History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 102

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474

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The first thing a traveler did on arriving at this old tavern was to stroll through the garden that was talked about by everyone who ever came to Parkinson's Ferry.

As has been said, Mrs. Parkinson was a complete mis- tress of cookery and domestic sciences. She managed the care of her garden herself, and it was her particular pride to attend to its cultivation during her whole life as the hostess of the famous old tavern. It always gave her her greatest delight to walk out in the mornings and evenings with her guests to display the beauties of her garden and receive the deserved compliments of the eastern merchants and others then traveling from the more cultured and refined east.

It must not be supposed from the fact that Joseph Parkinson and his wife managed and conducted a tavern and ferry that they were the simple landlords of a small hostelry and the conductors of a ferry, and that Joseph Parkinson was a man who sat on the river bank looking for the occasional traveler. As a matter of fact, Joseph Parkinson was a very energetic and busy man from his early manhood to the time when age called him away from the activities of life. He engaged in trading for many years on the rivers as far

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

as New Orleans, taking flat boats with their cargoes to that distant city and returning oftentimes afoot to his home on the Monongahela, and risking his life among the then savages of the territory. He was for some years in the employ of his government as a supply agent at Fort Pitt, rendering his country a substantial service. His foresight and business acumen was evi- denced further in laying out the first plan of lots which became Monongahela City. As to the many stories of the Whiskey Insurrection it may be said that Joseph Parkinson and none of his brothers, excepting Benjamin, were ever friendly to that movement against the gov- ernment. While the public meetings connected with the adjustment of that difficulty were held on his lands at Parkinson's Ferry, yet it is a fact that General Lee made his headquarters at Joseph Parkinson's tavern. So that it is to be seen that he as a tavern keeper provided enter- tainment and accommodations for both the government 's military officers as well as the citizens for and against the levy and collection of the much despised excise tax. It is a family tradition that neither Joseph, William, Thomas or James Parkinson ever engaged in any way in the manufacture of whiskey, or in any manner supported the insurrectionists.

The Parkinson families who lived at the several points on the Monongahela River and on Mingo and Pigeon Creeks were persons of considerable wealth, in fact rich for their day and time, and they lived in accordance. Many pieces of furniture and silver plate are still extant which show they lived in some luxury. The old mahog- any sideboard used in the Parkinson tavern when Gen- eral Lee and his officers were guests at the then hostelry in 1794 can be seen at the residence of a great grand- daughter, Ella V. Warne, in Monongahela City, besides many other pieces of plate and furniture.

One instance of the many big dinners served at the old tavern is given in an old Washington County news- paper :

"Parkinson's Ferry, July 4, 1811.

"The Williamsport rangers, commanded by Captain James Warne, assembled at 10 o'clock a. m. After performing various military tactics, they dismissed un- til 3 o'clock p. m., when all met at the house of Mr. Joseph Parkinson and partook of an elegant dinner. General John Hamilton and Joseph Beckett, Esq., occu- pied seats at the head of the table, and thirteen toasts were given."

Joseph Parkinson was acquainted with all the early pioneers and knew them personally. He knew and had business with such men as Col. George Morgan, at Fort Pitt. He knew the Indian chiefs mentioned in the his- tory of the early days. He was well acquainted to his sorrow with Simon Girty, the outlaw. He associated with the Deckers, Fromans, Devores, Wickerhams, Van Voor- hises, Andrew and James McFarland, Daniel Depue,

Samuel Black, Van Swearengin, Paul Froman, the Bradys, and hundreds of others whose names made up the population o fthe territory around Fort Pitt in the days preceding and immediately following the Revolu- tionary war.

From the records of the Supreme Executive Council for August 24, 1781 (XIII. Col. Records, 38), is found the information that among the justices of the peace of Washington County, returned as elected is the name of Joseph Parkinson, as one of the justices from Nuttin- game Township.

A petition was signed by many citizens of Washing- ton County, in 1781, and forwarded to President Reed at Philadelphia, protesting strongly against the commis- sioning of some of the twelve men returned as elected as justices who should, form the first Court of Washing- ton County, and containing the names of certain citizens as more fit to serve in said capacity, among whom were, James Edgar, Judge, Danl. Leet, John Reid, Jos. Parkin- son, John Armstrong, Abner Howell, and James Brice, all of whom were certified "to be more able to serve."

