Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 134

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 134

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Ella M. Gregg's paternal great-grandfather, William Gregg, had five sons and one daughter, namely: Margaret, who married William Crow; Henry, who married Jane Dowler; John, who mar- ried Nancy Gregg; Andrew, who married Dorcas Nichols; William, who married Ruth Jackman, and Robert, who married Ann Robison; they were all born in Ireland. Henry and Jane Dowler's chil- dren were: Henry, Thomas, John, Robert, Seth, Israel and Edward. William Gregg had three sons-Robert (who married Mary West), Henry (who died in manhood) and Andrew (married to Mary Ann Hugans-and four daughters-Mary Ann (married to Jonathan West), Jemima (married to Robert Jackman), Sarah (married to Col. Frie) and Peggy (married to Henry Sphar). Henry Gregg has two sons living: William and John. John Gregg married Sadie Price. His brothers were: William and Henry (deceased). Henry and Nellie Gregg's children were: Jane, Ala, Nancy, Sarah and Emily. Andrew Gregg had three daughters and one son. Polly, when thirteen years old, married Andrew Moore, and gave birth to a son in her fourteenth year. She subsequently married John Reeves, and by him had three chil- dren, Katy, Dacious and Jesse. Old Henry Gregg died on the farm now owned by Alexander Devaul. It was left to our subject's mother, but some one stole the will. The children of Robert and Ann (Robison) Gregg (grandparents of Ella M. Gregg) were: John R., William, Mary, Jane, Andrew, Ann, Harriet Matilda, all now deceased except Jane, Andrew and Ann. John R. married Sarah G. Wallace; William never married, and died ten 40

years ago; Andrew married Mary Ann Ailes, and had no issue; Jane married Daniel Williams, and had eight children (she resides in Ohio, and has ten great-grandchildren; of her children-John R. married Mary Peppers (he is a merchant in Coal Centre); Robert (unmarried) resides in Coal Centre; Amanda married Caspar Williams, who resides on his farm near Brownsville; Ann married a farmer and lives in Ohio; Elizabeth married a Mr. Mill- horn; Eliza married an Ohio merchant; Keziah is unmarried); Ann married Thomas Hugans, a farmer, and had two children: Sarah Jane (deceased), and Will (a bachelor, living on the old Hugans farm); Sarah Jane, married to Jehu West, and had one daughter, Deborah West. Mrs. Ann (Robison) Gregg's father settled in East Pike Run township. in 1793, and was there married. He kept a tavern on the National pike for many years. Robert Gregg was actively identified with the Democratic party, and his wife was a member of the M. E. Church. He died May 19, 1872, aged ninety-two years, having been preceded by Mrs. Gregg in 1870.

John R. Gregg, son of Robert and Ann (Robi- son) Gregg, was born April 5, 1810, in East Pike- Run township, where he was reared and educated, then taught several terms of school in his native township; at one time he taught thirteen months without any vacation. On November 29, 1832, he married Sarah G. Wallace, a native of this county, born May 1, 1812, and the young couple resided in East Pike Run township for a short time after their marriage. They then conducted a hotel for several years at Coal Centre, and Mr. Gregg after- ward engaged in mercantile business; he also served many years as postmaster. Politically he was identified with the Democratic party. He died April 17, 1885, in his seventy-fifth year. Mrs. Gregg was a member of the M. E. Church at Coal Centre. She died June 5, 1871, aged fifty-nine years, and left four children, namely: Ella M .; Ann Jane, wife of L. W. Morgan, merchant, of California, Penn .; William Henry, living in Coal Centre, and married to Mary Lambert, and Mary E., a member of the M. E. Church in Coal Centre, who died January 11, 1875. William Henry Gregg served four years during the Civil war as sergeant in Company I, First West Virginia Cavalry. Of his five children, John R., Lusetta Jane and Eliz- abeth M. are living. Ann Jane Gregg married L. W. Morgan, and of their seven children, Peto W. is cashier of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany at Erwin depot; Albert T. is principal of the Derry schools; Elizabeth is teacher in the Normal , School at California, Penn. Ella M. Gregg, daughter of John R. and Sarah Gregg, repre- sents five generations of her family who have. resided in the Monongahela Valley. In 1886 she: bought a lot in Stockdale, and having erected a

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pleasant residence, has since made her home in the village. She owns a farm of 133 acres in Allen township, which was the Crow farm bought by her father. She has in hier possession a thimble that was used by "old Uncle Henry," who did his own . sewing, patching and knitting.

