WILLIAM HAZLETT, a prominent and progressive agriculturist, and a worthy representative of one of the oldest and best-known families of Franklin township, is a native of the same, born March 6, 1819. The paternal ancestry were English, Samuel Hazlett, grandfather of our subject, having been a native of the "land that bears a well-known name," whence early in life he moved to Ireland. Here he married Ann White, a daughter of Erin, and shortly afterward emigrated to America, making their first home in the New World near Baltimore, Md., where he followed carpentering, and where were born to them two children --William and Mary. About 1778 they set out with their little family on a journey to Pennsylvania, on horseback, accompanied by a slave named "Jingo," and a convict whose "time" had been purchased by Mr. Hazlett. Slowly the party wended their way over the rough roads, until they finally reached Washington county, and here they made a halt near where is now the farm occupied by A. O. Day, in Franklin township, being among the first to settle in the township. Here their first dwelling was an old abandoned log cabin, with no floor save mother earth, and here they had to make a clearing for their farm - the men chopping down the forest trees, while the grandmother dug up the briars and other underbrush. They afterward learned that the family who had previously occupied this old cabin had been murdered by Indians. For the first year the young Hazlett colony raised but little on their small clearing, and their chief article of food was hominy, and such other provisions as they may have brought with them; they had to bring salt from Baltimore on horseback. Their nearest neighbors were a long way removed, and consequently they had but few visitors, except it might be a prowling Indian or wolf; on one occasion a couple of rattlesnakes entered their cabin, and coiled themselves up for warmth on the stones on which the fire had been burning. After a time the family built and moved into the house where now dwells the subject of this sketch. In Washington county six more children were born to the pioneer Samuel Hazlett, viz.: Elizabeth, Ellen, Nancy, Ruth, James and Samuel. The grandfather died several years ago, the grandmother at the age of ninety-six years, when the grandson, William, was a lad of some twelve or fourteen years.
Samuel Hazlett, father of William, was born in 1790, in Franklin township, Washington Co., Penn., and received his education at the subscription schools of the neighborhood. He followed agricultural pursuits on the old homestead all his life, and died August 28, 1872, aged eighty-two years, honored and respected by all. He was a leading member of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics was a sound Democrat. He was twice married - first time to Rebecca, daughter of Arthur Hamilton, a native of Ireland, and she bore him children as follows: Elsa, William (subject), Ann (in Allegheny county), Elizabeth, Caroline (in Washington county) and Charlotte. This wife dying, Samuel Hazlett was afterward united in marriage with Jemima Forsyth, a native of Franklin township, and the children born to this marriage were Samuel J. (deceased), Isaac, John, James, Josephine (wife of John Finley) and Ruth E., all living in Fayette county, Penn., except John who is a resident of Amwell township, this county. The mother of these children died in 1870.
William Hazlett was reared to agricultural pursuits on the home place, a few weeks in winter time, during his boyhood, being spent at the schools of the neighborhood, although many a winter's day did he thresh with a flail. On October 29, 1844, he was married to Margaret C., daughter of Joshua Dickerson, and the children born to them were Joshua (a physician in Vanderbilt, Fayette county), Samuel and Maggie (both deceased), Rebecca (Mrs. Lewis Hamilton, in Muskingum county, Ohio), Addison (on a farm), Matilda (Mrs. William McClenathan, in Amwell township), William (on a farm), Samuel Lewis (on the home farm), and James (deceased). On April 21, 1863, the mother died, and the father afterward married Comfort A. West, of Cadiz, Ohio. In 1852 Mr. Hazlett settled on the home farm, where the family now reside. He was formerly a Whig, and since the formation of the party has been an active Republican, his first Presidential vote being cast for William H. Harrison. He has always taken a lively interest in the prosperity of his county and township, especially in educational matters, and for twenty-five years he has held the office of school director; he has also been supervisor of his township. For many years Mr. Hazlett has been a member of the Presbyterian Church of Upper Ten Mile, and one of its leading and most substantial supporters. His farm is situated seven miles from Washington, and comprises 150 acres, while the farm on which his sons Addison and William are living has 150 acres. Mr. Hazlett has been a hard worker all his life, and enjoyed good health until 1891, when he had an attack of the "grippe," from which he has not yet completely recovered.
Text taken from page 553 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed June 1997 by Betty J. Stewart of Pittsburgh, PA as part of the Beers Project.
Published June 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]