RICHARD M. MOUNTS, a worthy representative of one of the oldest families of the county, and a prominent citizen of Franklin township, of which he is a native, was born July 10, 1836. Richard Mounts, his grandfather, was a native of Maryland, and at the age of sixteen came to Washington county, arriving in 1773, when there were but few settlers in its forest wilds. His wife was Mary Keley, who was born on the broad Atlantic when her parents were crossing from Ireland to the shores of Columbia. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Mounts settled on a small farm near what is now the thriving city of Washington, and commenced life in a very primitive and humble way. Their little log cabin was furnished with home-made stools in lieu of chairs, a table to correspond, while the bedstead was so ingeniously fixed to the walls in one corner of the room as to require only one leg. But they lived "far from the madding crowd," contented and happy in the enjoyment of life. The children born to this honored pioneer couple were William, Mary, Jennie (the widow of George Boyd, and the only one living), John, James, Matilda, Richard R., Joseph and Martha. When Mr. Mounts first started out in the world to fight his own way he was under age; and in order to compensate his father for the loss of his services from that time until his coming of age, he paid him the sum of 15. His political sympathies were with the Federalists; he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Richard R. Mounts, father of subject, was born in what is now called West Washington, then known as Rankintown, this county, and passed his boyhood and youth assisting his father on the farm, his education being necessarily meager, all the schooling he received having been acquired when other duties were less pressing. When a young man he and his brother purchased the land in Franklin township now owned by our subject, which they improved, and where for a time they kept bachelor's hall until the marriage, in 1835, of Richard R. with Margaret, daughter of William and Sarah Johnson, of Lancaster county, Penna. Of this union were born four children: Richard M., Sarah (Mrs. William Weir, of Franklin township), William, who died in 1863, and James A., of Franklin township. They remained on the farm just referred to the rest of their lives. He died November 5, 1878, at the age of sixty-six years, his wife in May, 1887, when aged sixty- seven years. Mr. Mounts was one of the hardest working men in his township, and was deservedly successful, as well as popular. All his life he took an active part in politics, having been first a Whig, and afterward, on the organization of the party, a straight Republican. For some time he was a member of the North Buffalo Presbyterian Church, and afterward united with the one at Washington. The early life of Richard M. Mounts was passed alternately in school and in assisting his parents on the farm, agricultural pursuits being his life vocation. He now owns a fertile farm of 200 acres, under a high state of cultivation and equipped with all modern improvements and several commodious buildings. On October 23,1873, Mr. Mounts married Charlotte, daughter of Robert Chambers, of Franklin township, and the children born to this union are Robert, Katie and Millie. In politics Mr. Mounts is a Republican. He and his family attend the services of the Buffalo Church.

Text taken from page 1430 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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