MRS. MARTHA MEHAFFEY, widow of Mitchell Mehaffey, was born June 20, 1818, in Buffalo township, Washington Co., Penn., and is a daughter of Charles McRoberts, Jr., who was also a native of Buffalo township. Charles McRoberts, Sr., his father, was born in Scotland, and there married Mary Herron, shortly after which they emigrated to America, making a settlement in Washington county, Penn., where he patented a large tract of land. At this early period of the county's history, Indians and wild animals roamed the forests where are now peaceful valleys and fertile farms. Here this sturdy Scotch pioneer set to work and cleared a portion of the land, whereon he erected a saw and grist mill, which, despite the incursions and menaces of the Redmen, he conducted for many years. He departed for the "Better Land" in 1785, leaving a widow and seven children: James, William, John, Samuel, Charles, Charlotte and Mary, all now deceased. Of this family, Charles, the father of the subject proper of these lines, was born June 1, 1773, in Buffalo township, where he received his education in the primitive schools of the period. In early manhood he taught for several years in the schools of Taylorstown and also several terms near Claysville. At the age of about forty years he married Mary, daughter of William Donaldson, a resident of Pennsylvania, east of the mountains, and the children born to this union were twin daughters--Martha (Mrs. Mehaffey) and Elizabeth (Mrs. Grimes, mother of A.J. and W.C. Grimes, farmers in Buffalo township). The father died May 29, 1857, aged eighty-four years, and the mother on October 1, 1855, aged seventy-nine years. They were honored and respected citizens, and devout Christians, members of the North Buffalo United Presbyterian Church.
Martha McRoberts was born June 20, 1818. She passed her girlhood on her father's farm, and received her education at the subscription schools of the neighborhood. On January 24, 1839, she was united in wedlock with Mitchell Mehaffey, of Donegal township, Washington county. His parents were natives of Ireland, who had emigrated to this country and made a settlement in Washington county, Penn., in an early day, where he was born December 29, 1814. To this union were born children as follows: Ellen (Mrs. McGuffin), died August 3, 1891; Samuel, residing in Washington, Penn., and Robert, John, Charles Madison, William A., Mary J. and Martha, all yet living on the old homestead. Mr. Mehaffey departed this life April 22, 1884. He was a sincere Christian and a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church; in politics he was a prominent Democrat, and had filled with much credit many offices of trust and responsibility in his township. Mrs. Martha Mehaffey is a lady of much intelligence and refinement, and possessed of remarkable memory for one of her years. She is a devout member of the Presbyterian Church, as are the entire family; and she is now calmly awaiting with Christian resignation the summons that shall call her to the River of Life. Her sons are highly respected citizens, and thoroughly practical farmers and stock raisers.
Text taken from page 783 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed May 1997 by Jack McNatt of Valrico, FL 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]