WILLIAM DONLEY. The first of the Donley family to come to Washington county was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. He was a teamster on the National pike, and his occupation taking him frequently through the county he had ample opportunity to become acquainted with its many attractions. The promising appearance presented to him decided him in making it his future home, and accordingly he made a settlement. His wife, Mary, was of German parentage. William Donley, a son of this honored pioneer couple, spent all his life in Washington county, of which he was a native. In his early manhood he had learned the trade of brick maker, which was his life vocation. His first brickyards were situated on what is now East Wheeling street, in Washington borough, and the entire hillside from where is now the home of Samuel B. Donley to the residence of Judge McIlvaine, and from Wheeling street to Beau street, was cut down a foot deep or more in order to furnish clay for the manufacture, in Donley’s yard, of bricks, of which many of the prominent buildings of Washington are constructed. William Donley married Miss Mary Claffey, and children as follows were born to them: William, now a resident of Virginia; Thomas and Robert (both deceased); Samuel B., George and Charles, all residing in Washington, Penn.; Mary, wife of Luther Miller, of Washington; Margaret (deceased) and Ellen, wife of S. B. Sumney. The father died at the age of fifty-five years, the mother in 1880, age sixty-five. Samuel B. Donley was born in Washington Co., Penn., December 1, 1845, and his education was received at the common schools of the borough. Early in life he went to work in his father’s brickyard, and for twenty years he has been in the business. His present yard is situated in the southern extremity of the borough limits, and gives employment to from fifteen to twenty hands, the production averaging 12,500,000 brick per annum. On February 28, 1869, Mr. Donley was united in marriage with Miss Eliza McQuay, of Canton township, a descendant of one of the early settlers of that part of the county, and to this union have been born five children, to wit: William, married, and living in Washington, Penn.; and Frank, David, Mary and Loretta, all yet under the parental roof. The Donley residence is situated on East Wheeling street, which has recently been built up and improved till it is now one of the most pleasant and attractive thoroughfares in the borough, and on which for several years Mr. Donley’s family were the only residents. In politics our subject is a Democrat, and in church connections a Presbyterian.

Text taken from page 915 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by LuShelle Fletcher of Grand Island,NE as part of the Beers Project. Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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