JAMES HERRON, a leading business man of the village of California, is descended from Hibernian ancestors, his grandfather, James Herron, having been a native of Ireland, in which country he grew to manhood and was married. The family finally came to America, locating in Greensburgh, Westmoreland Co., Penn., where the grandparents died, leaving two sons, Nelson and John. John Herron, son of the pioneer James, was born on the farm in Westmoreland county, Penn., there received his early education, and learned the carpenter's trade. When a young man he moved to Allegheny county, Penn., where he met and married Elizabeth, daughter of Francis and Ellen (Vandervort) Cooley, who were natives of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Cooley were the parents of the following children: Joseph, Robert, William, John, Francis, Samuel, Harrison, Elizabeth and Mary. The father of this family followed farming near New York City for several years, afterward moving to a place in Washington county, Penn., and finally settling on a farm in Allegheny county, near Pittsburgh, where he died. He was originally a Democrat, but afterward became a member of the Whig party, and in religion was connected with the English Lutheran Church. John and Elizabeth (Cooley) Herron passed their married life in Allegheny county, and he followed the carpenter's trade in Pittsburgh. They had two sons, Francis C., a farmer, and postmaster at Oklahoma, and James. John Herron died in 1828, and was followed to the grave by his widow in 1839. James Herron, son of John and Elizabeth (Cooley) Herron, was born August 8, 1825, in Allegheny county, Penn., and received his early education at the subscription and public schools of the vicinity. Being left an orphan, he had to commence life for himself at an early age, and when sixteen years of age was apprenticed to Thomas McKee, a blacksmith of Pittsburgh, Penn., with whom he remained about ten years. He then purchased the shop, and conducted the business for five years, when he entered the employ of the Lippincott Manufacturing Company. In 1859 he purchased an interest in the store of his brother-in-law, William F. Barclay, at Coal Bluff, this county. Mr. Herron served as postmaster of that place during the Civil war, but, resigning this position in June, 1865, opened his present general merchandise store in California, which is now one of the oldest and most prosperous establishments in the village. Politically he has been a Republican and recently he became a Prohibitionist; in religion he is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. On May 28, 1846, James Herron was united in marriage with Hannah M., daughter of James and Rachel (McVay) Barclay, of Finleyville, Washington Co., Penn. They have had no children, but adopted a little girl, and reared her as their own; she is now the wife of John H. Wilkins, to whom she has borne three sons, viz.: Fred B., James H. and Frank S.

Text taken from page 1292 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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