Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 161

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 161

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LEWIS S. LIGGETT received his early education in the common schools of Independence township, and afterward took a four years' course at Wash- ington and Jefferson College, Washington, Penn. After leaving school he returned home and began farming on a part of the old place. On June 18, 1890, he was married to Hannah M. ( who was born September 24, 1864), daughter of William Patter- son, of Cross Creek township, and they have two sons, William Leonard, and John Patterson. Since his marriage Mr. Liggett has resided in a handsome residence which he erected and furnished with all

modern conveniences, making a beautiful home. He is an active and industrious young man, evi- dently inheriting the characteristic traits of energy and integrity, which have distinguished his family for generations. Both he and his wife are members of the U. P. Church, of West Middletown, Penn- sylvania.

M ORGAN MARTIN, a native of West Bethlehem, and now a citizen of Amwell township, is a descendant of Zephaniah Martin, a blacksmith and a member of the Presbyterian Church, who came with his wife and family from Morris county, New Jersey, about the year 1786. His son, James Martin (grandfather of our subject), married Anna Mc- Myrtre, in New Jersey. Securing a patent for 200 acres of land, they located in West Bethlehem township, this county. They had children born to them as follows: Thomas Martin (married Mary Bradbury in 1821, died September, 1851, aged sixty-five years, leaving three children: John M., residing in Greene county, Penn .; Thomas, who died in Missouri in February, 1892, and David, resid- ing in Kansas); Joseph (of whom a sketch is given below); Zephaniah (a blacksmith, mar- ried Belle Hood, to whom were born John and Anna, all of whom are dead); Jane (married Joseph Dunn died, June 13, 1863, aged seventy-two); Jos- eph Dunn (died December 15, 1865, aged seventy- seven, leaving seven children: Washing- ton (dead), James, Morgan L., Joseph, William (dead), Anna and John); Sarah (married David Bowman, who removed to Ashland county, Ohio, in 1829, where eight children were born, of whom no recent account is at hand); Elizabeth (married Stephen Jewell in 1822, and removed to Ohio in 1828; they had nine children: James (deceased), Jonathan and Joseph (reside in Ohio), John Mar- tin (deceased), Mary A. (deceased), A. J. Jewell (residing in Iowa), Jacob (residing in Kansas), Patience (deceased), and Sarah J., deceased). Mrs. Elizabeth Jewell died in 1844. The mother of this large family died in 1800. Mr. Martin aft- erward married Katherine Moore, with whom he resided on the farm until the time of his death in 1827.

Joseph Martin (father of our subject) was born on the farm in West Bethlehem township, March 15, 1790, and spent his early years attending school in the winter and working on the farm in the sum- mer. He married Elizabeth Hayden, who died shortly after without issue. He next married Nancy Iams, of Amwell township, December 27, 1821, living at Iams' Mills. John Iams, the mater- nal grandfather of Morgan Martin, came to Wash- ington county, from Maryland, about 1776, and purchased of a Mr. Keys the property, formerly

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known as Iams' Mills ( now Bissell P. O.), which had been previously patented by a Mr. Kelsey. Mr. Iams and his wife, whose maiden name was Hampson, walked and carried all their worldly possessions from Maryland to Pennsylvania; but being a miller and millwright, he prospered, pur- chased an old mill on the site of the one now owned by Morgan Martin, and tearing it down erected a new building, where he continued to follow bis vo- cation the remainder of his life. In addition to the mill property Mr. Iams owned about 300 acres of land, and was very successful in business. He died July 4, 1823, leaving the following named chil- dren: William Iams ( married Delilah Meek, died April 4, 1869, aged seventy-seven years; she died September 6, 1876, aged ninety-three years, leav- ing ten children: Miller, John H., Elisha, Thomas, Isaac, William, Delilah, Mary, Abraham and Rachel); John Iams (died April 30, 1846, aged thirty-four years and six months); Nancy ( who married Joseph Martin ); Charity ( wife of John D. Smith, died January 19, 1876, aged seventy- seven years). Her husband died March 12, 1876, aged eighty-one years, leaving the following chil- dren: Martin, Thomas (deceased), Amos, John, Joseph, Nathan, Willianı, Freeman, Elizabeth, Nancy and Ira (deceased). Sarah, wife of Will- iam H. Hathaway, died April 15, 1838, aged thir- ty-four years and six months. Mary married Moses Smith, died September 5, 1859, aged fifty- nine years four months and five days. Moses Smith died September 14, 1848, aged forty-one years ten months and twenty-eight days. They had children born to them as follows: John (who died in the army, at the battle of Fair Oaks), Moses, Joseph and Sarah (Mrs. Huffman).

