WILLIAM M. SMITH was born December 8, 1846, in Canonsburg, this county, grandson of John Smith. The last mentioned ancestor was born in June 1771, in York County, Penn. In 1796 he was married to Nancy McClure, who came to Allegheny County in 1804, thence to Washington County in 1807, and in 1816 finally located in Beaver County, Penn. He died July 17, 1851, followed by his wife February 22, 1859. John M. Smith was born November 23, 1799, in Gettsyburg, Penn., and in 1804 was brought to the "Pinkerton Place" in Allegheny county, thence to Cecil Township, this county, in 1807. They moved to Allegheny county in 1812, and in the fall of 1815 his father bought a farm in Beaver county, which he moved the following year. In 1817 John M. Smith went to Pittsburgh, Penn., and learned the cabinet maker's trade; then he worked at carpentry, boarding on the farm which his son now occupies. On April 16, 1833, he was united in marriage with Mary Moore, daughter of James, and granddaughter of John Moore. The latter was a native of Ligonier Valley, Penn,. and in 1777 came to Cecil township. He died on the "Forks of the Yough," on the road while moving, leaving his widow to rear the children and pay for the land. The constable accompanied by Esquire John Donal, came to make a levy of $12, while the widow was in the act of family worship. After the prayers were finished the constable said he would sell no one out that make a prayer like that, and Esquire John Donal loaned her the $12 to meet the debt. The widow died in Cecil township, none of the family are now living.
James Moore, a son of John Moore was born in Ligonier Valley, Penn., in 1773, and in early life was married to Elizabeth Moore, a native of Butler county, Penn. He moved to the home farm in this county in 1777, and died on the old place July 22, 1859, being followed in 1868 by the wife, and mother. After their marriage, in 1833, John M and Mary (Moore) Smith first located on the old Ramsey farm, near Canonsburg, where he worked at his trade of agricultural pursuits. In 1861 he bought, and in 1864 moved upon the home farm of James Moore, in Cecil township. In July, 1866, he was taken with gangrene, and a limb was amputated. He died February 14, 1886, his widow following him July 7, 1889. They were members of the Seceder Church, and the parents of the following children: James Ramsey, born April 1834 (married in 1861 to Mary Jane Reyburn, and settled in Canton township) Jane Moore, born in 1836; Mary Cummings born in 1838; Eliza Glasgow and a twin, born in 1840; Nancy born in 1842; John Park, born in 1844; W. L. M., (whose name opens this sketch); John Murray (married in 1878 to Rebecca McAnley, of Clarion county; he was born in 1848, and died in 1877, leaving a widow and two children); Mary King, born in January, 1851, (married in 1878 to Mr. A. Malone, of Elizabeth, Allegheny county, has two children); Jane Glasgow, born in 1853 (married in 1875 to William Henry H. Craig, of Clarion county, Penn., has six children), and Samuel Harper, born in 1855 (married in 1881 to Mary Nancy Westbay, of Elizabeth; has three children; he is a physician and surgeon of McKeesport, Penn). Of these children; Jane, Mary, Eliza, Nancy, and John all died in 1847, between February 25, and March 15, of scarlet fever.
W. L. M. Smith was educated in the public schools of Canonsburg. In 1862 he came to the farm where he is now living. On November 12, 1868, he was united in marriage with Grisela Roney, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Gibson) Roney, natives of North Strabane township, this county, where the father died; the mother passed away in 1889. Two children were born to W. L. M. and Grisela Smith, viz.: Elizabeth Jane (wife of D. J. Stirling Bulger) and Mary Minerva, living with her mother. She left him in 1872, and June 20, 1878, Mr. Smith, after securing a divorce in 1877, married Margaret S. daughter of John and Nancy (Greer) Hunter. Her parents were born in eastern Pennsylvania, coming to Cecil township in an early day, where the father died in 1865, followed by the mother in 1876. They reared a family of ten children, of whom four sons served in the war, and William died in service. Five are yet living, namely John, a carpenter, of McDonald, Penn.; Joesph, a stonemason, of McDonald; Maggie; James R., a farmer of Allegheny county; and Nancy residing with her sister Maggie. Mr. and Mrs. Smith began married life on the home farm where they are now living, which contains 133 acres of good land. In politics he is a Prohibitionist. In religion he and his wife are members of the U. P. Church at Venice.