Thus we can realize that Joseph Parkinson was a man of many parts and exerted an influence in various ways and was prominent socially as well as in a business ca- pacity.

As to his church relations the writer has no data; but it is to his credit that he donated to the Presbyterian Church its first location for a church and a small piece of land for a graveyard. And from the further fact that his family came originally from the old Presbyterian Settlement of the Conococheagure Church, his leanings at least were Presbyterian, if not actually affiliated as a member.

On the death of Joseph Parkinson, the Monongahela Patriot of April 29, 1834, published in Williamsport, states :

"Died .- In this borough, on Monday night, April 28, 1834, at the advanced age of 94 years, Mr. Joseph Parkinson. Mr. Parkinson was well known to many as the original proprietor of this place, from whom it received the name of Parkinson's Ferry. Although his death was long looked for, it has cast a gloom over our citizens. The following testimony of respect from our town authorities, to the memory of the deceased, was handed in a few minutes before our paper went to press :

Tribute of Respect.

" 'Whereas, We have learned with deep regret of the death of our aged and esteemed fellow-citizen, Joseph Parkinson, the original proprietor of this town; therefore, be it

" 'Resolved, That as testimony of respect to the memory of the deceased, we will attend his funeral this afternoon, at 4 o'clock, and that it be recommended to our citizens generally to attend said occasion.

" 'By order of the council of the borough of Williamsport.

"' 'JOHN BAUSMAN, Sec. AARON KERR, Pres.' "

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In early life Parkinson was a tall, bony, muscular man dressed rather fashionably in the costume of his day, with knee buckles and shoe buckles. In his older days he wore side-whiskers, and the well known queue of the times.

The founder of Monongahela City was buried in the old grave-yard at the head of Church Alley near the old Presbyterian Church within the lines of a small tract of land which he himself donated to the church for a burying ground. The exact spot where lies the remains of all that is mortal of Joseph Parkinson and his wife Margaret is not known, as no tombstone was ever erected to mark the last resting place of the two persons whose lives were given to open up this country and establish the town in the wilderness, now a thriving and progres- sive little city. After all, is'nt it just as well. The grandeur of monuments and the massive walls of cryps will not keep a man's name green after him. But the name of Parkison will live as long as the foot of man shall tread the soil of the great Monongahela Valley. Some time we hope the people who will live to enjoy the things made possible by the old pioneer who built his cabin and dwelt among the scenes of nature as he

found them in 1770, in order that his part in the great scheme of God's plan might be carried out, will have enough local pride to erect a fitting marker to call the attention of the coming generations to the one who first cleared the way for the white man to set up the standard of Christianity and civilization on the banks of the Monongahela, where the 5,000 acres of lands once taken up by him and his brothers now pour their millions through its gates into the great water way that will soon lead to all parts of the world.

The only living descendants of Joseph and Margaret Weaver Parkinson residing in Washington County, Penn- sylvania, at this time are the following: Miss Ella V. Warne, Matthew S. Warne and his children, and Mary E. Warne Stathers and her children, of Monongahela City; and A. Clark Warne, Boyd E. Warne, Esq., Howard R. Warne, Flore R. Warne and Mae Warne, and William Parkinson Warne, Esq., and the following named chil- dren: James Kemp Warne, Mary Elizabeth Warne, Thomas Parkinson Warne( William Dumm Warne, Rich- ard Mastin Warne and Harry Millar Warne, all of Wash- ington, Pa.

Representative Citizens

JOSEPH LONG THISTLE, M. D., comes of a notable Scotch-Irish ancestry, many of whom were pioneer set- tlers in the Ohio Valley at the beginning of last cen- tury, and all of them were thrifty and early acquired valuable real estate. His paternal grandfather, Samp- son Thistle, after marriage near Cumberland, Md., brought his bride, on horseback, to a clearing and cabin which he had previously prepared, about two miles above Fishing Creek on the Virginia side of the Ohio, where they lived to a ripe old age and brought up a family of eleven children. Dr. Thistle at present owns one-half of these ancestral lands of nearly 900. acres.

