JOHN BAVINGTON McBRIDE was born on the farm on which he now resides in North Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn., March 15, 1837. He received a good primary and more advanced education at the common schools of his district, supplemented by an extended course of study at Jefferson College, then located at Canonsburg, this county. Indeed it may be truly said of him that he has been a life student, a diligent and thoughtful reader of selected books that furnished the best food for the mind, keeping himself posted in the current literature of the times, a close observer of men and things, and thus trained he has always been ready to take a leading part in all questions and enterprises of interest to the community. In his political predilections he is a leading Democrat and a strong advocate of "clean politics." He has held with characteristic ability various township offices. Without solicitation on his part he was nominated for the Legislature in 1869, and again in 1890. In both contests he led his colleagues, and although in a strongly Republican district, was defeated in both contests by less than 100 votes. He was one of the corporators of and is a stockholder in the "Oak Spring Cemetery Company," located near Canonsburg, Penn. Mr. McBride has been twice appointed, by Gov. Pattison, a member of the board of managers of Morganza Reform school, and takes a special interest in the common schools in his community, having been for many years identified with their management, believing this to be the children's golden opportunity. He is a zealous worker for their success and in touch with such methods and appliances as will elevate and ennoble the schools. Mr. McBride's ancestral history is an interesting one. The great grandparents of the present generation of the most numerous family of Washington county McBrides were natives of near Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland, where they lived and died. The great-grandfather's name was Nathaniel McBride and the great-grandmother's maiden name was Hamilton. The grandfather's name was James McBride, and the grandmother's maiden name was Sarah Sprowls; both were natives of Ireland but were married in this country. Nathaniel and some other brothers never came to this country. James McBride, when twenty-three years of age, came to America with his brothers, Isaac and Samuel, about 1772, and settled first on what was afterward taken up and known as the "Washington lands" on Miller's run, Washington Co., Penn. Soon after their settlement here, Gen. Washington, at the suggestion of his agent, Capt. William Crawford, had a survey made of these lands, and on July 5, 1775, a military patent was issued to Washington for 2,813 acres, from Lord Dunmore, Governor-general of Virginia. In the meantime they, with other settlers, made improvements on said lands, believing, as Col. George Croghan, an Indian agent, told them, that Washington had no right there and advised them to remain. Washington's journal shows that on September 19, 1784, "he came to the settlement," but having learned that they were a religious people deferred his visit until "Monday, September 20, went early this morning to view the land and to receive the final determination of those who lived upon it." . . . "Having obtained a pilot near the land, I went first to the plantation of Samuel McBride, who has about five acres of meadow and thirty acres of arable land under good fencing, a logged dwelling house with a puncheon roof and stable or small barn of the same kind. The land rather hilly but good, chiefly white oak. . . . Next James McBride's three or four acres of meadow, twenty eight acres of arable land, pretty good fencing, land rather broken but good, white and black oak timber mixed, a dwelling house and barn--of middling size--with puncheon roofs." His journal further shows that they with Thomas Biggert and nine others were ejected from their improved lands in 1785. Samuel McBride and family, with his brother Isaac, a bachelor, went to Mahoning in eastern Ohio. James McBride, with Thomas Biggert and several others of those ejected, settled in what is now Robinson township, Washington Co., Penn. These sturdy pioneer settlers felt that they were not justly treated by Gen. Washington, believing that they were entitled to their lands by improvement of them according to the custom of the country. Ejected from these homes which they had literally hewed out of the forest, defeated but not disheartened, they again entered the forest to carve out for themselves new homes. James McBride selected 240 acres, and in 1785 secured a patent under the name of "Pumpton" from the receiver-general's offices of Pennsylvania, which patent contained this unique clause: "Reserving only the fifth part of all gold and silver for the use of the commonwealth, to be delivered at the pit's mouth free of all charges." This tract was owned successively by his sons, William and Alexander, and is now owned by his grandson, John C. McBride. Another grandson, William, now owns and lives upon a part of the "Washington lands" in Mt. Pleasant township. It is said that the McBride settlements were on the land now owned by Luther Morgan in said township. Mr. McBride's family was one of the three that first formed the organization of the Associate Presbyterian Church of Clinton, Rev. William Wilson, pastor. James McBride died October 6, 1827, aged eighty-four years, his wife died March 6, 1838, aged eighty-one years, and both are buried in the Clinton Church cemetery. They had an issue of ten sons, as follows: Nathaniel, died in 1860, aged eighty-two years; Francis, James and John were at their deaths aged fifty-nine, sixty-nine, and eighty-eight years, respectively; Matthew Hamilton, born in 1787, died March 12, 1871, aged eighty-four years; Samuel died in 1877, aged eighty-seven years; Isaac died aged eighty-three years; David died aged seventy-two years; William, born 1797, died October 22, 1878, aged eighty-one years; Alex., born in 1800, died November 20, 1885, aged eighty-five years. By the help and industry of this large family of boys Mr. McBride accumulated a large estate, about eleven hundred acres of land, which he divided among his children. Matthew H. McBride was born in Robinson township, Washington Co., Penn., and received as liberal an education as the schools of his day afforded. For a time he taught the district school, and worked on the farm. He was by his father's will made one of the executors of the estate. He was married March 12, 1834, to Mary