John Gregg, brother of Henry, and son of one of the immigrants from Ireland, had three daugh- ters-Nancy, Sarah and Eleanor-and two sons, who died of consumption. Eleanor (who died in 1813) married William Wallace, who served with the Maryland troops in the war of 1812, and at its close settled in Washington county. (Sarah G. Wallace, who married John R. Gregg, a son of Robert, was a daughter of William and Eleanor Wallace). John Gregg, Sr., married after the death of his first wife, and to this second marriage three sons-Audrew, Robert and Jacob-and four daughters were born. One daughter married Rich- ard Hugans, and has one son, Jacob Hugans, liv- ing in California, Penn .; another daughter married William Hannon. Robert married Ala Hugans; Andrew married Peggy Hugans; Jacob married Nannie Hanna. Jacob Gregg has three daughters living-Jemima, Jane and Elizabeth-and one son, Henry Gregg, of Greene county, Penn. Nancy, Sarah and Eleanor were children to John, by first wife. Nancy married John Gregg, Sr .; Sarah married John Greer, and Eleanor (as told above) married William Wallace. John and Nancy Gregg had four sons. James, Andrew, Henry, John, Mary, Nela, Sarah, Nancy and Elizabeth are all dead. John's daughter, Lila, lives on the old home that came from the old Henry estate. She is the widow of Luther Axtell. Edward Gregg has two daughters living: Malinda West, of Cali- fornia, and Mary J. Baker, of Centreville. Malin- da West had five daughters: Emma, married to H. Louis; Myrtle, married to Frank Craven; Dora, married to John Beazell; Mary, married to Ember- son Reade, and Kate, unmarried. John Gregg's widow is living. Edith (Woodward) Gregg has one son, William H., a merchant in Coal Centre (married to Jane Forsythe, and has one son, Ed- gar, living in Pittsburgh), and another son, Thomas (married to a Miss Cooper, and living in West Vir- ginia).

J OSEPH MOORE CURRY, one of the leading business men of Union township, is a native of Allegheny county, Penn. He is a grand- son of Moses Curry, who was born in eastern Maryland, and was there married to Miss Sarah Moore. Their children were Samuel, David, Moses, Robert, John, Ezekiel, Joseph and Hiram.

Joseph Curry was born in 1778, in Chester coun- ty, Penn., and was educated as a physician. In 1804, in company with the progenitors of many of the old families of Washington and Allegheny

counties, such as the Finleys, Campbells, Hindmans, McClellans, etc., he came to western Pennsyl- vania, and purchased a large tract of land near Pittsburgh, at what is now Curry Station, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Here for a period of sixty years Dr. Curry carried on an extensive medical prac- tice, covering a circuit of many miles. He also conducted large farming operations, together with other industries, such as gristmills, sawmills, dis- tilleries, etc., located on his property. Soon after coming to this place he was married to Jane, daughter of John Finley. She bore him the fol- lowing children: John F., Joseph M. (mentioned below), Sarah (wife of Samuel Happer), Margaret (Mrs. Richard Storer), Mary J. (wife of Dr. John- son), Susan (married to Robert Foster), Isabelle (Mrs. Robert Hutchinson), and William E. The father voted with the Democratic party, and in re- ligious faith was a member and elder of the Associ- ate Reformed Church. Dr. Curry died in 1862. His wife survived him fifteen years, dying in 1875 . at the age of eighty-four years.

Joseph Moore Curry, whose name introduces this biography, was born July 24, 1813, on the place in Allegheny county, Penn. He, also, was edu- cated for the medical profession, but abandoned that career for a mercantile life. He embarked in the dry-goods business in Pittsburgh, in 1834, in company with H. B. Green, forming the house of Curry & Green, situated on Market street. In 1841 this became Chadwick & Curry, and continued for a number of years. In 1839 he established a gen- eral store and supply depot at the sign of the " Roe- Galley" (now the town of Finleyville), a post sta- tion, fourteen miles out from Pittsburgh, on the Pittsburgh and Brownsville stage road. The goods with which this famous old establishment was stocked, comprising every known commodity, were transported by canal boat and conestoga wagon direct from the East, in immense cargoes four times a year. Great quantities of country produce of every kind-butter, eggs, lard, tallow, wool, fruit, vegetables, grain, cheese, beeswax, vin- egar, etc., were taken in exchange for supplies, and shipped to Pittsburgh every morning by wagon. A glance over the books and records of this old estab- lishment is a revelation of the wonderful variety and immense quantity of merchandise carried by these old country stores.

