History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 177

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216


USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 177


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his example, It varied somewhat in her course and est ajand any injury Her father had ron to such a distance that it was only the Frame les which reached him, and his body was but slightly mutilated. Only a Blight flesh wound was discovered on his head, yet he appeared to have died instantly, not having been observed to move or breathe by his sons, who were immediately beside him."


He was buried in the churchyard of the Chartiers Church, to which he had so long ministered. He had fourteen children, of whom four died in infancy. Five sons and five daughters lived to maturity. Matthew, the eldest son, was licensed by the Asso- ciate Reformed Church, and was for many years pastor of a congregation in the "Forks of the Yough." He lived to an advanced age. John, the second son, settled in Mount Pleasant township, and died there.


Ebenezer, the third son, was licensed in the city of New York, May 30, 1799; ordained May 24, 1800, and was settled in the united charge of Pittsburgh and Turtle Creek, Dec. 30, 1801. Early in the year 1803 he was sent to Philadelphia, to supply the con- gregation left vacant by the death of Rev. William Marshall, and was about to be settled in charge of that congregation when he was sent on a missionary tour to the Carolinas. Having finished his work in the South, he. had started on his return northward, when he contracted a fever, but, anxious to reach his home, traveled on from day to day on horseback till he reached an inn in the town of Staunton, in the valley of Virginia, where, growing speedily worse, he died in the midst of strangers, Sept. 17, 1804. He had given promise of eminent usefulness, and in his early death was much lamented.


Robert, the fourth son of the Rev. Matthew Hen- derson, settled on a tract of land which his father purchased May 1, 1792, of Gavin Morrison. This was part of a tract of land which was patented by Mr. Morrison as " White Oak Spring." In the division this property fell to Elizabeth (Mrs. Alexander Mur- doch), and was by her conveyed to Robert, June, 1811. Robert married the daughter of Andrew Russell, Sr. He was for many years an elder in Chartiers congregation. His children were Matthew, Andrew, Ebenezer, Alexander, Mary, John, and Robert. Matthew is a resident of Mercer County ; Ebenezer and Andrew resided and died in this town- ship ; John settled on the William Gabby farm. He was elected justice of the peace in 1855. The farm on which he lived is now owned by Alexander McConnell. Robert lives on the homestead of his father, Robert. Alexander now resides in Houston- ville. Mary, the eldest daughter, became the wife of a Mr. White, a member of her father's congregation. Ellen, the second daughter, married Dr. Samuel Murdoch, of Canonsburg, later of Washington. She died in early life, leaving a daughter, Ellen, who be- came the wife of Joseph Templeton, of Washington, Pa. Ann, the third daughter, became the wife of the Rev. Thomas Allison, for many years pastor of Mount Hope congregation, of Hopewell township (now


₹10


HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.


Independence). Elizabeth married Alexander Mur- doch, who for several years lived at Canonsburg, and later removed to Washington. Alexander Murdoch, of Washington, is a son, and Mrs. John L. Gow, of the same place, is a daughter, of Alexander and Elizabeth Murdoch. Jane, the youngest daughter, became the wife of James Clark, of Buffalo township, Washing- ton Co. Dr. Matthew H. Clark, many years a respected physician of Washington, was a son. James R. Clark, the druggist, of Washington, is a grandson.


John Weaver came to Chartiers township from Chester County, Pa., about 1787. He settled in the neighborhood of Canonsburg, and bought one hun- dred and sixty acres of James Allison. He was a mason, and worked at his trade until his death. He left sons and daughters as follows: John, Sarah, Mary, Jane, Nancy, Isaac, Thomas, Dell, George, and Joshua. John settled in Chartiers township, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land of James Allison, now owned by - White. He mar- ried Mary, the youngest daughter of the Rev. John McMillan. Thomas Weaver, of Cecil township, is the eldest son. Mrs. William A. McNutt, of Inde- pendence township, is a daughter. Isaac, a son of John Weaver, Sr., settled in Chartiers township, and bought one hundred acres of land, now owned by Frederick Lesnett. He had but two children, who emigrated to Ohio. Thomas, also a son of John, settled in North Strabane township, on a farm now owned by his son Isaac. Dell Weaver learned the trade of a blacksmith and settled in Canonsburg, where he is still living, at the age of eighty-four years. George and Joshua both resided in Canons- burg for some years. The family of Joshua are now all in Allegheny County. Sarah, one of the daugh- ters of John Weaver, became the wife of John Mc- Millan, a son of the Rev. John McMillan, and settled on the old McMillan homestead in North Strabane township, now owned by the Fulton brothers, nephews of John and Sarah McMillan.


