Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 26

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 26

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they had not earned, and were rewarded by polit- ical positions he could not contend for. He was, in 1814, one of the directors and stockholders in the Washington Steam-mill & Manufacturing Company, in which he lost money and gained noth- ing. He was also one of the contractors on the National Road, with Parker Campbell and Thomas McGiffin; his energy was unbounded in this work as in everything he undertook. The first survey made for the Chartiers Valley Railroad, one of the first railroads prospected, was made wholly at his expense; which fact was not learned until after his death, the information being given by the engineer who surveyed it for him. He was one of the com- missioners appointed to raise stock for the Wash- ington & Williamsport Turnpike Road, and for the Washington & Pittsburgh Turnpike Road. In 1843 Judge Baird, and Judge William Wilkins, of Pittsburgh, purchased the stock raised by the State for the Washington & Pittsburgh Turn- pike. No dividends were ever paid the purchas- ers on this stock though it was kept as a toll-road for many years. The Monongahela Navigation Company, having failed in its many attempts to improve the navigation of the Monongahela river, at last succeeded in forming a practical slack- water navigation company, and among the many commissioners appointed to receive subscriptions to the stock, Judge Baird was numbered. Copies of speeches made by him all over the counties of Washington, Allegheny and Fayette, the numerous articles written for the newspapers, all show how much in earnest he was in his efforts to excite the interest of the people in this great work. He was also elected, in 1813, president of the board of di- rectors of the Bank of Washington, an "Original Bank," as it was called. In November, 1818, Judge Baird conveyed the property of the bank to David Acheson, Alexander Murdoch and John Mar- shall, trustees. His judicial career has been the subject of very severe criticism and comment by his political enemies, and he was accused by them of judicial tyranny while he was on the bench. His great fault was that he had a very high ideal of the dignity of his office, and he re- sented an insult offered to himself when on the bench, as contempt for the majesty of the law, of which he was the official representative. He was a man who could not be bribed by flattery, or political offices of preferment. While on the bench his life was several times put in jeopardy, by men who resented his legal decisions when not given in their favor. An attempt was made by his enemies to have him impeached before the Legislature of Penn- sylvania, for disbarring lawyers guilty of contempt of court, but they did not succeed, in spite of all their malignant and false accusations. Those who wish to ascertain the facts in regard to this case can consult the Legislative records of that day. In

1854 an article appeared in a Philadelphia news- paper, written in defeuse of Judge Baird at the time of his nomination as the American candidate for the supreme judgeship. It says, in regard to his impeachment: "It is well known there was nothing shown in the investigation that could affect the standing of Mr. Baird, either as a judge or a gen- tleman.' Among the many charges brought against him, by his political enemies, when his name was mentioned for United States senator was that he was. Pro-slavery. This falsehood is denie d by the same writer, whom we again quote: "Judge Baird in all the relations of life has been a law- abiding, consistent and benevolent friend of the colored race, not an Abolitionist, or Pro-slavery, but an American. By one single decision of his, given when on the bench of Washington and Fayette, he discharged from slavery perhaps twenty thou- sand slaves. [See the case of Miller vs. Dwelling, 14 S. & R. p. 442.]"

Judge Baird was of scholarly taste, and not only well versed in all knowledge pertaining to his pro- fession, but was also a fine classical scholar. His Greek Testament lay upon his study table, and not unopened or unread-busy though he might be- and his Horace, Cicero and Virgil were so familiar to him that in conversation he had always an apt quotation ready to suit the subject under discus- sion. He had also studied Hebrew, and in the last few years of his life devoted much time in trans- lating the Psalms of David, not for any purpose but his own pleasure. Judge Baird was not am- bitious to acquire wealth or political power. His home was to him the dearest place on earth, and nothing could induce him to seek for pleasure or enjoyment out of its sacred precincts. After his retirement from the bench, upon which he was, much against his will or inclination, persuaded by influential friends to remain several years longer than he otherwise would, he practiced law at the Pittsburgh bar, where he was engaged only in im. portant cases. In 1848 he retired to his much loved home, at Harlem, his country seat on the Monongahela river, where he had for many years spent his summers with his family and friends. In early life he was married to Nancy Mccullough, by whom he had children as follows: Ellen B., in- termarried with Dr. R. R. Reed, both of whom are deceased, leaving a number of children and de- scendants, residing in Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Penn. ; Sarah A., who married George Morgan, but is now a widow residing in Washing- ton, Penn .; Harriet N. Baird, who died recently at Washington; Mary, intermarried with Joseph N. Patterson, both now deceased, leaving a son, T. H. B. Patterson, a lawyer in Pittsburgh, and Nancy, wife of Rev. William B. Mckibben, residing in Cincin- nati, Ohio; Eliza, who was married to Robert Pat- terson, Esq., now a widow residing at Sewickley,