Archibald Thistle, one of these children and father of the object of this sketch, entered his brother's store, as a partner, at the age of 18, and when 28 years old started in a general mercantile business at Sistersville," continuing uninterruptedly until his death at the age of 78. He was the wealthiest and one of the most respect- ed citizens of his county. He was postmaster before, during and after the Civil War period, covering in all 25 years.

John McCoy, the maternal grandfather of Dr. Thistle, married Sarah Wells, one of the 22 children of Charles Wells, whose home was in what is now Brooke County, W. Va. To each of 20 of these children who lived to maturity their father gave a good river-bottom farm, most of which he secured by patent from the state; others he bought from prior owners. To his daughters, Sarah (Wells) McCoy and Ruth (Wells) Birkhead, he gave the northern half of a valley, just midway between Wheeling and Parkersburg. In course of time these sisters decided to lay out a town site, one-half of which should be upon eitner side of the line dividing their farms. After much discussion as to a name for the place Sarah suggested the appropriate and unique name of Sistersville, and so it is to this day. The said John McCoy was delegate to the legislature sitting at Rich- mond, Va., for five terms from the founding of his county of Tyler in 1815 until 1822. Sarah (Wells) Me-

Coy was one of the founders and ever a leading sup- porter of the Presbyterian Church in Sistersville, organ- ized in 1842, (and then a part of Washington, Pa., Pres- bytery,) until her death in 1888, at the age of 94 years.

In the fall of 1872 Joseph L. Thistle came from Sis- tersville, W. Va., where he was born in 1855, to Wash- ington and entered the preparatory department of Wash- ington-Jefferson College, and pursued the regular classical course, intending to be a physician, until impaired health compelled him to leave college soortly before the graduation of his Class of '78. Less than two years. after his arrival here he united with the First Presby- terian Church, of which he was ordained a deacon soon after becoming a resident of the town some years later. While in college he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and of the Philo and Union Literary Society. After leaving college he was employed in surveying and engineering work, and in his father's store, until he en- tered Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, Sep- tember, 1884, after nearly two years of preparatory study, and received a diploma from this famous insti- tution in 1886, together with a gold medal, awarded in competition, for "the best thesis on a subject relating to obstetrics."

In 1879 he married Sarah Olivia Bell, daughter of John E. Bell, who occupied the offices of treasurer and prothonotary of this county, and was collector of in- ternal revenue at the time of his death. To Dr. Thistle and wife were born six children, four of whom are liv- ing,-Archibald, who conducts a jewelry business at No. 36 North Main street, and Helen S., Catherine R. and Mildred B., who reside with their father at No. 41 E. Beau street. For some years after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Thistle lived at Sistersville. But, immediately after completing some post-graduate work, following graduation from medical college he removed his family to Washington, Pa., and has resided here ever since. This was during the hight of the oil excitement here and he soon had a good practice which he continued until

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in the early nineties his father's failing health and added cares on account of oil and gas developments in Tyler County, compelled him to spend about one-half of the time away from home for the next ten years. His father died in 1896, leaving a considerable estate. After many years of great suffering from asthma, al- though relief was sought in many parts of the country, Mrs. Thistle passed to her reward in February, 1906. She was most relieved at Mt. Lake Park, Md., and here a comfortable home was established in 1897, where the family have spent most of the hottest months for the last 12 years.

In 1893 Washington-Jefferson College conferred upon Dr. Thistle the honorary degree of Master of Arts. He is a director in the Washington Trust Company, and in the Washington Electric Light and Power Company be- sides being a stockholder in several other banks and corporations of this and neighboring cities.

HON. JONATHAN ALLISON, deceased, who was one of Washington's most prominent citizens, formerly presi- dent of the Allison Land Company and vice-president of the Citizens' National Bank of Washington, for many years was active in the development of Washington County and its resources. He was born in Chartiers Township, Washington County, Pa., February 3, 1828, and was a son of Thomas and Mary (Johnson) Allison. His death occurred December 17, 1908. He was of

Scotch descent, his ancestors having left Scotland for North Ireland at an early day because of religious per- secution. His grandfather, James Allison, was born in Ireland and emigrated to America in colonial days, and was one of the very earliest pioneers of Washington County, settling in the woods in 1773, and was a very important factor in its early development.