John Struthers, a Scotchman, emigrated to this country and settled in Chester County, Pa., where he married and raised a family of children. In the year 1772 he came to this county, and on the 22d day of September of that year he purchased six hundred acres of land of James Patterson, "situate on the waters of the Ohio, on a river called Shirtee, and join- ing the lands of William Bollan on the east, upon the run known by the name of Patterson's Run." The land was granted to William Long on a Pennsylvania warrant in the year 1769, and sold by him to James . Patterson on the 19th of June, 1772. It was surveyed to John Struthers, July 3, 1785, under the name of "Cawlder." In the year 1774, John Struthers, with his eldest son, John, came to the new farm, built a cabin, and after clearing a small area and planting it to corn, they returned to Chester County, Pa., and spent the winter with his family. In the following


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spring, with his family and possessions, they moved to the new home, and settled in the log cabin on the farm now owned by Robert Hamilton. The nearest neighbor at that time was John White, who lived about five miles distant, in what is now North Stra- bane, and about a mile southeast of where Canons- burg now stands. Struthers built a grist-mill on the creek, which was in active operation in 1796. He had four sons,-John, Jr., Alexander, Thomas, and James. The son John took a warrant for a tract of land which was surveyed to him as "South Hill," and contained three hundred and eighty-two acres. Patent for this land was obtained Nov. 13, 1786. Three years later, Jan. 13, 1789, he sold one hundred and fifty-three acres of it to the Rev. Matthew Henderson, and on the 1st of April, 1790, he conveyed one hundred and fifty- two acres to Matthew Bowland. The last tract was adjoining Matthew Henderson, Thomas White, and James and Charles Campbell. John Struthers, Jr., and Alexander soon after went West. James in- herited the homestead, and Thomas also lived on a portion of the estate, where they lived and died, leav- ing families whose descendants live in this and ad- joining townships.


Gavin Morrison, a native of Scotland, came to this county with the twenty families who came to this section of country about 1773 and located on the hill lands in Chartiers township under the settlement rights offered by Virginia. On this tract he built his cabin and settled with his family, which consisted of three sons-James, Gavin, and John-and one daugh- ter. Gavin Morrison, Sr., died in the fall of 1782, and left his land to his eldest son, James Morrison, to whom it was surveyed Aug. 3, 1784, on a Virginia certificate. It was named in the survey " Rich Hill," and contained three hundred and eighty-seven acres and eighteen perches, and is mentioned at the time of survey as adjoining lands.of James and Gavin Mor- rison. On the 8th of April, 1785, James Morrison took out a warrant for a tract that was surveyed Au- gust 3d the same year as " Copenhagen," containing sixty-six acres, and Feb. 22, 1786, another tract was warranted, and surveyed August 3d as "Springfield," containing fifty-eight acres. In the year 1792 he is assessed as Capt. James Morrison on four hundred acres of land. He died in November, 1813, leaving sons, William, James, John, and Guion. They all lived and died on the farm, and the widow, of Guion Morrison now owns the place.


On the 12th of June, 1786, Gavin Morrison took out a warrant for a tract of four hundred acres which was surveyed as "White Oak Springs," part of which was sold to the Rev. Matthew Henderson, and is now in possession of Robert Henderson, a grandson of the Rev. Matthew. In 1792 Gavin Morrison was assessed on four hundred acres, and John Morrison on one hundred and forty acres.


Andretv Swearingen emigrated from Virginia in 1772. He was a captain in the McIntosh campaign ;


711


CHARTIERS TOWNSIIIP.