William M. Smith was born December 8, 1846, in Canonsburg, this county, grandson of John Smith. The last mentioned ancestor was born in June 1771, in York County, Penn. In 1796 he was married to Nancy McClure, who came to Allegheny County in 1804, thence to Washington County in 1807, and in 1816 finally located in Beaver County, Penn. He died July 17, 1851, followed by his wife February 22, 1859.
John M. Smith was born November 23, 1799, in Gettsyburg, Penn., and in 1804 was brought to the "Pinkerton Place" in Allegheny county, thence to Cecil Township, this county, in 1807. They moved to Allegheny county in 1812, and in the fall of 1815 his father bought a farm in Beaver county, which he moved the following year. In 1817 John M. Smith went to Pittsburgh, Penn., and learned the cabinet maker's trade; then he worked at carpentry, boarding on the farm which his son now occupies. On April 16, 1833, he was united in marriage with Mary Moore, daughter of James, and granddaughter of John Moore. The latter was a native of Ligonier Valley, Penn,. and in 1777 came to Cecil township. He died on the "Forks of the Yough," on the road while moving, leaving his widow to rear the children and pay for the land. The constable accompanied by Esquire John Donal, came to make a levy of $12, while the widow was in the act of family worship. After the prayers were finished the constable said he would sell no one out that make a prayer like that, and Esquire John Donal loaned her the $12 to meet the debt. The widow died in Cecil township, none of the family are now living.
James Moore, a son of John Moore was born in Ligonier Valley, Penn., in 1773, and in early life was married to Elizabeth Moore, a native of Butler county, Penn. He moved to the home farm in this county in 1777, and died on the old place July 22, 1859, being followed in 1868 by the wife, and mother. After their marriage, in 1833, John M and Mary (Moore) Smith first located on the old Ramsey farm, near Canonsburg, where he worked at his trade of agricultural pursuits. In 1861 he bought, and in 1864 moved upon the home farm of James Moore, in Cecil township. In July, 1866, he was taken with gangrene, and a limb was amputated. He died February 14, 1886, his widow following him July 7, 1889. They were members of the Seceder Church, and the parents of the following children: James Ramsey, born April 1834 (married in 1861 to Mary Jane Reyburn, and settled in Canton township) Jane Moore, born in 1836; Mary Cummings born in 1838; Eliza Glasgow and a twin, born in 1840; Nancy born in 1842; John Park, born in 1844; W. L. M., (whose name opens this sketch); John Murray (married in 1878 to Rebecca McAnley, of Clarion county; he was born in 1848, and died in 1877, leaving a widow and two children); Mary King, born in January, 1851, (married in 1878 to Mr. A. Malone, of Elizabeth, Allegheny county, has two children); Jane Glasgow, born in 1853 (married in 1875 to William Henry H. Craig, of Clarion county, Penn., has six children), and Samuel Harper, born in 1855 (married in 1881 to Mary Nancy Westbay, of Elizabeth; has three children; he is a physician and surgeon of McKeesport, Penn). Of these children; Jane, Mary, Eliza, Nancy, and John all died in 1847, between February 25, and March 15, of scarlet fever.
W. L. M. Smith was educated in the public schools of Canonsburg. In 1862 he came to the farm where he is now living. On November 12, 1868, he was united in marriage with Grisela Roney, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Gibson) Roney, natives of North Strabane township, this county, where the father died; the mother passed away in 1889. Two children were born to W. L. M. and Grisela Smith, viz.: Elizabeth Jane (wife of D. J. Stirling Bulger) and Mary Minerva, living with her mother. She left him in 1872, and June 20, 1878, Mr. Smith, after securing a divorce in 1877, married Margaret S. daughter of John and Nancy (Greer) Hunter. Her parents were born in eastern Pennsylvania, coming to Cecil township in an early day, where the father died in 1865, followed by the mother in 1876. They reared a family of ten children, of whom four sons served in the war, and William died in service. Five are yet living, namely John, a carpenter, of McDonald, Penn.; Joesph, a stonemason, of McDonald; Maggie; James R., a farmer of Allegheny county; and Nancy residing with her sister Maggie. Mr. and Mrs. Smith began married life on the home farm where they are now living, which contains 133 acres of good land. In politics he is a Prohibitionist. In religion he and his wife are members of the U. P. Church at Venice.
Text taken from page 566 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed February 1998 by Bobbi Harville of Middleburg, FL as part of the Beers Project.
Published February 1998 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]