Joseph Martin owned 280 acres of land. In pol- itics he was a Democrat, and though not a politi- cian, took an active interest in securing good local government. He died December 25, 1850, aged sixty years, nine months and ten days. Mrs. Mar- tin was a member of the Baptist Church, and died in that faith on January 21, 1879, aged eighty-four years and eleven days. The record of Joseph and Nancy (Iams) Martin's children is as follows: Morgan, born October 19, 1823; Elizabeth I., No- vember 24, 1825, died December 13, 1825; John I., February 8, 1828, died November 8, 1892; Joseph, April 2, 1831, died May 13, 1853; Anna, July 23, 1833; and Sarah, February 1, 1836, all of whom were born in West Bethlehem township. John I. married Elizabeth Barr November 30, 1851, and to them children were born as follows: Joseph (deceased), Sarah (Mrs. Keys), A. Jack- son, Martha, Samuel and C. W. Martin, who re- side on the farm located by their grandfather in West Bethlehem. Anna married A. P. Van- Dyke January 25, 1855. To them were born: Leroy M., Nancy (Mrs. Swart), Elizabeth (Mrs.

Bebout), Kate M., Hannah C. (Mrs. Allen, de- ceased), Thomas and Florence A. Van Dyke. Sarah married Neal Zollars November 7, 1860. They had eight children: George, Joseph, Nancy (deceased), Ezekiel (deceased), Grant, Kate, El- mira, and Martha Zollars.

Morgan Martin, son of Joseph and Nancy (Iams) Martin, was born October 19, 1823, and remained on the farm until twenty-seven years of age. About 1850 he began the milling business at Martin's Mills (now Bissell postoffice ), of which he is post- master, which business he has ever since followed with success. On September 18, 1856, he was united in marriage with Anna Reese, daughter of Thomas and Anna (Sunderland) Reese, of West Bethlehem township. To Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Martin have been born eight children, namely: Sanford, born June 18, 1857, married Alice Bigler March 9, 1882, and died September 5, 1889, at Tacoma, State of Washington; Eliza Jane, born December 19, 1859, married October 13, 1883, William S. Bigler (she died August 22, 1887, leaving two children, Israel G., born August 11, 1884, and Estella, born February 11, 1887); William R., born December 28, 1862; Anna, born December 17, 1864; Sarah, born June 8, 1867; Nancy, born August 12, 1869; Mary Ellen, born September 6, 1872, died December 30, 1885, and Lucinda, born October 10, 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Martin, with their family, belong to the M. E. Church. Politically he is a Democrat, though not a politi- cian. He commenced keeping a general store in 1876, and continues to operate both mill and store with marked success. He built the residence in which he now resides in 1854, and erected the store in 1880, in which is carried on his mercantile busi- ness and the business of the Bissell postoffice.

The brothers and sisters of Thomas Reese are: Jesse, Solomon, William, James, Rachel ( Mrs. Fisher), Nancy ( Mrs. Egy), Sally ( Mrs. McCor- mick ), and Sena ( Mrs. Scott). The record of the the children of Thomas Reese and Anna Sunder- land Reese is as follows: William Reese ( married Matilda Mikesel, and had born to them: James, Henry, Nancy (Mrs. Miller), Frank, Elsworth, Effie and Ida, the most of whom reside in Illinois. By his second wife he has two children). Henry Reese ( married Catherine Argo, had born to them Semantha (Mrs. Cole), William, Addie (Mrs. Routh), Jennie, Lyman, and Oran. By his second wife he had three children, all residing in Illinois). Sarah (married Samuel Braden; their children are named as follows: John Newton (deceased), Leroy, Flora (Mrs. Sharp), Mary Ellen (deceased), Martha, 'Anna (Mrs. Shrontz), Rebecca (Mrs. Gray), William, Henry, Sarah and Samuel B. Braden, all residents of this county). Rebecca (married John Ferrell; their children are: Eli- zah, Henry, John S., Jerry, Joseph, A. J., Harvey,

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Lizzie (Mrs. Keller), Mary (Mrs. Smith ), part of whom reside in Iowa, the rest are residents of Ne- braska). Isabell (married A. J. Grable, and had born to them: Emerson, Laura, Alvin, Mary, Will, Oscar, Anna, Edward and Lizzie, the most of whom reside in Kansas). Anna (married Morgan Mar- tin, as already related). Nancy (married Albert Clarke, and.to them were born Alice and William, who reside in Kansas). Mary ( married A. J. Gar- rett, and had born to them Zadie ( Mrs. Wood- head), Nora (Mrs. Glogan), Jackson, Martin R., and Daisy. They are residents of Kansas). Lu- cinda (married Cyrus Critchfield, and to their union was born one son, Sanford Critchfield, who resides at Denver, Colo.). Thomas Reese married Martha Thomas, and had born to their union Anna, John, William, Archibald, Charles and Georgia May, all residents of Coal Centre, this county.