was at the Wheeling fort when that place was in- "cxander W. Acheson, Jr., now of Texas. The third vested by the Indians, and at the commencement of daughter became the wife of a son of John Bausman ; they now reside in Pittsburgh. Sarah, a daughter of John and Sarah Cooke, became the wife of Dr. Alfred Creigh. Isabella married the Hon. Isaac Leet, of Washington, Pa. the Revolutionary war he received a captain's com- mission, and headed a company of scouts during the greater part of that struggle. He was appointed one of the justices of the peace of Yohogania County at the October term of court in 1776, and in 1783 was Samuel Agnew came from York County, Pa., in the spring of 1780, and purchased (April 15th of that year) two tracts of land of four hundred acres each located on George's Run, a branch of Chartiers Creek. On the 16th of September, 1785, warrants were issued for both tracts,-one to Samuel Agnew, the other to Matthew Henderson. The Agnew tract was surveyed as "Nantucket," containing four hun- dred and three acres; the Henderson tract as "Stra- bane," containing three hundred and twenty-one acres. On the 22d of May, 1786, Matthew Hender- son sold to Samuel Agnew the tract "Strabane," and on the 9th of December in that year patents were issued for both of them to Samuel Agnew. Upon his first settlement in this section of country, in 1780, he built his cabin on the Strabane tract, where he lived and died. `He was elected a justice of the peace of one of the districts, which at that time em- braced several townships. Later he was a member of the Legislature of the State. He had three sons and three daughters. Of the sons one settled on the homestead and died there, and his son, E. J. Agnew, now owns the farm. Other children and grandchil- dren are living in the township. John, son of Samuel Agnew, Sr., settled in what is now West Virginia. James, also a son, settled on part of the " Strabane" tract. The daughters all married and settled in Vir- ginia. The tract called "Nantucket" joined "Stra- bane" on the northeast. It is now owned by John McKee, Thomas and John Paxton. appointed treasurer of Washington County, and served till 1794. In 1799 he was elected justice of peace in Chartiers township. As a magistrate he was noted for settling difficulties between neighbors with- out resorting to the law. He took up large tracts of land on Virginia certificates, which were confirmed to him by warrants of acceptance from the board of property April 19, 1786. Two of these tracts were located on George's Run, a branch of Chartiers Creek. One was surveyed under the name of " Canaside," containing three hundred and ninety-eight acres, and patented April 1, 1788 ; the other was surveyed under the name of " Drusilla," containing one hundred and sixty-seven acres. This tract was patented March 6, 1789. (It was probably named Drusilla after a daughter of his brother, Van Swearingen, and who became the wife of Samuel Brady, the well-known Indian scout.) On the 30th of July, 1805, he sold these tracts to Joseph Nesbitt, who bought them for himself and his brothers Jonathan and John. He also owned a large body of land on Chartiers Creek, in Chartiers township. On this tract he lived, and conveyed the greater part of it to his children. On the 9th of July, 1796, he transferred six hundred and seventy acres to Joseph Swearingen, a son, who later lived in Philadelphia, and on the same date conveyed seven hundred and seventeen acres to Thomas Swear- ingen. This last body of land was composed of two tracts that were surveyed as "Belmont" and " Ver- mont." Warrants of acceptance were issued by the Joseph, Jonathan, and John Nesbitt, brothers, came from Cecil County, Md. Joseph, the elder, purchased of Andrew Swearingen, July 30, 1805, a large body of land on George's Run, a branch of Chartiers Creek, lying in the townships of Chartiers and Canton. The land was in two tracts warranted, surveyed, and pat- ented by Andrew Swearingen; one named "Canaside," the other "Drusilla." On the 7th of August the same year Joseph conveyed to Jonathan and to John one hundred and nineteen acres each. The land Joseph retained was in Canton township, and *on it he lived and died, leaving a widow and three chil- dren. board of property April 9,. 1786, and patent issued June 1, 1786. On the 27th of September, 1799, An- drew Swearingen conveyed to his only daughter, Sally Cooke, two hundred and eighty-one acres of land ad- joining his other land and Joseph and Thomas Swear- ingen. Andrew Swearingen lived on his farm till June 26, 1824, when he died in his seventy-eighth year. He became an elder in the Presbyterian con- gregation of Washington upon the organization of that body, and served in that capacity till his death. Sally Swearingen became the wife of John Cooke, of Berkeley County, Va., on the 25th day of November, 1797. They settled on this place in 1800, and she Jonathan Nesbitt settled on the farm in Chartiers township, set off for him in the division of the large tract purchased by Joseph, his brother. On this he lived and died, leaving four sons and three daughters. The sons were Joseph, John, Alexander, and Robert. Joseph went to Ohio ; John bought a farm adjoining his father on the northwest, where a nephew (John M. Paxton) now lives; Alexander and Robert re- mained on the homestead ; the widow of the latter and his oldest son (John W. Nesbitt) now own the place. died here about 1852. Mr. Cooke died July 30, 1858, aged eighty-seven years. They left three children,- one son, John L. Cooke, and two daughters, Sarah and Isabella. John L. Cooke purchased a farm in South Strabane township, where he resided till his death, leaving three daughters and a son ; the latter, J. Littleton Cooke, removed West. Of the daughters, Ellena became Mrs. W. T. Beatty, of Washington, where she still resides ; Sarah became the wife of Al-


712


HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.


John Nesbitt, one of the three brothers, settled on his portion of the land. He married Martha Donald- son. In the winter of 1837 the family were attacked by a fever, and the father, mother, and two daughters (Jane and Margaret) died, leaving only one son, Robert, who inherited the homestead. His sons, John and Robert, now own the farm and reside upon it.


