McKean County Archives - Pennsylvania Genealogy

The Nelson Family of Kane, Pennsylvania

Old town hall, Allegheny City, torn down in 1863

This genealogy traces the Nelson family from its Swedish roots in Varmland to its establishment in McKean County, Pennsylvania, with particular attention to Nels Nelson and his descendants. It describes Nels (2) Nelson’s move to Mount Jewett, where he farmed, worked as a carpenter, and took an active role in the Swedish Lutheran church. The account then follows his son, Nels August Nelson, whose early work in farming, factory labor, carpentry, photography, and hotel management led to a successful career in Mount Jewett, Kersey, and Kane. It also notes his civic involvement, fraternal memberships, marriage, and children.

The Marsh-Long Family of Kane, Pennsylvania

This family history traces the Marsh-Long line from early New England and English forebears through generations of Lockes, Thayers, Prescotts, Reades, Leonards, Lincolns, Peirces, Owen, Crosby, Wilson and Marsh descendants. It highlights military service in colonial wars, Revolutionary War participation, town leadership, ministry, education, and notable marriages that linked the family to other prominent lines. The account moves from ancestral origins in Massachusetts, Vermont, and England to Charles Pierce Marsh’s move to Pennsylvania and the family’s later life in Kane. It also follows Abbie Louise Marsh-Long, compiler of the genealogy, and her own role in education, church work, and family preservation.

The Shriever Family of Kane, Pennsylvania

This article traces the Shriever family’s German Catholic roots and their establishment in western Pennsylvania, then focuses on Marie Shriever’s rise as a self-made merchant in Kane. Educated in local schools and briefly licensed to teach, she turned instead to retail after early work in a store and as a traveling saleswoman. Starting with a small millinery shop in 1876, she expanded into multiple stores and real estate, later retaining the Kane business with her sisters as partners. The piece also notes the accomplishments of her siblings and places Marie’s career within a larger family story of enterprise, faith, and civic involvement.

The Gillis Family of Kane, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Gillis line from Scottish and Irish roots to its establishment in western Pennsylvania and Iowa. It follows Robert Gillis and his descendants through several generations, highlighting James Lyle Gillis’s military service in the War of 1812, his role as a pioneer lumberman and mill builder in Elk County, and his later career in Pennsylvania politics and federal service. The account also profiles his children and grandchildren, including Claudius Victor Boughton Goodrich Gillis, who settled in Kane and became a businessman, civic leader, and justice of the peace, while detailing the family’s marriages, occupations, and local connections.

The Ryan Family of Kane, Pennsylvania

This family history traces the Ryan line from County Limerick, Ireland, through several generations in Canada and Pennsylvania, with attention to family connections, marriages, and children. The central figure, Thomas Henry Ryan, was born in Ireland, emigrated as a child to Canada, and later settled in Kane, Pennsylvania after military service in the Civil War. The article follows his work in railroading, oil production, and local civic life, as well as his standing in Masonic organizations and church affiliation. It also records the lives of his wife, Harriet Marsh, and their children, many of whom established families and careers in Pennsylvania and neighboring states.

The Beatty Family of Kane, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Beatty family from Scottish origins through their settlement in Ireland and later Pennsylvania, following several generations of blacksmiths, farmers, merchants, and community leaders in Armstrong and surrounding counties. It highlights William Beatty, an early stagecoach driver and blacksmith, and his descendants, including Absalom Beatty, a prominent farmer, church elder, and Democratic officeholder. The account then centers on Dr. Smith Graves Beatty, whose varied early work led him into medicine and a successful practice in Clarion County and Kane. Alongside the family line, the article also records marriages, children, and connections to other local Pennsylvania families.

The Maltby Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

A detailed family history traces the Maltby line from William Maltby, who emigrated from Yorkshire to New England in the 1670s, through several generations of Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania descendants. It follows the family’s civic, military, religious, and professional roles, including Yale graduates, Revolutionary War service, a War of 1812 officer and author, farmers, merchants, and local officials. The account culminates with Lewis Lathrop Maltby of Bradford, Pennsylvania, whose grocery and business career, political activity, and family connections link the old colonial lineage to the early twentieth century.

The Eckels Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Eckels family from its Scotch-Irish roots through several generations in Pennsylvania. It begins with James Eckels, a farmer near Pittsburgh, and follows his son John, who learned blacksmithing before becoming a Methodist minister and civic leader. The article then profiles John’s children, including William Plimpton Eckels, an educator and businessman whose career ranged from teaching and school administration to mercantile work and fraternal organizations. It also notes the family’s marriages, children, religious affiliations, and migrations across western Pennsylvania, preserving a detailed record of one family’s local history and public service.

The Campbell Family of Kane, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Campbell line from early Scottish roots through military service, migration to Canada, and settlement in Pennsylvania. It follows several generations, beginning with Prince Campbell and Dougall Campbell, then Alexander Campbell and Alexander Neil Campbell, and finally Randolph McGibbon Campbell and his son Frederick Randolph Campbell of Kane. Along the way, it records marriages, children, occupations, Civil War service, civic roles, and family connections to the Leonard and Breneman families. The account places special emphasis on Randolph McGibbon Campbell’s long career in Kane and on Frederick Randolph Campbell’s business and fraternal activities in the borough.

The Williams Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Williams line from Welsh and New England roots to Bradford, Pennsylvania, where George Davis Williams became a prominent businessman. It follows three generations, beginning with Shuabel Williams, a Connecticut-born farmer and longtime Methodist, then his son Ralph, a Pennsylvania farmer and Civil War soldier who died in Confederate prison conditions, and finally George Davis Williams, whose career ranged from farming and cheese-making to grocery, syrup, and confectionery manufacturing. The account also records the family’s church ties, civic service, marriages, and connected lines through the Davis, Helmes, and Hovey families, preserving a detailed portrait of ancestry and local standing.