Commemorative biographical record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 98

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 98

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Jeremiah Andrews, son of Jeremiah, was born about 1790, on the home farm in Smith township, where he was reared to agricultural pursuits, re- ceiving a meager education at the common schools of the period. He was first married to a Miss Carlisle, of this county, whose children were. Jere- miah (deceased, a farmer of Beaver county, Penn., who afterward moved to Columbiana county, Ohio), John C. (also a farmer of Beaver county, who lived in Columbiana county, Ohio, for a time, afterward returning to Beaver county, Penn., where he died), and Isabella (deceased wife of William Nichols, a stone mason, who lived in Beaver county, Penn., for some time, and then moved to Kentucky). The mother of these children died, and for his second wife Jeremiah Andrews was . united in marriage with Catherine Neiswonger, of Hancock county, W. Va., and the following chil- dren were born to their union: Rachel (Mrs. Francis McBride, of Ashland county, Ohio), Jacob (sub- ject of this sketch), Elizabeth (wife of James Mc- Millen, of Columbiana county, Ohio), Joseph (a farmer of Beaver county, Penn.), George H. (a farmer in California), Susanna (wife of Capt. J. H. Melvin, of Fairview, W. Va.) and Catherine (married to W. W. Morrow, of Wellsville, Ohio). After his marriage Jeremiah Andrews followed agricultural pursuits on a farm near Fairview, Han- cock Co., W. Va. He was very successful in his business, possessing energy, enterprise and good management, and at the time of his death was one of the wealthiest citizens of his neighborhood. Politically he was a lifelong Democrat, but voiced his opinion by his vote alone, leaving the rising generation to choose for themselves their political preference. He was a member and pillar of the U. P. Church, with which his wife was also connected. He died in 1856, being followed by his wife in

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1875, and the remains of both were laid to rest in Tomlinson's Run cemetery, Beaver county, Penn.

Jacob Andrews was born September 6, 1828, in Hancock county, W. Va., where he received a common-school education. In 1849 he and his half brother, John C., went to Columbiana county, Ohio, and followed farming, their sister Rachel acting as housekeeper for her brothers until her marriage, when Elizabeth (another sister) supplied her place. In 1856 Jacob sold his interest in the farm, returning to Hancock county, W. Va., where he followed agriculture a short time. On May 3, 1857, he was united in marriage with Hannah Carlile, of Columbiana county, Ohio. She was born March 22, 1838, being the tenth in a family of fourteen children born to John and Margaret (Hephner) Carlile. John Carlile was a native of New Jersey, and when but a boy came to Colum- biana county, Ohio, with his parents, Daniel Car- lile and his wife, early settlers of that county. In early life John was married to Margaret Hephner, daughter of Henry and Mary (Shoemaker) Heph- ner, the former a native of Germany who settled in Columbiana county, Ohio, in an early day.

The following children have been born to Jacob and Hannah (Carlile) Andrews: Josephine (de- ceased in youth); William D. (a conductor on the P. C. C. & St. Louis R. R.); George W. (a clerk in the shipping department of the Edgar Thomson Steel Works, Braddock, Penn.); Luella (deceased in infancy); Lizzie (wife of Barcley S. Fennimore, of Jewett, Ohio); John H. (a conductor on the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R.); Manda B. (wife of D. C. Fulton, a farmer of Hanover township, Washing- ton county), and Harvey (deceased at the age of seventeen years). Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Andrews began their married life on a farm in Beaver coun- ty, Penn., and in 1864 came to Washington county, locating on the farm adjoining Burgettstown, Smith township, where they are yet living. He has been a very successful farmer, but of recent years has taken no active part in the work of the place. In politics Jacob Andrews has always been a stanch Democrat. He and his wife are both highly esteemed citizens of the community in which they reside.

AMES M. ROSS is a prominent representa- tive of one of the oldest pioneer families in Washington county. In 1728 one John Ross left the shores of Erin to seek a home in the New World. On arriving in America he settled permanently on a farm near Germantown, Penn., where the following children were born and reared: Thomas, William, John, James, George, Stephen, Sarah, Jane, Margaret and Mary.

Thomas Ross was born in Chester county, Penn., and in 1784 came to a farm near Pittsburgh. In

early life he was married to Jane Miller, a native of Ireland, who bore him eight children, viz. : Joshua, Jane, Thomas, John, James, Sarah, Mar- garet and Nancy, all deceased. The father was a soldier in the Revolutinary war.

