Second Presbyterian Church of Washington. Mr. Weir is one of the most hon- ored citizens of Washington.

W ILLIAM ARMSTRONG, one of the oldest native-born, prosperous agriculturists of the county, is a grandson of the veteran pioneer, James Armstrong.

James Armstrong came from eastern Pennsylvania, the locality of his birth, to Wash- ington county, Penn., several years prior to the close of the last century. He served as a soldier in the Revolution. Some time before coming here he had married Margaret Martin, and they with some of their children made the trip westward over the mountains, experiencing in their long and hazardous journey not a few hardships. They set- tled in Donegal township about one and one-half miles south of West Alexander, and erected a log cabin and set to work to make a clearing in the then unbroken forest, converting it into what is now a fertile and beautiful farm. Here they toiled from year to year, surrounded by the innumerable dangers incident to pioneer days, until finally called to their long home, the grandmother dying in 1838, the grandfather in 1849. The children born to them were as follows: Hugh (of whom special mention will presently be made), Mary (who died at the age of seventy-five years), John (who died in Darke county, Ohio, where he was an early settler), James and Joseph (both of whom died in Donegal township), David (who was a mil- ler and farmer, at Triadelphia, W. Va., and who died at the age of seventy-three years), Margaret (married to Robert Stewart, and now deceased), Martin (a farmer of West Finley township, now deceased), Samuel (who died in Donegal township, leaving several children), and William (who died in childhood).

Hugh Armstrong was born in eastern Pennsyl- vania, and came with his parents to Washington county as above stated. He learned blacksmith- ing, a trade he followed for some time, and then began farming, which he carried on during the rest of his life. In 1816 he was married to Jane McCoy, a native of Finley township (since divided into East and West Finley townships), and to this union were born children as follows: Margaret, William, James (who moved to Missouri and there died), Isabella (Mrs. John M. Oldham, now living in Jefferson City, Mo.), John (who died in West Union, Marshall Co., W. Va.), Thomas, Martin and Jane (all three deceased when aged thirteen, four and three years, respectively), and David (who was a farmer in West Finley township, and died in February, 1892). The mother of this family dying in 1847, Mr. Armstrong married, for

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his second wife, Elizabeth McCoy, who died in 1850, without issue. After his first marriage Mr. Armstrong made a settlement in the northwest corner of West Finley township, near the West Virginia line, where he carried on farming. He was called from earth in 1854, having lived a life of honest industry which brought him well-merited success. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and, in politics, was first a Whig, after- ward a Republican, and served for many years as a justice of the peace.

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Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 126

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1540

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1540