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Penn., having two daughters, Jane and Bessie, liv- ing with her, and one son, Thomas Patterson, Esq., who is practicing law in Pittsburgh, Penn. ; Thomas H. Baird, subject proper of sketch; Margaret W. Baird, residing at Washington, Penn .; Jane R., who was married to Charles McKnight, now a widow, residing at Sewickley, Penn., has three sons, T. H. B. McKnight, Charles McKnight and Frank Mc- Knight, and two daughters, Mary B. and Eliza; Susan C. and Emily G. Baird, who died in young womanhood many years ago.

Thomas H. Baird. whose name opens this sketch, was born in Washington, Washington Co., Penn., December 17, 1824. He received his edu- cation at the common schools of the borough, and at Washington College, from which he graduated at the early age of seventeen years; and, having decided on following the legal profession, com- menced the study of law in his father's office in Washington. In February, 1846, he was admitted to the bar of Washington county, and at once com- menced practice in partnership with his father, continuing (with the exception of a period here- after referred to) until 1872, when he was elected district attorney, on the Democratic ticket in a Republican county, his opponent being John Aiken. During his term of service he was in- strumental in securing the conviction of Briceland, for the murder, by shooting, of John Allenham. Briceland was found guilty after a lengthened trial. convicted. and sentenced to imprisonment for life. In 1850, when T. McK. T. McKennan was appointed, by President Fillmore, Secretary of the Interior, Mr. Baird was given the part of as- sistant chief clerk of the Census Bureau. and was later honored by an appointment as clerk in the Department proper. Part of his duties were to prepare and file all papers relating to appoint- ments and removals of officers, and among them he found some demanding his own removal on political grounds. These he filed in the regular wav, the Department yielded to the demand, and decided on his removal, and he wrote out his own dismissal and came home. One month afterward, however, he was recalled and promoted. Mr. Baird was ten years, in all, occupied in Govern- ment position at Washington, D. C., and then re- turned to Pennsylvania. For some three years we next find him practicing his profession in Pitts- burgh, after which he was engaged a time in the coal business on the Monongahela river. In 1869 he opened a law office in Monongahela City, where he has since resided.

In 1849, while an attorney in Washington, this county, Thomas H. Baird was united in marriage with Maria L., daughter of Dr. Samuel M. King, who, in 1820, came from Fayette county, Penn., to Monongahela City, where he practiced his pro- fession till his death in 1882. Two of his chil-

dren are yet living in Washington county: Mrs. Baird and R. C. King, and two, Mrs. C. J. Mosely and Dr. C. B. King, are residents of Allegheny. Mr. and Mrs. Baird are the parents of two chil- dren, viz. : Frank E., an attorney at Charleroi, this county, and Maria Louise, wife of A. G. Mitchell, assistant engineer of the Monongahela division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, with resi- dence in Monongahela City. The latter are par- ents of one little daughter, Maria Louise Mitchell. Socially, Mr. Baird is a member of the Royal Ar- canum, and in church connection is a Presbyterian. In 1886 he was nominated by his party for Con- gress, but the county proved too strongly Repub- lican for him on that ticket, and he was defeated. Mr. Baird is a great reader, and in his profession keeps himself up to the times, having one of the finest and most complete law libraries in the county.

J A. PATTERSON, M. D., was born in East Finley township, Washington Co., Penn., April 7, 1844. His paternal grandfather, a native of Ireland, when a young man emi- grated to America, where he married. In the war of 1812 he enlisted in the American army, and was never more heard of, and his wife in the meantime died, having given birth to a son, who was named Harrison.