Joshua Ross was born about the year 1781, in Chester county, Penn., and came with his parents to the place near Pittsburgh, where his youth was passed. In 1810 he was united in marriage with Margaret, daughter of Samuel Emmet, and their children were Rebecca, Thomas, William B., James M., Samuel B. (now living in the Twenty-first Ward of Pittsburgh, Penn.), and John and Johnston (twins). Mr. Ross was a farmer, and lived on a place which is now the Twenty-first Ward of Pitts- burgh. In politics he was a Democrat, and in re- ligion a member of the Presbyterian Church.

James M. Ross was born in 1819, in what is now the Twenty-first Ward of Pittsburgh. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, and worked by the month for four or five years. When a young man he was married to Sarah, daughter of John Mouck, of Washington county, Penn., aud their children have been born as follows: John, Joseph (de- ceased), William E., Lewis, George B., Mary and Adelaide. In 1848 Mr. Ross came to his present farm in Peters township, which he purchased in 1855. He is actively interested in the welfare of the Republican party, and in religious faith is a member of the United Presbyterian Church at Peters Creek.

P OLLOCK FAMILY, Historical Sketch of. The Pollock family were originally natives of Scotland, whence one Samuel Pollock, one of those hardy Scotch-Irish Presbyte- rian pioneers, emigrated many years ago, landing in America, there making a new home in the New World. He was born, reared and married in Scotland, whence, prior to the Revolutionary war, he and his wife and a brother came to this country. They landed in New York, where the brothers separated, thus losing forever all trace of each other. The one turned his face southward, while Samuel and his wife, Jane, proceeded west- ward to Washington county, Penn., being among the earliest settlers in the locality. Here he pat- ented a tract of land called "Plenty" (now known as the James Pollock farm), situated near Clokey- ville, in North Strabane township, and containing 148 acres, where he passed the rest of his active pioneer life. The land was wild and uncultivated when he came to it, and he set to work at once, to make improvements on it. Indians and wild ani- mals were numerous, and caused frequent annoy- ances; but the hardy settlers were patient as well as brave, and time brought them a rich harvest, as a reward for their early years of toil and danger.

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They were members of the Covenanter Church. Samuel Pollock was a man of more than ordinary in- telligence, force and executive ability. At his death he left three sons-John, Samuel and Will- iam-and four daughters-Margaret, Jane, Nancy and Grizella. Of the daughters the following is a brief sketch: Margaret married Alexander Mc- Nary, and located near Cadiz, Ohio; Jane married John Crowe, and resided in Butler county, Penn. ; Nancy became the wife of James Pursley, and lived near West Alexander, this county; Grizella was married to Robert Johnston, their residence being some tive miles west of Washington on the Middle- town road. Of the sons: John never left the pa- ternal home, dying there unmarried; Samuel mar- ried Ellen Young, and there were born to them four sons-John, James, Robert and Samuel-and five daughters-Jane, Betsey, Sarah, Margaret and Martha. Jane married James Linn, and resided near Washington, the county seat, the place now known as Linntown; Betsey married John Pollock, a brother of James Pollock, who at one time owned a large flouring-mill on Brush run, near Thompson- ville, this county, and who at the time of his death was treasurer of Washington county, and father of A. W. Pollock, who succeeded him as county treas- urer, and who is at present a lumber merchant at Washington, Penn .; Sarah married Hon. Mathew Linn, and they passed their wedded lives on what is known as the "Linn Homestead," North Stra- bane township; Margaret (unmarried) died about six years ago; Martha married James Harbison, and lived in Bakerstown, Butler Co., Penn. She is still living, making her home with her son, Samuel, in Bellevue, Allegheny Co., Penn. Of the

sons: John married Nancy Hayes, and located near Uniontown, Belmont Co., Ohio; James and Robert both went west and settled near Sparta, Ill. (were both married); Samuel married Nancy Breckenridge, and their home was in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