In 1845 the subject of this sketch was married to Mary J., daughter of Robert Campbell. In 1852 he purchased a tract of land one mile below Finleyville, from J. S. Gaston, and there built a large store, mansion house, a number of tenant houses and shops, thus founding the town of Cur- ryville, which he afterward had changed to Gaston- ville, in honor of the original landholder. He removed to his new place in 1854, where he has since resided, continuing in active business until

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five years ago, when he retired from active busi- ness, being succeeded by his son George A., in 1889. He was bereaved of his beloved wife, De- cember 14, 1870, who left the following children: Joseph Roland, William Hindman, Edward Camp- bell, George A., Frank Morgan, Mary J., Lilly B. and Robert Charles.

Politically Mr. Curry has always supported the Democratic party, and in religion is a member of the Presbyterian church at Mingo. He has al- ways been a public-spirited citizen, contributing liberally toward all worthy objects.

OHN A. McKEAN, M. D., a physician of Wash- ington, Washington county, of which he is a native, was born July 14, 1846, in the borough of Washington, a son of Thomas and Fannie J. (Snodgrass) Mckean, of whom special mention will be found elsewhere. Dr. McKean is, to a great extent, a self-made man, having learned the trade of tobacconist in his early years, and at which he continued to work during his spare time while attending college and also while pursuing his professional studies. His education was received at the public schools of the place, and Washington and Jefferson College. In 1867 he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Thomas McKennan; then during the winter of 1868-69 he attended lectures at the University of Ann Arbor, Mich., and, in the winter of 1869-70, lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, graduating in the spring of 1870. In the fall of that year he moved to Independence, a village in the western part of Washington county, where he commenced the practice of his profession, and here continued until June, 1871, when he returned to Washington, and has ever since been in successful practice in the borough and surrounding country.

In October, 1876, Dr. McKean was united in marriage with Jennie B., daughter of Capt. John C. McCoy, now residing in Allegheny county. Three children came of this union, viz. : Fannie S. and John C., both at home with their father, and Harry M., who died at the age of nine years. The mother of these children was called from earth in 1882, and in 1886 Dr. McKean married Mrs. Sarah J. Zedeker, widow of B. B. Zedeker, formerly of South Strabane township; she bad one daughter by her first husband. The Doctor is a mem- ber of and elder in the Third Presbyterian Church of Washington. In his political prefer- ences he is a Republican, and serves as a member of the school board of South Strabane township. His home in South Strabane township is situated on East Maiden street, with his office at No. 162 South Main street. Dr. Mckean has made a fair success of his chosen profession. For four years he was the physician attending the County Farm and the Jail.

W J. McNARY is the representative of one of the oldest pioneer families of Washing- ton county, whose descendants are very numerous, and are numbered among the most energetic and prominent citizens of the county. James McNary, the earliest ancestor of whom we have a record, was a native of the High- lands of Scotland, born about the year 1711. It is supposed that he went to Ireland, and before 1760 emigrated thence to America with his family, consisting of a wife, four sons and one daughter. During 1760 he bought a tract of land in York county, Penn. He died at the home of his son, David, in Hanover township, Washington county, same State, in 1796.

John McNary, great-grandfather of our subject, was born and reared in Scotland. He married Esther Boyle, a native of Ireland, who bore him children as follows: Elizabeth, wife of William Douglass; Mary, wife of James McCoy; James; Margaret, wife of James Martin; Malcom; Esther, wife of Thomas Irving; Agnes, wife of William Pollock; John; Thomas; Alexander; Margaret; Jane, married to James Marshall; and Janet, wife of Robert Mckibben. The parents of this family came, with such children as had been born to them, to York county, Penn., some time prior to the Revolutionary war, and in 1801 the father visited North Strabane township, this county, where he purchased the farm now in the posses- sion of his grandson, James S. After returning to his home in York county, he died in 1802, and the family subsequently removed to the farm he had purchased. Of these children, James McNary was the grandfather of W. J. He mar- ried and reared a family of children, of whom Joseph McNary was one.

