JOHN S. WILGUS was born at Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Penn., October 28, 1823, a son of John and Diadamia (Dannelly) Wilgus, the former of whom was born in New Jersey, September 12, 1786. Samuel Wilgus, grandfather of John S., was also a native of New Jersey, where he was reared and educated. He married Miss Rhoda , who bore him four children: William, James, Edmund and John. He died in his native State.
John Wilgus, father of John S., was educated at home by his mother, and by close application to books, became, considering his inferior advantages, a remarkably good scholar. He afterward moved to Perryopolis, Penn., of which place he was one of the first justices of the peace, an office at that time of no inconsiderable importance. In the political movements in his section he took a deep interest, and he was prominent in his party, first as a Democrat and later as a Whig; in church connection he was also active as a life member of and local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Society. In New Jersey he had married Diadamia, daughter of Joseph Dannelly, who came to Pennsylvania with Mr. Wilgus in 1806. The children born to this union were Joseph, Lorenzo D., Melissa, Louisa, Charlotte, Emily, John S., Diadamia, Rhoda and Hulda. Mr. Wilgus died in Pennsylvania in October, 1871. While a resident of Perryopolis he read medicine and law, and for several years practiced as a physician. He was the first one to suggest the building of the Union Pacific Railroad in a letter to James K. Polk, then President of the United States.
John S. Wilgus passed his youth at the old home in Perryopolis, and there received a liberal education. In after life he followed clerking and merchandising. On September 21, 1845, he married Barbara, daughter of Samuel Hunter, of Westmoreland county, Penn., and seven children blessed their union, viz.: T. B., of whom a brief sketch follows; Melissa A. (Mrs. D. M. Hart); Jane (deceased); Eva (Mrs. William Beatty); Dora (Mrs. Krepps), Blanche (Mrs. Fred Mason, now Mrs. Crawford), and Etta. Mr. Wilgus was originally a Whig, and cast his first vote for Henry Clay; on the formation of the Republican party, he enrolled himself under its banner, and he was also a member of the Know-nothing party. He held various offices in different localities: in 1873 he was appointed postmaster at Brownsville, Penn. On coming to Monongahela City in 1880, he embarked in the grocery trade, which he conducted until 1890, when he discontinued the business, and was elected an alderman of the city. Mr. Wilgus is an earnest member of the Disciple Church, and takes an interest in all matters tending to the advancement and prosperity of his town, county and State.
T. B. Wilgus was born in Fayette City, Penn., April 12, 1846. Schooling in Brownsville, Penn. He clerked on the steamers "Franklin" and "Telegraph," on the Monongahela river in 1861, 1862 and 1863; clerk of steamer "Mercury" (1864) which was in the Government service, carrying troops and commissary stores up the Cumberland river to Gen. Thomas' army, at Nashville, Tenn. Then steamboated until 1869, on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. In 1870 he married Bessie M., daughter of Jerman Jordan, Esq., and their children were: Maud (deceased), Blanche and Frances. Mr. Wilgus was in mercantile business in Pittsburgh, Indiana and Brownsville (all in Pennsylvania), until 1878. In 1879 he went to Leadville, Colo., and Denver, and made a success of mining. In 1881 he returned, and was an active broker of the Pittsburgh Oil Exchange until 1885. He was proprietor of "Hotel Wilgus," Monongahela, for six years, to 1892. He has been a member of tho Masonic Fraternity since 1879, belonging to Ionic Lodge, No. 35, A. F. & A. M., of Leadville, Colo., Chapter No.2, Denver; and Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar, of Denver, Colo.
Text taken from page 486 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed June 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL 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]