William Pollock, third son of Samuel and Jane Pollock, was born in 1781. He married Nancy, daughter of John McNary, and they had children as follows: Jane, John, Samuel, James and Mal- colm Boyd, the latter born February 9, 1817, and died July 15, 1825. (A record of the others fol- lows this paragraph). William Pollock was born and spent all his days on the original homestead near Clokeyville, which he willed to his youngest son, James, who now lives thereon, and which property has been in possession of, and repre- sented by, the Pollock family for five continuous generations. To his son Samuel he willed the Alexander Scott farm, containing 208 acres, situ- ated on the State road in North Strabane town- ship. To John and Jane he bequeathed their amount in money, obligating Samuel and James to pay them a specified amount, besides giving

them furniture, which they did. William Pollock was a member of the Associate (Seceder) Church. When the Pigeon Creek Congregation was organ- ized he was elected one of the ruling elders, which office he filled till the close of his life. Politically he was an active worker in the Whig party. He had an ox-mill built on his farm, which is still standing, and which is now used by his grandson as a sheep house. This mill was the first of the kind in the county, and was erected by a man named John Calhoun, then living on Peters creek. It was a tramp-mill of peculiar construction, very unlike the tramp-mill of the present day. The platform on which the oxen tramped was circular, about thirty feet in diameter, into part of which was placed a shaft at an angle of fifty-five degrees. The stone burrs were from three to three and one- half feet in diameter. Dog tramp-mills were made in much the same manner. . This old ox-mill ground the grain for many years, and as it was fur- nished with great power, people came to it from considerable distance with their grists packed on horseback. Nancy. (McNary), wife of William Pollock, departed this life August 17, 1834; Will- iam (her husband) died August 3, 1856, in the seventy-third year of his age. His remains were laid beside those of his wife in what was then called the Associate graveyard, now known as Oak Spring Cemetery, near Canonsburg.

Jane Pollock, only daughter and eldest child of William and Nancy Pollock, was born January 24, 1810. Her education was limited to common-school instruction, which was the best afforded ladies of her day. She married Rev. James Wallace, and went with him to Logan county, Ohio. Mr. Wallace was born November 10, 1801, in York, Penn. He was graduated at Jefferson College, Canonsburg, in 1827; studied theology under Rev. Alexander Bullions, D. D., at Cambridge, N. Y .; he was li- censed July 9, 1830, by the Philadelphia Presbytery; was ordained October 25, 1832, by the Miami Valley Presbytery, and at the ordination was installed pastor of the Dorby and Cherokee (now Hunts- ville) Congregations in Logan county, Ohio. In 1839 he was released form Dorby, and gave three- fourths of his time to Huntsville, and one-fourth

to Bellefontaine. On April 10, 1861, he resigned his Huntsville charge, on account of infirmities, but preached occasionally as his health permitted, making his home at Huntsville, then Bellefontaine, and finally Belle Centre, all in Ohio. He was a most excellent man, much blessed in his ministry and greatly devoted to his work. The last year of his life he spent in reading the Old Testament en- tirely through in the original Hebrew. He died after a few hours' illness, November 30, 1878, at the residence of his son-in-law, W. W. Templeton, Huntsville, where he had gone on a visit; his wife had died several years previous, in 1863; their

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remains lie side by side in the cemetery at Hunts- ville, Ohio. They had five children: two daughters -- Mary and Nancy-and three sons-William Pol- lock, David and A. Collins. Mary married W. W. Templeton, an elder in the United Presbyterian Church, and resides near Huntsville, Ohio; Nancy married T. L. Baird, and lives in Allerton, Iowa (He is a farmer and a member of Session in the Allerton U. P. Congregation); William Pollock was a member of Company D, Forty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was wounded in the battle of Knoxville, Tenn., November 18, 1863, and died from the effects November 29, 1863; David mar- ried Jennie Reed, and lives on part of the Wallace homestead farm near Huntsville, Ohio; A. Collins, married to Arabella Peoples, is a druggist located in Bellefontaine, Ohio.

John Pollock, oldest son of William and Nancy Pollock, was born in January, 1811. In boyhood he attended the subscription schools of his time, which was the extent of his educational advantages, but being possessed with considerable natural abil- ity he was enabled to meet the demands of life with a marked degree of success. When a young man he went to Logan county, Ohio, where he took up land, and in the spring of 1835 he married Jane Elder, a native of said county. To them were born eight children-three sons and five daughters -namely: Rebecca, Nancy, Margaret, Mary and Narcissa, and James Wallace, William E. and John A. Rebecca married Robert Smart, May, 1869, and died August, 1870; Nancy married David C. Carson, December 29, 1867 (he died November 7, 1874); Mrs. Carson and her three children reside in Cleveland Ohio. Margaret and Mary (unmarried) live in Huntsville, Ohio; Narcissa married James Peoples, a prosperous farmer near Huntsville, Ohio, and a ruling elder in the United Presbyte- rian Congregation of said place; James Wallace was a member of the Forty-fifth Ohio Regiment during the Civil war (spent fourteen months in Rebel prison, being captured at Philadelphia Fort, Tenn. ; spent six months in Andersonville, the remainder of the time at Belle Isle, Charleston, Florence (S. C.), etc. ; after his return from the army he married Nettie Anderson, and they reside on the " Anderson Hill " farm near Cedarville, Ohio; he is at present one of the county commissioners of Greene county, and an elder in the U. P. Church, Cedarville); Will- iam Elder is a coal merchant in Chicago, Ill .; Rev. John A. married Jessie Small, and resides in In- dianapolis, Ind. Mr. Pollock was elected a mem- ber of Session in the Huntsville Congregation dur- ing the pastorate of his brother-in-law, Rev. James Wallace. He died August 27, 1868, and his re- mains lie in the cemetery at Huntsville, Ohio, be- side those of his wife, who died in December, 1872.