Rowland Hughes came to this county from east of the mountains, selected a tract of land, and died be- fore the warrant for it was obtained. Robert, his son, took out the warrant in trust for the children of Rowland. It was surveyed Nov. 13, 1786, under the name of "Good Hopewell," containing three hun- dred and ninety-five acres. A part of it was sold to Nathaniel Deverall, and later to Robert Montgomery. The church of Chartiers Cross-Roads is located on this tract. Samuel and Elizabeth Hughes, children of Rowland Hughes, also came to a part of the farm. On the 31st of May, 1796, Robert, Elizabeth, and Samuel Hughes conveyed to Morton and Thomas Adams one hundred and twenty acres of the tract. The interest of Thomas became 'vested in Martin Adams, and after his death the executors of Martin sold (July 6, 1810) to Robert Anderson. This tract was part of the Crawford-Neville military patent, and for which settlement was made and a quit-claim issued to Robert Hughes in 1803.


Hugh Mcknight emigrated from Ireland and set- tled for several years in Cecil County, Md., where he married, and where two sons, John and Joseph, were born. In 1784 he made a journey west of the moun- tains with a view of purchasing land. He lived for a short time on a farm between Hickory and Washing- ton, and on the 1st of July, 1785, purchased of Sam- uel Irwin, of Pittsburgh, a " plantation on Shirtee,". containing one hundred and ninety-three acres, for £144 158. This tract had been warranted to Samuel Irwin, Nov. 22, 1784, and surveyed Sept. 6, 1786, as "Littleton," containing about one hundred and ninety acres. It was described as being " on the west fork of Shirtee Creek, adjoining lands of James Ramsey, Samuel McBride, David Shearer, and James Sibbert." A patent was issued to Hugh Mcknight, June 18, 1799. He lived on the farm till his death, and left it to his sons John and Joseph. Of the family of John, Joseph McKnight, of Mount Pleasant, is the only re- maining member. Joseph McKnight, son of Hugh and brother of John, married Sarah, the daughter of Abraham Anderson. They lived on the homestead and died there. He was a ruling elder in Mount Pleasant congregation many years. He adhered to the old customs and wore a cue to the end of his days. He lived to the advanced age of one hundred years, and died on the 4th of May, 1873. He left two children, Elizabeth, who became the wife of Alexan- der McConnell, and Hugh O. McKnight, who married a daughter of Thomas Paxton, and settled on the homestead of his father and grandfather. Hugh O.


McKnight in November, 1879, introduced Hereford cattle into this county for the first time. He pur- chased five head from a herd in Beecher, Ill., and has since added to his herd by other purchases.


William Moore came into the county and settled upon land held under Virginia certificate, dated Feb- ruary, 1780. It was surveyed to him as " Double Trouble," containing three hundred and eighty-four acres. A patent was obtained on the 18th of June, 1785. In later years he sold his interest in the land to George Frazier. It is now owned by George Miller.


John Hays was of Scotch-Irish parentage, married, and raised a family of five sons, who arrived at matu- rity before they emigrated to this country. About the year 1775, John Hays, with four of his sons, William, Robert, James, and Samuel, came to this county and located a large tract of land on the head-waters of Chartiers Creek. John Hays, the father, in 1780 took out a Virginia certificate for one tract, which was surveyed to him as "Hay Field," containing four hundred and nineteen acres. Patent for it was obtained in April, 1794. It covered what is now known as the Anderson, Haft, and Ramsey property. He also took out on a Virginia certificate a tract which was surveyed to him March 15, 1788, under the name of " The Compact," containing three hun- dred and fifteen acres. This tract is now in Mount Pleasant township, adjoining Chartiers. The war- rant for it was returned June 11, 1788, to James Mc- Elroy. On the tract "Hay Field" Mr. Hays lived till his death, and left a portion of it to his youngest son, Edward, from whom John Haft purchased about 1820. The remainder of the estate was left to Wil- liam, the eldest son, and John, the second son, who remained in Ireland.