Bavington, daughter of Capt. John and Ruth (McKinnon) Bavington, one of the pioneer families of Smith township. CAPTAIN JOHN BAVINGTON was born February 2, 1750, and was married to Ruth McKinnon about the year 1785. On February 22, 1786, he took out a patent called "Mill Town," containing 404 acres near the east branch of Raccoon creek. Soon after this he built a grist- and saw-mill, which did the grinding and sawing for many miles around. He built a cabin on the hillside about a quarter of a mile east of the village of Bavington. Later he built a house on the part of the farm near the village of Bavington, where he lived until his death, which occurred June 23, 1810, under the following sad circumstances: He was on his way to Steubenville with a four-horse load of flour, and when crossing the Ohio river at Kelly's Ferry, near the mouth of Harman's creek, the stamping of the horses loosened the planks of the bottom of the boat, letting in the water till it sank, and both Capt. Bavington and the ferryman were drowned. Capt. Bavington's body was recovered, brought home and buried in the Cross Roads (now Florence) cemetery. He left a widow and five sons: Daniel, Charles, Henry, John and Thomas. His widow and eldest son, Daniel, were administrators of the estate, and the property was divided. Daniel obtained the homestead and mill property; later he sold the mill property to James Clark, Sr., and went to Illinois. Charles purchased mill property near Murdocksville, lived there for a time, and then migrated to Ohio. Henry lived and died comparatively young at the homestead. John received his portion of the estate in money, and went to Oregon. Thomas received the east portion of the farm now owned by D. Stewart McBride, and which was rated as one of the best farms in that part of the county. During the palmy days of the "Steubenville Pike," Thomas kept a public house for many years, it being about midway between Pittsbu[r]gh and Steubenville; there being quite a traffic between these two places made it a good place for the accommodation of the public. He was a good and public spirited citizen. In 1855, when the Pittsburgh & Steubenville Railroad was first projected, he took an active part in securing it, and was a liberal subscriber to its stock, although the road was not located hear his farm. He lived upon this farm until his death, which occurred about the year 1863. His children nearly all died during their minority; only one daughter, Eliza, now is living. Capt. Bavington had five daughters: Nancy married Matthew Hartford, a millwright who built the Bavington mill; Elizabeth married Charles B. Patterson, and they settled near Bavington, where both died; Sarah married a Mr. Backhouse, who owned a farm eight miles below Pittsburgh, now owned by the "Pennsylvania Insane Asylum" at Dixmont (here she was killed August 27, 1851, by a passing train on the Pittsburgh & Ft. Wayne Railroad); Catherine married J. Burns, and lived and died near Clinton, Allegheny Co., Penn.; Mary married Matthew H. McBride, March 12, 1834, and settled in North Strabane township. The Bavington family is now entirely extinct in Smith township. To Matthew H. and Mary (Bavington) McBride were born three children, viz.: James Hamilton (who died October 23, 1862, from wounds received while in the service of the State that year), John Bavington (our subject), and Samuel Bruce (who graduated at Jefferson College in 1861, and who at the call of his country then enlisted in Company G (Capt. Frazer), One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers; he was severely wounded at Fredericksburg, and was subsequently discharged on account of this disability; as soon as his health permitted, he resumed his theological studies, and was licensed to preach by Chartiers U. P. Presbytery; he now resides near Sewickley, Allegheny Co., Penn.). In 1824 Mr. McBride and his brother, David, bought the homestead in North Strabane township, which they jointly held until November 3, 1835, when Matthew bought David's interest in the farm. This farm is located in what is known as the "Rich Hill section," three miles south of Canonsburg, and one mile from Johnson's Station, C. V. R. R. Immediately after buying David's interest, Mr. McBride with his wife permanently located on the farm, bringing up their children to manhood. Here the parents died, Matthew H. McBride, September 12, 1871, aged eighty-four years, his wife February 12, 1873, aged seventy-six years. They were members of the Associate (now United Presbyterian) Congregation of Chartiers, where the venerable Dr. James Ramsey, so long ministered. Mr. McBride was an old-school Democrat, but never made himself prominent in politics. In educational matters, however, and in every other question claiming the earnest consideration of thinking men, he took a deep interest, and he served as school trustee in his township for many years. He was a progressive farmer and successful stock raiser. After his parents' death, J. B. McBride obtained full control of the farm, and on May 1, 1873, he was married to Alice, daughter of Maj. James S. Scott, of Washington county, Penn. An interesting family of six children have come to brighten their home, as follows: James Scott, John Bavington, Charles Cubbage, Samuel Bruce, Mary Alice and George Wallace. The mother of these children dying November 17, 1884, Mr. McBride wedded on June 28, 1887, Frances Emma Jones, of Canonsburg, Penn., whose parents were Ephraim Jones, of Jones Ferry, Pittsburgh, and Mary E. Rambo, of Covington, Ky. By this union there is no issue. The family are members of and liberal contributors toward the Chartiers U. P. congregation, Canonsburg, Penn., and enjoy the respect and esteem of the entire community. Mr. McBride is extensively engaged in general agriculture and stock raising. He is noted as a thorough and successful farmer in a region celebrated for its good farms and its model farmers. Like his father, he has devoted much of his income to the improvement and adornment of his farm, and as a result he has now one of the most desirable and best improved farms in this section of Washington county. In all his undertakings he has met with well-merited success, a success due to his perseverance, sound judgment and progressive enterprise.

Text taken from page 860 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed May 1997 by Marsha Richins of Columbia, MO as part of the Beers Project. Published May 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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