JOHN McCORKLE, (deceased). The subject of this biographical sketch was a son of Thomas McCorkle, who was born and raised in Adams county, Penn., and there married Esther Terrell, a resident of the same county. They moved to Washington county, Penn., in the year 1810, purchasing a large farm in Cross Creek township. Their family consisted of six children, namely: Robert (died unmarried), Margaret (Mrs. Thomas Ritchey), John (the subject of this sketch), Frances (died unmarried), Jane (wife of Charles Phillis) and Thomas (who married Margaret Welch), are dead. The father followed farming, and in politics voted the Democratic ticket. He was a ruling elder of the Associate, now United Presbyterian Church, at West Middletown. John McCorkle was born June 4, 1803, in Adams county, Penn., and removed when quite young with his parents to Washington county, where he was reared and educated. He was first married January 14, 1834, to Mary McCorkle, of Somerset township, Washington Co., Penn. They had one son, Thomas B. Her death occurred May 25, 1836, and on May 12, 1842, he chose for his second wife Mary, daughter of David B. Hay. David was a son of John Hay, who was born in Scotland, and there married, in 1777, Anna Burns, a near relative of the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns. The following children were born to John and Anna (Burns) Hay: John, Alexander, James, Ephraim and David B., Jane (Mrs. John McKimman), Anna (Mrs. Thomas Struthers), Catherine (wife of Robert Braden), Elizabeth (Mrs. James Harper), Mary (wife of Archibald Harper). The family emigrated to America, but during the voyage two sons died and the ocean was their winding sheet. After arriving in America they first settled in Lancaster county, Penn. Then the family settled permanently on Miller's run, in Cecil township, where they lost two more sons in youth, immediately after their settlement. Mr. Hay was a Democrat, and in religion a ruling elder of the Seceder Church for many years. David B. Hay was born in 1785 in Lancaster county, Penn., and received his education at his home in Washington county. He was united in marriage, in early life, with Mary, daughter of Patrick McCullough. Their children were Anna (Mrs. Henry Donnell), Mary (wife of John McCorkle), Elizabeth, Jane (Mrs. Robert Scott) and Hannah (died in infancy). The father followed farming. Politically he was a Democrat, and served as justice of the peace for several terms. He was a member of the Associate Reformed Church until his death in 1873, in his eighty- seventh year. He was preceded to the grave by his wife, who died in 1865, being then eighty-one years of age. John and Mary (Hay) McCorkle had no children. He was an active and progressive citizen. Politically he was a Democrat, and religiously a ruling elder in the U. P. Church until his death on July 18, 1863. Mrs. Mary McCorkle, his widow, resides at West Middletown.

Text taken from page 1049 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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