Joseph McNary was born in 1802, in Cross Creek township, this county, and received a meager education in the country schools of the period. He learned and followed the carpentry trade. He was married to Jane, daughter of William Rea, of Cross Creek township, this county, and the children born to this union were Margaret (deceased), Esther I. (unmarried, living in Burgettstown, Penn.), Jane R. (first married to James McNary, now the wife of Samuel Cowen, of Elizabethtown, Ky.), Rhoda (Mrs. Robert Withe- row, of Murdocksville, Penn.), Nancy A. (deceased wife of Eli Marquis), Sarah A. (deceased), Mary E. (Mrs. J. W. Bailey), Harriet A. (wife of John Witherow, of Beaver county, Penn.), Julia (strangled with a grain of corn), Joseph R. (a farmer of Smith township), W. J. (whose name opens these lines) and an infant daughter (de- ceased). Mr. and Mrs. McNary lived in Cross Creek township one year after their marriage, then located one mile west of Burgettstown, Smith township, where the remainder of his life was

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passed. Beginning life with no capital, he man- aged his affairs so successfully that at the time of his death his personal property was valued at over $20,000. He and his wife were members of the U. P. Church at Burgettstown, in which he served as an elder a long time. In politics he was always a Democrat, and had been chosen to fill many township offices. He died in 1874.

W. J. McNary was born December 1, 1850, on the farm adjoining his present home in Smith township, this county, where his early life was passed. On December 25, 1879, he was married to Maggie E. Proudfit, who was born August 15, 1855, daughter of R. F. and Saralı E. (Porter) Proudfit, of Smith township, and two daughters have been born to their union: Sarah J. and Esther R., both yet living at home. Mr. and Mrs. McNary began wedded life half a mile west of Burgettstown, this county, on a part of the old home place, where he has since resided and made many improvements. He is a very energetic and "hustling" young farmer, always ready to assist any worthy enterprise. Politically he is an active worker in the Democratic party, and has held various township offices with satisfaction to his constituents. He and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Burgettstown. .

S AMUEL T. MARTIN, a representative citi- zen and practical farmer of North Strabane township, was born in Washington county on the home farm. His ancestors were na- tives of York county, Penn. Toward the begin- ning of the eighteenth century, Peter Martin moved with his wife and family to Washington county, Penn., settling on the farm which is now occupied by his descendants. He died at the age of eighty years, having reared a family of seven children. James Martin, a son of this early settler, was born in 1792, in York county, Penn., and came with his parents to this county when a boy. In 1821 he was married to Mary White, who bore him children as follows: Peter B., born February 4, 1822 (deceased); Samuel T., born January 24, 1824; James, born December 12, 1826; John White (a merchant of Canonsburg, this county), born January 11, 1828; Matthew, born December 7, 1829; Mary Jane (deceased), born September 21, 1832; Ebenezer Henderson (drowned in the Potomac river), born June 21, 1834; Ann Eliza- beth (deceased), born November 2, 1837; Eliza- beth Margaret, born October 10, 1839; William Henry, born September 4, 1842, and Thomas Jef- ferson, born August 28, 1847. Mr. Martin con- tinued to improve his farm in connection with managing a sawmill, during his active business life. He was formerly a Whig, then a Republican, and held several political offices. In religion he

first united with the Seceder Church, then joined the United Presbyterians. He died in 1887, hav- ing been preceded by his wife in 1878.

Samuel T. Martin received a subscription and district-school education, and November 6, 1856, was united in marriage with Sarah Herron, who was born in 1827, in this county, daughter of James Herron, a pioneer settler of Washington county. Mrs. Martin died July 17, 1885, leaving the following children to mourn her death: Lizzie M. (wife of William S. Whiteley), William, Sarah and Charles E. The mother was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, with which Mr. Martin is also connected. He is a liberal con- tributor to all public enterprises of the county, and a most successful agriculturist. He has an excellent dairy, milking fourteen Holstein cows, and shipping daily an average of twenty-five gal- lons of milk to Pittsburgh, Penn. His farm con- sists of 120 acres of fertile, well-cultivated land.

D. McNARY. Among the representatives of old families in Washington county the subject of this memoir stands prominent. He is a son of David McNary, who in 1782 came from York county, Penn., to Washing- ton county, making a settlement in North Strabane township.

Thomas McNary, grandfather of subject, was a son of James McNary, who, some time prior to 1760, emigrated from Scotland to this country, and located in York county, Penn., afterward, in 1787, settling in Hanover township, Washington county. Thomas McNary was elected elder in the Chartiers Church in about the year 1799, and continued to serve in that capacity until his death in 1820.