OSEPH G. CHARLTON. In tracing the history of our civilization we find no influ- ence has been more potent for good than that of the daily press; especially is this true of the present century, when every important fact around the globe is brought to our very doors, and he who runs may read the record. Few of us often pause to think of the vast amount of brain power and energy required to keep this wonderful ma- chinery of the press in motion. We twine fair laurel wreaths to crown our heroes who battle in deadly strife for liberty, and why should the heroes of literature go down to the grave in utter obli- vion? Their victories are no less important to the world than were those won on bloody fields, and many a martyred hero has fallen after a warfare of not four, but four-score years in the army of the Scribes. All honor to our soldiers whether in the fields of carnage or of literature; both are fighting for liberty and right if they are true soldiers, and through the efforts of both " the truth is marching on."

Joseph G. Charlton was born May 17, 1844, in Washington, Washington Co., Penn., and passed his boyhood at the home of his uncle, in North Strabane township, receiving a common-school education. At the age of eighteen years he entered the printing office of The Reporter, Wash- ington, Penn., remaining there about four years. He then went to Pittsburgh, also working in other places. In 1870 he opened a confectionery store in Washington, Penn., and some years later pro- ceeded to Indianapolis, Ind. On Oct. 16, 1874, he was married to Tabitha S., daughter of James Hall, of Washington, Penn., and she has borne him two children, Maud and Harry. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Charlton resided five years at McCon- nell's Mill, Washington Co., Penn., where he con- ducted a general store. At the end of that time

he entered the publishing office of the Canons- burg Notes, and in 1886 opened an office, pub- lishing a paper called The Local. In 1888 he purchased the Canonsburg Herald, and is now the sole proprietor of both publications issued under the latter name, consisting of a seven-columm folio. Mr. Charlton attends the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and in political opinion is a Republican.

OHN McCOY, a descendant of one of the prominent early pioneers of this county, and himself one of the most highly respected citizens of West Finley township, is a native of the same, born in 1836 on the farm whereon he now lives.

Daniel McCoy, his grandfather, a native of Scotland, came to America in 1772, with his broth- ers, Angus and James, landing in Baltimore, Md., where, as was the custom at that period with impecunious immigrants, they were hired to a tobacco planter to work out the price of passage. On the same trip there came over a Miss Nancy McCoy, who for a similar reason was hired to the same planter who employed Daniel, and the friendship which sprung up between Nancy and Daniel ripened, in course of time, into a love which resulted in their union for life as soon as their passage had been fully worked out. They then came to Washington county, Penn., and here bought the farm, in what is now West Finley township, that has been in the possession of the McCoy family ever since, the original land patent for which was obtained from the Craig heirs. The old deed, dated 1788, is still in the possession of the subject of this sketch. To Daniel and Nancy (McCoy) McCoy were born nine children: Alex- ander, John, William, Angus, Kenneth, James, Betsey, Christy and Joseph, all now deceased. Angus McCoy's children were Joseph D., Janet, Margaret, William and Alexander; while the children of James McCoy were Alexander, John, William, Daniel and David.

Kenneth McCoy, who was the fifth child in the family, was born May 25, 1791, on the farm his father had settled on, and here lived all his life cultivating the soil, and every year adding to the improvements thereon. This farm he bought at the time of his marriage with Jane Brownlee, which happy event occurred April 18, 1817. Their home was brightened by the birth of children as follows: Jane, born June 4, 1818; Joseph, born November 1, 1819; Elizabeth, born October 4, 1824; Mary, born August 29, 1827, and John, our subject, all yet living except Jane and Joseph, the former of whom died August 15 1844, and the latter December 27, 1887. The father departed to that Better Land, " where all have gone and all must