Jonathan Allison received an elementary education in the district schools of Chartiers Township and this was supplemented by a course in Jefferson College, which institution he entered at the age of seventeen years. He continued his studies there for two years, when, on ac- count of the death of a brother, it was necessary for him to return home and for a number of years afterward he devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He purchased a farm of 148 acres from William Hopkins, which was situated about one mile from his birth place, and after a residence there of eight years, bought a part of his grandfather's old farm, from the Andrew Allison estate. It was on this farm that his grandfather, late in the eighteenth century, had discovered coal, which was the first found in Washington County, and he mined some for use in blacksmithing, hauling it a considerable dis- tance and selling it then for twenty-five cents a bushel. It was not until some years later that it was used for house fuel, and not until the advent of the Chartiers

Valley Railroad, in 1872, that it was mined on an ex- tensive scale. With the construction of the railroad, Jonathan Allison saw the opportunity of developing the rich underlying vein, and he soon had operations under way that supplied the borough of Washington with bitu- minous coal, sold quantities at other near points and also shipped to lake ports, even as far as Chicago. He continued his activities in the ocal business until 1891, employing some fifty men at the mines and shipping millions of bushels per annum. In that year he sold out to J. V. H. Cook & Sons, of Canonsburg, Pa., and retired from the coal business. In 1887 he moved his place of residence to Washington, purchasing the old Acheson homestead at No. 101 South Wade avenue, where his widow now resides. He entered actively into the affairs of the borough, and in 1886 became identified with one of its most substantial financial institutions, the Citizens' National Bank, of which he was one of the original stockholders, and later its vice-president.

On April 7, 1857, Mr. Allison was united in marriage with Miss Margaret G. Gabby, and to them were born the following children: Mary, who died at the age of four years; Maggie, who died at Canonsburg, was the wife of William Dickson; Albert; Thomas, who is de- ceased; Edward and William, twins, the former of whom is a practicing physician, a graduate of the Pittsburg Medical College; John B., who is teller in the Citizens' National Bank of Washington; Ralph, who is a well known attorney at law, practicing at Butler, Pa .; and Jennie. Of the above family, William Allison was drowned in 1881, on his way home from school, by acci- dentally falling from a foot log while he was crossing a creek.

In his political affiliation, Mr. Allison was a Whig until the organization of the Republican party, since which time he was one of its adherents. He was elected to the office of school director the year he cast his first ballot and served in that capacity for many years. In 1872 and 1873, he served his township as justice of the peace, but resigned that office to accept that of State Representative, to which he was first elected in 1872, serving two terms in a manner which gained him the approval and good will of his constituents. During his tenure of office he was the only representative in the General Assembly from Washington County. He was long recognized as a man of exceptional ability and Washington County gladly accords him a place among her representative men.

WILLIAM ATEN, a prosperous farmer and life-long resident of Robeson Township, Washington County, Pa., with the heirs of his brother, John Aten, owns a farm of 123 acres, and comes of one of the old established families of the county. He was born March 1, 1842, a

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

son of Aaron and Mary (McMinn) Aten, who were the parents of six sons: William; Andrew and John, both deceased, were twins; Henry, Robert, and James, and a daughter, Elizabeth, who died when twenty months old. The parents of our subject, who were farmers by occu- pation, were members of the Presbyterian Church at Candor, where they were buried.

William Aten is of Holland Dutch extraction and his paternal grandparents were William and Jane (Smith) Aten, and the maternal grandparents were Andrew and Elizabeth McMinn. William Aten attended the common schools of the township for a short time and early in life began working on his father's farm, which was pur- chased by his grandfather, William Aten, in 1803, and after the death of his father, he and brother John, purchased the land from the other heirs. John Aten, brother of our subject, also resided on the farm until the time of his death, and was united in marriage with Mar- garet A. Bailey, a daughter of William and Mary Ann (Springer) Bailey. He is survived by his widow and five children : Mary Frances, Aaron, Earl Bailey, George and John, all of whom live on the farm with William Aten, our subject. Mr. Aten is one of the substantial farmers of the township, and possesses the esteem and respect of his fellow men.