Harrison Patterson, father of the Doctor, was born in East Finley township, and was reared to the trade of stone mason, which he followed twenty years, but later took up farm life in his native township, where he is yet living at the age of eighty- one years. He married Grizzella, daughter of Daniel and Catherine Ross, natives of Scotland, who emigrated to the United States and became residents of Donegal township, Washington Co., Penn. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Patterson settled on a farm where she died on Christmas day, 1884, at the age of sixty-six years. The children born to them were as follows: William R., a butcher in Claysville; John A., subject; Mary A. ; J. A. R., who died in infancy; Francis P., re- siding in East Finley township; one deceased in infancy; Henrietta, residing in East Finley town- ship; Catherine G., a teacher in a mission school in Indian Territory; Josephine, who died at the age of two years; David W. and Harrison Newton, farmers in East Finley township. The father is still on the old place, where he has lived for the past fifty-six years. For fifteen years he was a captain in the old militia, and is commonly called by the title of " Captain."

John A. Patterson received his education in the common schools and in the Millsburg Normal School. For six years he was a professional school teacher, in the meantime preparing himself for

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the medical profession. He read medicine with Dr. J. W. Kelley, of Claysville, and attended Jef- ferson Medical College during the winter of 1869- 70; then practiced the profession four years at Zollarsville, after which he attended Ohio Medical College, graduating therefrom in the class of 1875; he is also a graduate in dental surgery. Return- ing to Zollarsville, he remained there until 1887, when he moved to Washington, where he has since enjoyed a highly satisfactory general practice in medicine. On October 18, 1875, Dr. Patterson was united in marriage with Miss Belle, daughter of Isaac Leonard, of West Bethlehem township, and they have one son, Guy E., born July 19, 1876. Politically the Doctor is a Democrat, and for twelve years he was school director in West Bethlehem township. He is a member of the Improved Order of Heptasophs and of the Equitable Aid Union. He is now a member of the borough council.

M R. ALLEN, clerk of the courts of Wash- ington county, is a grandson of Rev. Moses Allen, a prominent early settler of the county, who was born September 5, 1780, in Westmoreland county, Penn., and in his youth learned the trade of millwright, which he pur- sued diligently and successfully for some years. His classical education he secured at Jefferson College, and he studied theology with Dr. John McMillan. On June 23, 1807. he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Ohio, and in November of same year was ordained and installed pastor of the united churches of Providence and Jefferson, in Greene county, Penn. In 1816 he received a call from the congregation of Raccoon, Washington Co., Penn., and was installed June, 1817, and con- tinued to exercise the pastoral office for twenty- two years.

The Rev. S. C. Jennings, who had been asso- ciated with the Rev. Moses Allen for many years, in an address delivered at the "Centennial Meet -. ing" of the Raccoon Church, spoke of the Rev. Moses Allen, second pastor of the church, as fol- lows: "Tall in person, grave and sedate in man- ners. A preacher of ability, a great reasoner, logical and instructive, irreproachable in character, and diligent in catechising the youth. His pastor- ate extended over a period of twenty-two years. During this pastorate a new house of worship was built, which was of brick and capable of seating 600 persons. This building continued in use forty-two years."

In 1838 he left Raccoon, and was afterward pastor for nine years at Crab Apple Church in Ohio, and he died there January 16, 1847, aged sixty-six years. It appears from memoranda in his own handwriting that his labors were abundant. "'I was pastor of Raccoons," he writes, "twenty-