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go," January 19, 1873, the mother, July 27, 1869. John McCoy was reared to the occupation of his forefathers, and has never left the old home farm, excepting the time he spent in traveling in the western States, shortly after his father's decease. His education was received at the common schools of his district, which he supplemented with much reading and close observation of men and things. With the savings from his hard earnings, he was enabled, on his return home from the West, to buy off the other heirs to his father's estate, and he is now sole proprietor, the property being one of the finest in the township. Mr. McCoy was married November 19, 1877, to Mary E., daughter of George Eckles, of West Finley township, and their union has been blessed with four children: Margaret, born August 26, 1878; John, born December 7, 1879; George, born February 18, 1882, and Edwin B., born September 10, 1886. In politics Mr. McCoy has been a lifelong Republican, but has never aspired to office. The McCoys have always been liberty-loving people, and some members of the family, in days gone by, were prominent Abolitionists.

Kenneth McCoy, father of our subject, aided at various times many slaves in their escape by the " Underground Railroad " into Canada, and at one time he had eleven colored fugitives secreted in his barn, whom he fed and sheltered until an opportunity offered for them to continue on their flight to liberty. It is said of his cousin Kenneth McCoy, of Ripley, Ohio, that some years ago he pried open the doors of a jail, cut the hand-cuffs and shackles off the prisoners, and liberated a number of unfortunate runaway slaves, who had been recaptured and temporarily incarcerated. He was a blacksmith and tool-dresser. Knowing where quarrymen had left a crowbar, he seized it and carried out his project of freeing the slaves. The authorities arrested another man, and summoned McCoy as a witness to identify the crowbar. The prosecutor asked him when he saw the crowbar last? "Why," he responded, "at the jail, the night I let the darkies out." The prisoner was discharged; but there is no record of the prosecu- tion of McCoy for this early cffort to emancipate the colored brothers.

S AMUEL M. McCONNELL. Among the representative and well-known old citizens of Hanover township, none stand higher than this gentleman.

The genealogy of the family can be traced to two brothers, Alexander and Matthew, who left Scotland, their native land, for America, prior to the Revolutionary war. Matthew McConnell was born about the year 1742. After landing in Amer- ica he was attracted by the fertile valleys in Lan-

caster county, Penn., and, there making his first permanent settlement, commenced agricultural pur- suits. Here he was married to Mary Alexander, a native of Lancaster county, and about 1779 this couple started to seek their fortunes in the "far west," as Washington county was then considered, making the tedious journey over the mountains. They were frequently obliged to cut roads through the forests as they proceeded. All the streams were forded, and the nights passed under some spread- ing oak, or perhaps they slept in their wagon. Their location in Washington (then a part of West- moreland) county was made within the present limits of Cecil township, where some of their de- scendants are yet living. A log cabin was soon erected, and the giant oaks fell beneath the axe of the pioneer until a space was cleared, on which they planted the essential crop of corn. Matthew McConnell passed the remainder of his days in this wilderness home, and the rude cabin which had first been erected was soon displaced by a more substantial and commodious dwelling which stood for many years after. As new settlements were made, the wilderness was gradually trans- formed into waving fields of grain, and comfort- able homes were made. Politically Mr. McConnell was a prominent member of the Federalist party, and filled several offices in the county at various times; he was one of the twelve justices of the peace who constituted the court of Washington county. In religion he was a prominent member of the Union or Associate Reformed Church. His children were Alexander, who died of small-pox when young, vaccination being then unknown; Elizabeth, who also died of small-pox; John, who moved to Trumbull county, Ohio, where he was an early settler; Frances, who resided in Harrison county, Ohio; Jane, who was married to William Berry, and died in Canonsburg, Penn .; Prudence, who married John Dunlap, and lived near Poland, Mahoning Co., Ohio; William, who resided in Richland county, Ohio; Mary, who lived in Cecil township; James and Lettice (twins), the latter of whom never married, and Martha, never married.

Matthew McConnell, son of Matthew and Mary (Alexander) McConnell, was born in Cecil town- ship, Washington Co., Penn., October 8, 1778, and passed his boyhood on the farm of his father, at- tending the subscription schools. He then taught school in Richland county, Ohio, living at home most of the time. In 1812 he was married to Ann Merchant, daughter of Samuel Merchant, a native of County Londonderry, Ireland, who immigrated to America and to Washington county, Penn., set- tling in Hanover township in early times; he was driven out by Indians only to return in later years, and passed his remaining days on the farm. The following children were born to the union of Mat- thew and Ann McConnell: Matthew A. (deceased

