DANIEL S. McBRIDE. Foremost among the successful retired farmers of Smith township is this well-known gentleman, now a citizen of Bavington, this county. His grandfather, a native of the Emerald Isle, immigrated to America in an early day, finally locating in Robinson township, this county. He married in this county, and reared a family of ten sons, viz.: Nathaniel, Francis, Alexander, Samuel, David, John, Isaac, Matthew, James and William, all of whom lived to an adult age, but are now deceased. The parents died at an advanced age. James McBride was born in Robinson township, this county, receiving a very meager education in the subscription schools. He learned the blacksmith's trade, following that occupation at different places on the Steubenville and Pittsburgh pike, and finally becoming a farmer. He was a very kind-hearted man, and this trait being taken advantage of by his friends, resulted in his own financial ruin. He was married to Ann, daughter of Daniel Stewart, of Robinson township, and she bore him children as follows: John (a blacksmith, who died in Bavington, this county), Mary (deceased), Sarah (who died when twenty years of age), James (a retired citizen of West End, Pittsburgh), Jane (deceased at the age of fourteen years), Samuel (deceased at the age of twenty-five years), Daniel W. (whose sketch follows), Mary Ann (who died when aged twenty years), and Susanna (deceased wife of Thomas H. Pyles). The father of this family was a member of the Democratic party. He died in 1852, having been preceded by his wife several years. Daniel W. McBride was born August 19, 1821, in Hanover township, this county, and attended the subscription schools of the day. He first followed milling, which he continued for several years, afterward renting a farm. In 1852, during the "gold fever" excitement, he went to California by the overland route. The journey from St. Joseph to Sacramento (Cal.) occupied eighty-one days, part of the distance being traveled with mules. He remained in California until 1854, then, returning to Bavington, this county, opened a flour mill, having acquired his knowledge of the business with no instruction. He continued to conduct the mill for twenty-one years, and having amassed a comfortable property, moved to his present valuable farm, which contains over three hundred acres of excellent land. The success of Mr. McBride is but the just reward of his own untiring efforts, which have placed him in the enviable position he now occupies. He is an active member of the Democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. McBride are the parents of the following children: James Z. (a dentist of Burgettstown, Penn.), John (a civil engineer of Allegheny, Penn.), Robert F. (a prospector of Colorado), Anna Isa, Elizabeth V., Susan D., Roena (wife of A. C. Proudfit, of Smith township) and Daniel S. (a civil engineer of Portland, Oregon).

Text taken from page 1443 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL 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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