Samuel Pollock, second son of William and Nancy (McNary) Pollock, was born January 16, 1813, on

the original homestead in North Strabane township, the same farm where his father first saw the light of day, and which his grandfather had bought from the Indians, in the early times. On September 1, 1840, he married Esther McNary, eldest daugh- ter of John and Jane Hill McNary (whose record appears elsewhere in this history), and they passed the first years of their wedded life on the Alex- ander Scott farm already alluded to, being part of the original Judge McDowell tract of 440 acres, all of which they afterward succeeded in purchasing. In the spring of 1858, having a desire to secure better educational advantages for their children, they purchased the fine residence of the Rev. A. B. Anderson, D. D., and moved to Canonsburg, where they spent the remaining days of their life. They were the parents of seven children, namely: James Wallace, Jennie Hill, John McNary, Will- iam . B., Samuel Murray (who died in boyhood), Oliver Collins and Alexander Clark. In his youth Samuel Pollock was one of the leaders in the sports of the community, being a prominent participant at the husking bees, flax scutchings, wood chop- pings, log rollings and similar amusements of that day. He served seven years in the militia, and was a member of what was known as the " Ginger Hill Troops." In middle life he was hard to excel in the grain-field-in reaping and cradling grain. On one occasion, when his wheat had got very ripe, he was known to cut (with the cradle) 102 dozen sheaves in less than six hours. He was a robust man, weighing 170 pounds, and stood five feet ten inches in height; he was quick in his movements, and possessed wonderful endurance. Financially, he was remarkably prosperous. Notwithstanding his father's will entitled him to the Alexander Scott farm, yet this tract had been but recently pur- chased, and but partially paid for, and it was only by the "sweat of his brow," together with his strict honesty and his unswerving integrity of pur- pose, that he was not only enabled to possess a clear title to said farm, but was enabled to add tract to tract until at the time of his death he ranked as one of the wealthiest landowners in the community. He was a most public-spirited man, but never an aspirant for any public office or no- toriety of any kind, yet at the solicitation of friends he served most of his life in filling various town- ship offices. Mr. Pollock was one of the founders of the Republican party in Washington county, and in the winter of 1856 went to Pittsburgh in order to secure a lecturer on the subject; helping to pay for the same out of his own pocket. He was one of the committee who were instrumental in getting Dr. Le Moyne, of Washington, to make the first abolition speech in Canonsburg, which was de- livered from the steps of David Templeton's resi- dence, afterward known as "Olome Institute," which he finally purchased, and carried on for

delf Pollock

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several years, at his own expense, as a Female Sem- inary. (It was situated on the site now occupied by the First Presbyterian church of Canonsburg). During the Fremont campaign of 1856, when a great political wagon was built and decorated in the yard surrounding his barn, and when on the night before the parade the neighboring Democrats undertook to destroy it, he, with a few other stanch Republicans, defended the wagon with an iron poker, amid the breaking of ribs, shoulders, noses etc., he coming out of the melee unharmed and victorious. The following day the wagon was driven to Canonsburg by his brother, James Pol- lock, drawn by ten gray horses, and conveying thirty-three patriotic young ladies, dressed to rep- resent the thirty-three States in the Union. He was very loyal to his country, and in the time of the great struggle of the Rebellion, too old him- self to enlist, he permitted his oldest son, James W., a youth under age, to buckle on the armor, and help save the great Republic. In his youth he joined the Seceder Church at Pigeon Creek, un- der the pastorate of Rev. Alexander Wilson. After his marriage he connected with the Chartiers Se- ceder (now known as the Chartiers United Presby- terian) Congregation at Canonsburg, in which he was elected a ruling elder February 15, 1854, which office he held during the remainder of his life. He was one of the prime factors in erecting the present edifice known as Chartiers U. P. Church, at Canonsburg, in 1869-70; paying the largest subscription, besides working gratis and prevailing on others to do likewise. His home at Canonsburg was (in the words of Rev. Samuel Taggart, D. D.): "A minister's free hotel; even the minister's horse knew the place to turn into as he traveled the road." He was the original mover in the organization of the Oak Spring Cemetery Company. Being chosen first president of said association, he served in that capacity until his death. He died July 4, 1883, in the seventy-first year of his age, and November 9, 1890, his wife, Esther (McNary) Pollock, died in the seventy-sixth year of her age, and was laid by his side in the Oak Spring Cemetery, which he had been so in- strumental in establishing and ornamenting.

