The Frye family, of which this gentleman is an honored member, are numbered with the earliest and most prominent citizens of Washington county. The first of the name to settle in Pennsylvania was one Samuel Frye, who was born in 1729, in Virginia, and was there married to Christina Speers, also a native of Virginia, born in 1752. They came overland to Washington county in a very early day, and July 19, 1792, took a “tomahawk right” to a large tract of land in Fallowfield township. He was a famous hunter, and also worked on his farm, remaining in the fort at night for protection from the Indians. He died in 1814, and was followed by his wife November 9, 1841. Abraham Frye, son of Samuel and Christina (Speers) Frye, was born in 1792, on the home farm in Fallowfield township, Washington Co., Penn. He received a subscription-school education, and in early life was married to Isabella Ringland, a native of Washington county. She bore him eleven children, namely; Samuel, living in Allen township; Christina, Mrs. Abraham Colvin, of Fallowfield township; Abraham, who entered the U. S. service in Washington county, and is now living near Nashville, Tenn.; Henry, a resident of Sumner county, Tenn., on the Cumberland river; Noah, who died in Fallowfield township; Sarah, wife of Thomas McGowan, Lock No. 4, Fallowfield township; Jackson, living in Cowley county, Kans. (he enlisted in the Civil War, was taken prisoner, and confined in Andersonville Prison eleven months); Clarissa, who married Alexander Allman, and died in East Pike Run township; Smith, living in Fallowfield township, and Isabelle wife of Elgy T. Van Voorhis, of Kansas City, Mo. After their marriage Abraham and Isabella Frye settled on the upper part of the old homestead in Fallowfield township. He was actively interested in public matters, and first affiliated with the Democratic party, then becoming a Whig and Republican. He died December 11, 1866, followed by his widow April 12, 1881, she having lived to see her youngest daughter the mother of twelve children. Both parents were members of the Disciple Church. Samuel Frye, the eldest son of Abraham and Isabelle Frye, was born July 1, 1814, in Fallowfield township, Washington county. He attended the subscription schools of that township, held in the log cabin schoolhouse of the period, furnished with puncheon floor, slab seats, and glazed paper in lieu of windows. After leaving school he taught several terms, then devoted his time to teaming. On Christmas Day, 1835, he was married to Anna E., daughter of Parker and Sarah (Carson) Scott, natives of Fallowfield township. After his marriage Samuel Frye located on a farm near his present home, and in 1839, bought and moved upon the seventy acres of land he now occupies. Mrs. Frye died in 1888, leaving one daughter, Christina (Mrs. Henry J. McCrory, of Allen township, formerly the widow of Henry Allman). On July 6, 1891, he made a second choice in the person of Belle (Housman) Ward, widow of Richard Ward, who was born in Westmoreland county, Penn. Mr. and Mrs. Frye are members of the Disciple Church, in which he is an Elder. Politically he was originally a Whig, and since its organization has been a member of the Republican party. Mr. Frye is now nearing his eightieth milestone on life’s highway, and is remarkably well preserved in mental and physical vigor.

Text taken from page 1082 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Larry Jones of Pittsburgh, PA 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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