EDWARD P. CHERRY. This well-known and successful gentleman can boast a prouder lineage than lord or lady of royal birth, for his ancestors were among the first rulers of the New World, and martyrs for the future generation, freely giving their lives that "the children" might have happier homes and the God-giving liberties which were denied our fathers. Shall the memory of these ancestors, our royal peerage, sink into oblivion while we enjoy the priceless liberties for which our fathers toiled, suffered and died? Small wonder that we are eager to obtain and record every incident of those noble lives, hoping to thus rear a monument for our loved and honored ones, which will live in the hearts of our children when we, too, "are gathered to our fathers." Among the earliest of early pioneers the name of Cherry takes a prominent position. Thomas and Mary Cherry were born near Bristol, England, and emigrated to America in 1770, first settling in Frederick county, Md. In 1774 they moved to Mt. Pleasant township, Washington Co., Penn., where he erected a log cabin. He was a spy in the Revolutionary war, and one morning was found lying dead by the spring near the cabin, scalped by the Indians; his son John was also killed by the Indians the following year. In 1774 Fort Cherry was built on the home farm, containing three log buildings, one twenty-five feet square, and the smaller ones arranged in a triangular manner. This was used some years as the residence of the Cherry, McCarty and Rankin families. Edward Cherry was born in July, 1776, on the home farm in Mt. Pleasant township, this county, where his boyhood was passed amid the dangers of pioneer life, trebled by the horrors of the Revolution. On March 4, 1802, he was united in marriage with Rebecca Perrin, who was born in 1781, in New Jersey, and bore him children, of whom the following is recorded: William P., born in December, 1803, was reared on the farm, receiving a meager subscription-school education, but by close application became an expert mathematician (he was several times offered the chair as professor of mathematics, but would not accept it, preferring to remain on the old farm; he was actively interested in politics; he died April 10, 1890); Eleanor, born March 10, 1805, on January 20, 1825, was married to Thomas Steward, a farmer, and resided in Allegheny county, Penn. (she passed away February 5, 1872); Nancy, born in November, 1806, on March 12, 1835, gave her hand in marriage to Matthew Rankin (they settled in Mt. Pleasant township, where she died December 5, 1855; her husband married again and died at Burgettstown June 13, 1880); Aaron, born August 29, 1808, on May 19, 1834, was united in marriage with Margaret Benward, first settling in Mt. Pleasant township; thence moving to Wooster, Ohio, and afterward returning to Mt. Pleasant township where they lived twenty years on the farm, then went to Uhrichsville, Ohio, where he died September 17, 1875; Maria L., born in November, 1810, was never married, and died August 12, 1886; Rebecca, born in December, 1812, passed her life on the home farm and died October 8, 1881; Rachel, born in December, 1814, was married on October 8, 1840, to James Stewart (they settled in Allegheny county, Penn., where she died); Sarah, born in 1817, lived with her brother, Edward P., until her death, which occurred in December, 1891; Edward P., born May 19, 1819, whose sketch is given below; Eliza Jane, born in 1821, was married October 8, 1850, to William Cherry, Guernsey county, Ohio (they first settled on the home farm, and in 1875 moved to near Waco, McLennan Co., Tex., where they now reside). The father of this large family was a soldier in the war of 1812, and in politics was a stanch adherent of the Whig party. He was a man of sterling moral worth and true piety, but a member of no church. Mrs. Cherry was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Candor, this county. He died July 1, 1854, in his seventy-eighth year, on the farm where his whole life had been passed. Edward P. Cherry was born on the old farm in Mt. Pleasant township, on Cherry's run, in Cherry valley, which is yet his home. He was educated in the subscription schools of the neighborhood, and on September 26, 1854, was married to Mary Jane Lawton, a native of Cross Creek township, this county. She is a granddaughter of Joseph and Mary (Alway) Lawton, natives of Rhode Island, who came to this county in 1824, and settled in Cross Creek township, where he died in 1839, his wife passing away in 1841. She is a daughter of Pardon Lawton, who was born, in 1798, in Rhode Island, and in 1824 he and his parents came with a six-ox team over the mountains to Washington county, Penn., settling in Cross Creek township. In 1826 he was married to Tabitha Vincent, daughter of Alexander and Jane Vincent, natives of Maryland, who moved to Washington county, Penn., settling in Hopewell township, and the young people settled permanently in Cross Creek township. He was an active politician of the Whig party. Mrs. Lawton was a member of the Buffalo Presbyterian Church, and both she and her husband were conscientious Christians. He died January 27, 1876, and was followed by his wife October 25, 1884. Their children were born as follows: Joseph (living in West Middletown, Penn., married to Mary Louisa Quest); Rosanna (married to Samuel Davidson, Hopewell township); Mary Jane, born April 18, 1830 (married to Edward P. Cherry); Sarah (living in Hopewell township, wife of George Leggett); Peter (living in Cressna Park, Penn., married to Mary McCoy); Alexander (living in West Middletown); Charles (residing in Washington, Penn., married to Sarah Guiney); John (enlisted in 1861, at West Middletown, in the Forty-second P. V. I., serving till the end of the war, when he went to Monmouth; he was married to Matilda Brownlee, and died in September, 1878); James (living in West Middletown, this county); Thomas Vincent (a resident of West Middletown) and Margaret Elizabeth (also living in West Middletown). Mr. Cherry owns a good farm containing 103 acres, part of which he rents and uses as a pasture. It has been in the possession of the Cherry family since 1774, and many improvements have been made, a good house being erected in 1884. Mr. Cherry is fond of hunting and is a skillful marksman. Politically he has long been an active Republican, having voted for General Harrison, and served his party in various township offices. He and his wife are members of the U. P. church at Hickory, this county. [Since the above was written, Mr. Edward P. Cherry died at his home in Mt. Pleasant township, December 23, 1892, in his seventy-fourth year.]

Text taken from page 723 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Karen Souhrada of Pittsford, NY as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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