n. McConnell in His 72 year

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in youth), Margaret (now the widow of Thomas Merchant, and living in Florence), Elizabeth A. (deceased in youth), Samuel M. (whose name opens this sketch), Prudence (who resides in Florence), Matthew F. (farmer of Hanover township, who was born September 4, 1827, and died March 8, 1891), and Mary Jane ( unmarried, living in Florence, Penn.). Mr. and Mrs. McConnell passed their wedded lives on the "Old Merchant Homestead " in Hanover township, where he followed farming until his death, December 29, 1829. He was a very progressive man, and though dying in the very prime of life, had become prominently iden- tified with many public movements. In politics he was a Whig, and in religion believed in the creed of the Associate Reformed Church, but owing to the long distance which must be traveled in those days to attend a church of that denomination, he united with the Presbyterian Church at Cross Roads, of which his wife had previously been a member. She died in 1876, in her seventy-sixth year, on the same farm where she was born and where she had passed her life.

Samuel M. McConnell was born October 14, 1821, in Hanover township, Washington Co., Penn., and received a subscription-school education. His first " book " was the letters of the alphabet pasted on a wooden paddle, and the length of a school term was very uncertain, as no stated time was designated. He worked for his father on the home place, and afterward labored as a farm hand at several places in the neighborhood. On October 2, 1866, he was married to Sarah J. Wallace, daugh- ter of James Wallace, who was descended from an old family, prominently identified with the pioneer history of Hanover township.

Robert Wallace, a native of Scotland, immi- grated to America and settled in Westmoreland county, Penn., where he remained about three years. He there married Jane McCoy, and the young couple came to what is now Hanover town- ship, this county, where in 1771 he took out a patent for 300 acres of land on Brush creek. In- dians were numerous and settlers scarce, and several times they were driven from their home to return again after the Indians had gone. So they con- tinued to reside in their cabin home until about 1775, when one day in May of that year, Mr. Wal- lace, returning from a search in the forest for some calves that had strayed away, found his cabin in ashes and his family (then consisting of his wife and three children) gone. He at once knew it to be the work of the savages, who as he afterward discovered had lain hidden in a convenient flax patch until they had seen him leave home. Hastily arousing the few neighbors, the little band of de- termined men started in pursuit. They soon struck the trail, and had not proceeded far when they found the body of the youngest child, who had thus

early fallen a victim to the bloodthirsty instincts of the savages. They followed the trail to the Ohio river, but arrived too late to prevent the Redskins crossing; and further pursuit being futile, returned to their homes. Mrs. Wallace was also massacred on the way, and her mutilated body was afterward found near that of her babe. The two remaining children were taken by the Indians as far west as Indiana, where the younger died in captivity. The eldest child, Robert, was restored to his father three years later through an exchange of prisoners. This son, Robert, lived until his death in Robinson township, where he was known as " Indian Bob," a term indicative of his early captivity, and one of his sons still resides upon his farm there. Robert Wallace, Sr., afterward married Mary Walker, and they had the following children: John, Jane, James, Ann, Sarah and Elsie. The youngest daughter of James Wallace, of this family, became Mrs. S. M. McConnell. Robert Wallace, Sr., resided on his farm, on Brush creek, until his death, which occurred about the year 1807, when he was aged eighty- seven years, and was buried at Florence. Among the earliest settlers of Hanover township, he was indeed one of those sturdy men who braved untold dangers and opened a pathway through the wilder- ness, which has made possible the march of civiliza- tion and the wonderful progress of the nineteenth century.

One daughter has been born to the union of Samuel McConnell and Sarah Wallace, viz .: Annie J. (Mrs. George Saxton), who with her husband is yet living on her father's farm. After his marriage Samuel M. McConnell located on the old Wallace farm, situated about two miles east of Florence, in Hanover township, and has given his entire atten- tion to general farming and stock raising, in which he has been very successful. Politically he was originally a Whig, now a Republican, and is one of the influential men of his party, which he has served in various local offices. He is one of the best- known men in the community, and has hosts of friends. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, in which he is very active, having been a member of Session, of which he officiated as clerk for more than twenty-five years. He was also clerk of the board of trustees for more than twenty years. In 1883 the faithful wife and loving mother was called by the Master to her higher abode. On De- cember 13 her spirit passed beyond the river of death to that heavenly home " where no storms ever beat on that glittering strand, while the years of eternity roll." Early in youth she became a member of the Cross Roads Presbyterian Church, and her whole life had been one of exemplary Christian woman- hood. She passed away in her forty-seventh year, honored and revered by all.

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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 161

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