HARRY T. GHRIST, funeral director and embalmer, who has been engaged in business at California, Pa., since 1901, is a native of this borough, born January 23, 1875, and is a son of Alfred B. and Allie V. (Phil- lips) Ghrist.

Alfred B. Ghrist was born and reared in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of James Ghrist, of Jefferson Township, Fayette County. James Ghrist and his sons were all stone masons, brick masons and contractors, and in 1871 they came to California and in 1872 erected the dormitory of the State Normal School. Alfred B. Ghrist was married after coming to California, to Miss Allie V. Phillips, a daughter of Everett Oxley Phillips. She was born and reared in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and still survives. Alfred B. Ghrist died in March, 1909.

Harry F. Ghrist attended the borough schools and later the State Normal School at California, leaving this in- stitution in 1892, in his junior year, and then learned the art of photography, in 1894 taking charge of the Rodger gallery here, which he conducted for two years. He then started to learn his present business and pre- pared for the same by an experience of six years with S. W. Craft. In December, 1901, in partnership with Frederick S. Gleason, under the firm name of Ghrist & Gleason, Mr. Ghrist went into undertaking and since 1905 has been alone, Mr. Gleason retiring in that year in order to accept the position of director of music in

the public schools of Schenectady, New York. Mr. Ghrist is a qualified embalmer and he has provided every neces- sity and facility for funeral directing. As an honorable business man he stands high in the estimation of his fellow citizens. He is the local health officer of the East Pike Run and Allen townships.

Mr. Ghrist was married to Miss Emma Aston, a daugh- ter of Thomas Aston. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is identified fraternally with Pike Run Lodge, No. 491, Odd Fellows; with the F. O. E., at Brownsville; the Royal Arcanum, and Col. A. L. Hawkins Council, No. 334, J. O. A. M.

ROBERT R. HAYS, who is president of the Farmers' National Bank of Hickory, Pa., was born near Bur- gettstown, Washington County, Pa., and is a son of James S. Hays, who died at Burgettstown in 1907, in the eighty-second year of his age, and was interred at Fairview Cemetery, by the side of his wife, who had died two years previously. They were members of the First. Presbyterian Church of Burgettstown.

Mr. Hays was educated in the Burgettstown schools, McDonald Academy and Washington and Jefferson Col- lege, graduating with the degree B. S. at the latter in the class of 1902. He then registered as a law student under the late Joseph Hays, at Pittsburg, and then as- sisted in organizing the Farmers' National Bank of Hickory, Pa., and settled at Hickory where he is engaged in banking. He is one of the town's substantial citizens.

On July 11, 1906, Mr. Hays was married to Miss Jennie C. McMurray, a daughter of Capt. H. B. McMur- ray, and they have one daughter, Evelyn Jean. Mr. and Mrs. Hays are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he follows in the footsteps of his father, being a stanch Democrat. He is identified with the Masonic fraternity and retains membership in his Greek letter society of college days.

W. K. GALBRAITH, deceased, was a prominent resi- dent of Canonsburg for many years, where he served under several administrations as postmaster, for a long period was also a man of affairs in Washington County. He was born in Cross Creek village, Washington County, December 12, 1858, and was a son of James A. and Mary A. (Bebout) Galbraith, and a grandson of William and Isabella (Welch) Galbraith, the latter of whom came to Washington County after their marriage in Scotland and settled in Smith Township.

W. K. Galbraith was reared at Cross Creek and Bur- gettstown, his parents removing to the latter place when he was ten years old. He attended the graded schools and was graduated from the high school with the class of 1878, and then entered the recorder's office, his father being recorder of Washington County at that time.

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After the expiration of his father's term he continued in the office as clerk for a year and then located at Canonsburg. There he conducted a tobacco store for eight years, after which he was in the employ of the Central Grain Elevator Company of Pittsburg until 1890. In that year he was first appointed postmaster at Canons- burg and later was made assistant county treasurer, in which office he served two terms. After retiring from the treasurer's office he was again appointed postmaster and was so serving when his death occurred on Septem- ber 25, 1906. He was an honest and capable official and he was respected by his fellow citizens and esteemed by his friends.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 102

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1474

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474