two years, during which I preached 2,685 times; administered the Lord's Supper seventy five times; admitted to the communion of the church 324 per- sons; baptized fifteen adults and 558 children, and solemnized 190 marriages." He was a man of decided and positive character, of strong mental ability. He was a sound theologian, and is always spoken of as a very logical, instructive and forcible preacher. Mr. Allen was married, in 1805, to Catherine, the youngest daughter of Rev. John McMillan, D. D., who was the pioneer Presbyterian minister, and founder of the "Log Cabin School," which ultimately became Jefferson College, of Canonsburg, Penn. His watch, an old English "Bulls-eye," which he carried until the case wore off, is in possession of subject. Ten children were born to this union as follows: (1) John Watson, born December 16, 1806, married September 29, 1835, Jane Patterson, and both are now deceased (their only son, R. P. Allen, was a justice of the peace in Sharon, Iowa; he married Annie Cleaver in 1863); (2) Eliza Williams, born August 21, 1808, was married March 14, 1836, to John Sym- ington, and is now deceased (their only son, Allen Harper Symington, married Miss Ellen McIlvaine in 1869; they reside in Cherry Valley, Mt. Pleas- ant township, Washington county, and have three daughters and one son); (3) John McMillan, of whom special mention is made further on; (4) Jane M., born October 2, 1812, died September 8, 1819; (5) Samuel Harpaer, born February 6, 1815, was married April 26, 1838, to Mary Wallace (he attended Jefferson College, Canonsburg, and Jef- ferson Medical College, Philadelphia; he practiced medicine over half a century, and is now living at Bakerstown, Allegheny Co., Penn .; he has two daughters: Lydia A. (Mrs. Gibson), in the city of Allegheny, where for several years he was a lead- ing teacher in the public schools, and Kate, at home; an only living son, L. M., is a member of the Pittsburgh bar, with residence in Allegheny; an elder son, John Watson, died in the service of his country in the war of the Rebellion); (6) Catherine Blair, born April 2, 1817, married Thomas Morgan, April 19, 1836, and both died in Belmont county, Ohio, where several of their chil- dren now are, others being in the West; (7) Moses Coe, born December 20, 1820, married Ann Camp- bell November 2, 1843; they are both of Belmont county, Ohio, and now reside in Island Creek township, Jefferson Co., Ohio (they had six sons, three of whom died in early youth; the eldest one living married a Miss Crawford, in Jefferson county, Ohio, and they are now in Missouri; the other two surviving sons, William Vincent and Samuel Harper, are living with their parents); (8) Aaron, born February 9, 1823, in Washington county, married Ann Lyle in Belmont county, Ohio, and both died about the year 1877 (one son, John,

rs.

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married a Miss Pollock, another son, Moses Ray, married a Miss Armstrong, one daughter, Catha- rine, married a Mr. Dunlap, another, Belle, was wedded to a Mr. Pollock, and they all live in Bel- mont county, Obio; another son, David Dinsmore, is a minister of the Presbyterian Church in Idaho, and Oscar, yet another son, died at the age of twenty years); (9) William McMillan, born April 11, 1825, died May 23, 1823, and (10) Sarah J., born March 5, 1829, died June 23, 1833.

John McMillan Allen was born July 11, 1810, in Greene county, Penn., and reared to agricult- ural pursuits, which he followed through life. In March, 1837, he married Margaret Aun Riddell, daughter of Rev. John Riddell, D. D., first pastor of Robinson Run Church, by the edge of Wash- ington and Allegheny counties. To this union was born one child-Moses Riddell Allen-the subject of this sketch. This wife dying February 28, 1856, Mr. Allen married, for his second wife, Mrs. Margaret Ann Lockart, mother of ex-Sheriff Lockart, and one child came of this marriage, Annie Eliza, now the wife of J. A. Evans, an at- torney in Pittsburgh, Penn. The father died in Burgettstown, July 15, 1860, and is buried in Rac- coon cemetery; the mother died near Noblestown, Allegheny Co., Penn.

M. R. Allen was born July 19, 1842, in Har- rison county, Ohio, and in 1859 removed with his father to Burgettstown, Washington' county, and has since been a resident of the county. His edu- cation was received at the common schools and at Franklin College, New Athens, Ohio, after which he taught school in Washington county, Penn. For a time he carried on farming operations, also a mercantile business, and on August 2, 1881, he founded the Burgettstown Call, which he pub- lished till January 1, 1887, when, having been elected to the office of clerk of courts of Wash- ington county, he sold the paper to the owner of the Enterprise (J. H. Cramer), since when the two have been consolidated with the title Enterprise- Call. Mr. Allen then removed to Washington, where he has since had his home, having been re- elected in 1890 to the office he holds.

On January 14, 1864, Mr. Allen was married to Ella M. Daugherty, of Burgettstown, daughter of John Daugherty (of the same place) and Abigail B. (Canon) Daugherty, daughter of Joshua Canon, and granddaughter of Col. John Canon, the found- er of Canonsburg. Mr. and Mrs. Daugherty were the parents of five children: John Wesley, who died in 1878; Ella M. (Mrs. M. R. Allen); Jennie C., wife of W. B. Porter, of Burgettstown; Flora B., teacher in the East Washington public schools, and Asenath M., who died November 3, 1804. The father of this family, who was a wagon maker and carriage builder by trade, well known and highly respected, died in August, 1866; in April, 1877,