William Hays, the eldest son of John Hays, located farther up the valley, and obtained title to his land on a warrant. It was surveyed to him as "Hay Woods," containing four hundred and forty-one acres. A patent for it bears date June 3, 1785. William Hays was elected justice of the peace April 3, 1799, and served the remainder of his days. He died on the farm. John Hays, Esq., his son, who died, aged seventy-six years, on the 31st July, 1875, was born on this farm in 1799, and spent his life at and near his birthplace. He was a student at Jeffer- son College, and devoted his life to agricultural pur- suits. He was elected justice of the peace in April, 1840. Six children survived him, four of whom are ministers. The Rev. Isaac N. Hays, for many years pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Chambersburg, later of Junction City, Kan., and at present pastor of Central Presbyterian Church at Allegheny City ; Rev. J. S. Hays, D.D., many years pastor of Presby- terian Church in Louisville, Ky., at present professor in the theological seminary at Danville, Ky .; and Rev. George Hays, D.D., former president of Wash- ington and Jefferson College, now pastor of Presby- terian Church in Denver, Col. A daughter became


11


RESIDENCE OF JAMES D. LITTLE, CHARTIERS TOWNSHIP, WASHINGTON CO , PA.


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CHARTIERS TOWNSHIP.


the wife of Rev. S. G. McFarland, missionary to Siam. Nancy became the wife of James Reed, and now lives in Canonsburg. William, a son of William Hays, resided on the old homestead, and died April 27,1881.


Robert Hays, a son of John, took out a warrant for a tract of land between that of his father and brother William. It was surveyed to him as " Fine View," containing two hundred and fifty-one acres, and was patented June 28, 1785. It is now known as the Mc- Nary tract. John Hays took out a warrant for a tract of land surveyed as one hundred and thirty acres, now owned by Mrs. John Campbell. It was patented by John Hays in 1785, and in 1787 was given by him to his son James.


On the 16th of May, 1792, James Ramsey took out a warrant for a tract of land on the waters of Char- tiers Creek, which was surveyed to him on the 12th of August, 1795, as "Smithfield," containing one hundred and sixty-eight acres. Mr. Ramsey resided on this place a few years, and on the 4th of Septem- ber, 1805, he became the pastor of the Chartiers United Presbyterian Congregation, which relation was sustained until June 12, 1849, when, at his own request, he was released. On the 17th of March, 1796, he sold eighty-four acres of "Smithfield" to John McElroy, and on the 24th of March, 1806, con- veyed ninety-five acres of the same tract to Thomas Patton, and fifty acres of "Canaside," part of a tract of land patented by Andrew Swearingen, and sold by him to Joseph Nesbitt, who sold to James Ramsey. The eighty-four acres conveyed to John McElroy, soon after the purchase by him, was sold to James Ryburn, by whose descendants it is still owned. The other portion of the Ramsey property came into pos- session of Archibald Stewart, and is now owned by his widow and son James. The Rev. James Ramsey died on the 6th of March, 1855, aged eighty-four years. He had two children, James and Maria. The former became a minister of the United Presbyterian Congregation, and died in Beaver County. Maria married and settled in the same county.


Thomas Paxton came to this county from Scotland and settled ou Mingo Creek, where he raised a large family of children. Thomas, a son, settled in Mercer County, married there, and in 1806 purchased one hundred and forty-five acres of land of the Rev. James Ramsey, part of the tract "Canaside" and part of "Smithfield." John, a son of Thomas, Jr., settled first in Mercer County, and later moved to this county, and lived on the farm where David Morrow now lives. His children were Eliza, who married John Nesbitt, and settled in Chartiers township. Thomas, about 1820, commenced buying land where he now lives, and has owned exceeding six hundred acres. His first purchase was of the Alexander Castle tract. His sons John and Isaac live on part of the farm. A daughter, Martha, became the wife of Hugh O. MeKnight, who settled on the old McKnight home-


stead. Samuel, a son of John, settled at McConnell's Mills. John, also a son of John, settled at Canons- burg about 1830, and resided there forty-five years. He married Elizabeth, a daughter of Henry Wilson, and sister of the Rev. S. J. Wilson, president of Alle- gheny Seminary. Their children are John R., Wil- son, William, Oliver, and Henry.


Rev. John R. Paxton studied in Jefferson College two years from 1860, and entered the national service in the One Hundred and Fortieth Pennsylvania Regi- ment. He passed through every important battle of the Army of the Potomac, and was present when Gen. Lee surrendered. After the war he returned to Jef- ferson College, and graduated in 1866, after which he entered the theological seminary at Allegheny, and studied three years, and attended Princeton College one year. In the spring of 1870 he was called as pas- tor to a church in Harford County, Md., where he re- mained five years, and was called to the Pine Street Church, in Harrisburg, Pa. Here he remained four years, when he received a call from the New York Avenue Church, Washington City, D. C. With this church he remained until the spring of 1882, when a call was extended to him from the West Presbyterian Church, West Forty-second Street, New York City, which he accepted, and he is now pastor of that church.




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