JAMES WALLACE POLLOCK, county commissioner, one of the prominent citizens of the borough of Washington, and oldest son of Samuel and Esther (McNary) Pollock, is a native of North Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn., born October 10, 1841, in the historic old log house erected, owned and occupied by Judge McDowell, and where Dr. McMillan (according to the record in his journal) preached his first sermon west of the Alleghany mountains, on the fourth Sabbath of August, 1775. The place is designated as " Mount Pleasant " in the original patent, which states that the amount paid was "the sum of six pounds

twelve shillings for a tract containing 440 acres, with allowance of six per cent. for roads, etc., which was surveyed in pursuance of a warrant granted to John McDowell, Sr., dated October 29, 1784, clear of all restrictions and reservations ex- cept the one-fifth part of all gold and silver ore for the use of the Commonwealth to be delivered at the pit's mouth clear of all charges."

Mr. Pollock received his education at the com- mon schools of the district, and at Jefferson Col- lege. In April, 1858, his parents moved to Can- onsburg, where he attended college until August, 1862, when he, with many other fellow students, under the leadership of Col. Frazier (then pro- fessor of mathematics in said college), laid aside their books, girded on the armor, and marched forth at their country's call to save it from rebel wrongs. Mr. Pollock served with distinction both in the ranks and at Gen. Hancock's headquarters, and was one of the very few who was seldom sick, and he never missed a day's duty from the time he joined the army in 1862 until the surrender of Lee at Appomattox in 1865. At the latter he was present with three cousins-William T. Pollock, Rev. George R. Murray and Thomas M. McNary -all of whom, remarkable as it may seem, are still living. Although there was not a battle their regiment, the One Hundred and Fortieth P. V. I., participated in from the time it joined the army of the Potomac in the fall of 1862, and prior to the battle of Chancellorsville, until the final struggle at Appomattox Courthouse, in April, 1865, but what some of the cousins, and generally all, were present, yet none of them was the least hurt ex- cept Rev. Murray, who received a slight wound on the historic wheat field at Gettysburg.

On Mr. Pollock's return home after the close of the war, at his father's urgent request he took charge of the homestead (Alexander Scott farm), which he now owns, and engaged in agricultural pursuits, including the raising of fine stock, event- ually succeeding in becoming one of the most ener- getic and successful farmers in the county. Being alive to every interest, he was often called on to fill positions of trust. Mr. Pollock resided on his farm in North Strabane township until the spring of 1892, at which time he leased it and moved into the city, in order to school his children, and that he might more conveniently perform the duties re- quired of him as county commissioner. He has been a Republican ever since the organization of the party, and was many times chairman of the township committee and member of the county committee. In 1890, at the suggestion of his many friends, he consented to become a candidate for the office of county commissioner, and suc- ceeded in being nominated and elected that same year. When quite a young man he became a member of Chartiers Seceder (now U. P.) Church, and many

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times since has been chosen trustee of that congre- gation. During the erection of their present com- modious edifice in Canonsburg, he was secretary of the board of trustees. He was one of the advo- cates and leaders in starting and establishing what is now a very flourishing and prosperous U. P. Congregation at Houstonville, in which he is a rul- ing elder.

James W. Pollock and Miss Mary T. McNary (daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Templeton) McNary, born January 24, 1848) were united in marriage December 5, 1867, and ten children-six sons and four daughters-have been born to them, viz .: Fannie Luella, Ulysses Samuel, Maggie Es- ther, D. M. B. McLean, Ernest James, Harry Ed- gar, Annie McNary, William Wallace, Deurell Smiley, and Mary Osee, all yet living with their father in Washington. Mrs. Pollock (a most ami- able and lovely woman) died February 7, 1890, from a stroke of paralysis, superinduced by an attack of " la grippe."

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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 98

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