David McNary, father of subject, was born in 1771, in (it is believed) York county, Penn., and about the year 1795 located in North Strabane township, where he purchased a farm of 320 acres, on which he continued to reside until his death. In 1816 he was married to Jane Edgar, daughter of Samuel Edgar, and born in County Down, Ireland, coming to this country with her father in 1794; for six years they lived in New York City, and then came to Washington county, Penn. To David and Jane McNary were born children as follows: Phobe, born in 1818, married James Beal, of West Virginia, and removed to Licking county, Ohio, where she died, leaving six children-two sons and four daughters; Thomas, born in 1820, died in early manhood; Samuel, born in 1822, died in 1892, leaving eleven children-five sons and six daughters (for fifteen years he was an elder in Chartiers U. P. Church); Jeanetta, born in 1824, died in early womanhood; Mary, born in 1826, married John Templeton, and has four sons, living in North Strabane township; David

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E., born in 1828, is living in Cross Creek township, and has three sons and three daughters (for twelve years he was an elder in West Middletown United Presbyterian Church); Matthew, born in 1830, died in the State of California in 1852; James R., born in 1833, died in 1891, leaving four daughters (for ten years he was an elder in Chartiers U. P.

Church), and Joseph D., subject of sketch. The father of this family died in 1847, the mother in 1868.

J. D. McNary was born January 28, 1836, on the , home place in North Strabane township, Washing- ton Co., Penn., where he was reared to agricultural pursuits, attending, during a few weeks in winter time, the common schools in the neighborhood. After this primary instruction, he entered Jeffer- son College, at Canonsburg, where he remained until his sophomore year. On April 1, 1857, he removed to South Strabane township, since when he has successfully followed agricultural pursuits on the farm on which he now resides. On Feb- ruary 5, 1857, Mr. McNary was united in marriage with Mary W., daughter of John Caldwell, of West Virginia, and the children born to this union were Lizzie J. (deceased), Lou J., Mattie E., Clara V. (Mrs. Rowley Cook), John R., Thomas H. and Mary J. The family are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Washington, of which Mr. McNary has been an elder since 1864. In politics he has always been a Republican, an active worker in the party, and an influential counselor. For the past eighteen years he has served as school director, and in all things he has proven himself a progressive and loyal citizen.

EMPLETON BROTHERS. David Temple- ton was born in 1800, in Washington county, Penn., where his life was passed in agri- cultural pursuits. On February 20, 1823, he was married to Miss Margaret Martin, who bore him the following named children: Margaret, John, Samuel and James, the two latter being deceased. The mother died May 25, 1833, and on February 20, 1834, David Templeton was again married, his second choice being Jane Mc- Nary, and their children were born as follows: Matthew, born January 27, 1836; Thomas, born March 21, 1838; David, born June 6, 1840; Ann (deceased wife of John White Anderson), born January 26, 1844; Joseph, born April 26. 1846, and William H. (deceased), born December 7, 1851. The father of this family was a devoted Christian, and both he and his wife were untiring Bible students. With but one exception the family worship at the U. P. Church. He died June 28, 1867, and the old homestead is now owned by his sons, Matthew, David and Joseph Templeton. Of these three sons David Templeton is married to

Nannie C. Horner, who has borne him four children.

Joseph Templeton wedded Miss Katie Spear, and they have two children.

Matthew Templeton has never married. On September 16, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Eighty-Fifth Pennsylvania Regiment, command- ed by Capt. H. J. Van Kirk. He served three years and two months, was in the Peninsular Campaign, and fought at the battle of Fair Oaks. Immediately after the engagement at Fair Oaks, Matthew Templeton was seized with a fever, and was sent for treatment to the hospital at Philadel- phia. On recovering he joined his regiment in North Carolina, taking part in the engagements of Yorktown, Williamsburg and Fort Wagner. At the last-mentioned place he was slightly wounded in the hip by a ball which killed a comrade at his side. He received an honorable discharge Novem- ber 22, 1864, and returned to the old home where he is yet living.

EORGE VALENTINE, who in his lifetime was one of the representative, well-to-do citi- zens of Donegal township, Washington Co., Penn., was a native of the county, born in Washington, November 22, 1822.

His father, John Valentine, was born in June, 1794, also in Washington. On May 11, 1818, he married Catherine May, daughter of George May (she was born March 20, 1800, in Bedford county, Penn., and died August 21, 1831), and she bore him the following named children: Julia A. (wife of Templeton Lucas, of West Alexander), George, John, Elizabeth M. (deceased wife of Joel Truesdell, of West Alexander), Daniel and Charles. Mr. Valentine, Sr., continued to live in Washing- ton, Penn., for some time after his marriage, but afterward kept hotel in Claysville, and subsequent- ly bought a farm and public house one-half mile east of West Alexander, on the "National pike," where the family were noted for their hospitality and good entertainment, and where he lived until his death May 14, 1868. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church of West Alexander, and in political persuasion was an Old-line Whig. His second marriage, to Mrs. Elizabeth Mehaffey, of Somerset county, Penn., was on December 28, 1839; she died July 14, 1867.

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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 134

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