the mother followed him to the grave, and they sleep their last sleep in the cemetery at Burgetts- town. They were both natives of Washington county, the father born in Donegal township. To Mr. and Mrs. Allen were born six children, of whom the following is a brief record: John E. is with his father; Harper Riddell is his father's assistant in the office, and his special work now is prepar- ing the new index of the Orphans' Court, from the organization of the county up to date; Wesley Hays is also assistant clerk with his father (he was married in 1891 to Miss Dora E. Mounts, of Wash- ington county; one child-a daughter-Helen M., has been born to them); William, died September 11, 1881, and Effie, died August 28, 1881, both in infancy, aged eleven and seven respectively; May- nord Robert is attending Washington and Jeffer- son College, freshman class. Mr. Allen is a Re- publican in his political preferences, and has served as burgess of Burgettstown, also as clerk of coun- cil. In 1880 he enumerated the census of the First Precinct of Smith township. Since coming to Washington he has served as director of the Keystone Building & Loan Association, a local organization.

For three generations preceding our subject, the family has been Presbyterian in its religious affil- iations and workers in the cause; it is, therefore, nothing of wonder that Mr. Allen and his entire family are followers and supporters of the same principles and creed. Mr. Allen is a member and deacon of Dr. Brownson's (First Presbyterian) Church of Washington, and is also a member of the Improved Order of Heptasophs, of Washington, having filled the office of'" Archon " in the order since its organization. At the present time Mr. Allen is secretary of the school board of East Washington.

AMES GLENN DICKSON, M. D., a resident for the past fifty years of Canonsburg, Penn., was born February 15, 1825, in what is now South Fayette township, Allegheny Co., Penn. His parents were William and Mar- garet (Glenn) Dickson.

Dr. Dickson traces his ancestry in a direct line through a period of over three hundred years, and the year 1893 enables him to look upon the faces of the tenth generation.

The earliest records, which have yet been ob- tained by Dr. Dickson, tell of one John Dickson, a merchant in Glasgow, Scotland, "a man of re- ligious character and possessed of considerable wealth." This merchant with his good wife stirred up others to pray with and for them, that the blessing of a son might be given them, "vowing that if their petition was granted they would de- vote him to the service of the Lord." Such a son

Eno y AH Ritch.

Jas. P. Dickson

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was the Rev. David Dickson, born possibly in 1591, probably as early as 1583, as the exact date can not positively be stated. He was educated in the University of Glasgow, where he became a profes- sor in 1641, remaining in that position until 1651, where he accepted a similar position in the Edin- burgh University. He was appointed minister to Irvine in 1618, and of him it has been said: "The Professor of Divinity at Edinburgh was truly a great man; the Professor of Divinity at Glasgow was a greater man; but the minister of Irvine was the greatest man of all." His repudiation of the Five Articles of Perth, as issued by the General Assem- bly of the Church of Scotland in 1618, won for him much persecution, as well as great honor. He was pre-eminently a scholar, a preacher, a worthy Scotchman, as his biography and writings show. In all there are seven works, the offspring of his master intellect, copies of three of which, with a sketch of his life issued by the committee of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, are in possession of Rev. David Craig Stewart, of Hoboken, N. J., and were obtained of him recently in Edinburglı.

Alexander Dickson, a son of Rev. David Dick- son, wrote the dedication in 1664 to the English preface of his father's last work, calling it a child of his father's old age-the English translation of Latin treatise on the subject of the Conscience; his father having died in 1663, probably eighty years old, certainly not younger than seventy-two. An- other son of Rev. David Dickson was John, who be- came a merchant in Edinburgh, Scotland; and this John established his sons David and George in mercantile business in Armagh, Ireland, as a branch of the Edinburgh house.

The records show that three sons of the Armagh merchant, George Dickson, came to America, in- cluding the family also of one of these three, that of Andrew, who had married a Seceder girl in Ar- magh previous to his emigration, and whose family record (Andrew's) is preserved in a Bible which gives the date of birth of each of his ten children, and the record of the marriage of nine of these. This Andrew Dickson, of the fifth generation thus far traced, was great-grandfather of Dr. James G. Dickson of the eighth generation.

The six elder children of Andrew Dickson were born in Ireland between the years 1734 and 1743, and the other four were born in America near Chambersburg, Penn., where their father had set- tled. The eldest of the four born in this coun- try was Andrew, whose birth was in 1748, and who died in service in the Revolutionary army. The Bible containing Andrew Dickson's family record is now over one hundred and sixty years old, and is in possession of Rev. David French Dickson, of East Palestine, Ohio, a nephew of Dr. Dickson. Andrew Dickson's children were

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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 26

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