McKean County Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Pennsylvania Genealogy

The Haggerty Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Haggerty family from Henry Haggerty, a Belfast-born farmer and cattle dealer who settled in Canada in 1835, through his son John, a trained stonemason and livestock buyer, to John’s son John (2), who built a successful career in Pennsylvania. Born in Canada, John (2) Haggerty learned harness making before moving to the United States, where he worked in several towns before establishing himself in Bradford’s baking, oil production, and refining industries. The article also notes the family’s Presbyterian and Methodist ties, political affiliations, and the wider Haggerty branch in Clearfield County.

The Drake Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

Old town hall, Allegheny City, torn down in 1863

The article traces the Drake family line from Jacob Drake, an English emigrant and Revolutionary War colonel, through several generations in New York and Pennsylvania. It focuses especially on Silas Drake, a farmer and father of a large family, and on his son Lorenzo Dow Drake, a lifelong farmer in Degolia who served the community for decades as a school director and town officer. The sketch continues with Lorenzo’s children, many of whom moved west and pursued varied careers, and concludes with Ida Eliza Drake, educated in Pennsylvania and Ohio and later a teacher and active member of the Universalist church.

The McCrea Family of Donegal Township, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the McCrea family from county Donegal, Ireland, to western Pennsylvania, beginning with William McCrea and Mary Harkins and following their descendants through several generations. It recounts the life of Daniel McCrea, a farmer and school director in Donegal Township, and his marriage to Sarah Coyle, as well as the careers and families of their children. The article gives particular attention to John Chrysostom McCrea, whose work in the oil fields, police service, and long employment with the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad made him a notable family figure in Bradford and beyond.

The Fisher Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This article traces the Fisher family from early English roots through successive generations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and western Pennsylvania, eventually reaching Bradford. It follows the line from Anthony Fisher of Suffolk to later descendants who served in colonial government, the Revolutionary War, and local business. The account highlights family migrations, marriages, property holdings, church affiliations, and public service, with special attention to William Rowell Fisher and his descendants, including Olive M. Fisher Lain and William Fisher Lain. The result is a detailed genealogical and biographical history showing how the family became part of Bradford’s civic and industrial development.

The Morris Family of South Bradford, Pennsylvania

A detailed family history traces the Morris line from colonial New England to western Pennsylvania, beginning with Lieutenant Edward Morris of Roxbury and Woodstock and following successive generations through Samuel, Lemuel, and Samuel Morris into New York and eventually South Bradford. The account notes the family’s Revolutionary War connections, farming and trading livelihoods, and Methodist faith, while also documenting marriages, children, and public service. It culminates with William Schuyler Morris and his son Jasper Levi Morris, a prominent Degolia farmer and local official whose long tenure as supervisor, tax collector, assessor, and school director reflected the family’s continued civic role in the Bradford area.

The Murphy Family of Wilcox, Pennsylvania

This article traces the Murphy family from County Cork, Ireland, to western Pennsylvania, where successive generations worked on railroads, farms, and in the oil industry. It follows Patrick Murphy’s immigration and labor in Wilcox, Minnesota, and Custer City, then profiles his son Timothy B. Murphy, who rose from early hardship to become a successful oil producer and investor in Custer City. The piece also includes the related Sullivan family line, detailing the ancestry of Timothy B. Murphy’s wife, Ellen C. Sullivan, and the many descendants connected to both families across Pennsylvania, New York, and beyond.

The Sutton Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This article traces the Sutton lineage from its English roots to Elihu Sutton’s settlement in Sparta, New York, and follows the family through successive generations into Pennsylvania. It outlines the life of John Sutton, a blacksmith and farmer, and his marriage to Sarah Hoffman, then focuses on their daughter Mary Cordelia Sutton and her husband, Lorenzo Barton Prosser. Prosser’s career as a Bradford farmer, town official, Civil War sergeant in the Bucktail Regiment, prisoner at Libby Prison, and later oil producer is detailed, along with the family connections and descendants that link Sparta, Bradford, and other communities.

The Dowrey Family of Harrisville, Pennsylvania

This account traces the Dowrey family from William Dowrey, a Scottish master mechanic who settled in Ohio, through his son James, an expert machinist who established mills and helped develop Harrisville, Pennsylvania. It follows the family’s growth across Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and beyond, noting marriages, children, occupations, and religious affiliations. The article gives particular attention to James Dowrey’s descendants, including Agnes J. Dowrey Fitzgerald and her children, while also preserving details on the Fitzgerald line, with its connections to oil production, contracting, and medicine. Together, the narrative offers a broad genealogical portrait of a family shaped by industry, migration, and community life.

The Frederick Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Frederick family from German roots to Pennsylvania, following three generations from Leonard Frederick, who settled in Millerstown, through his son John, a shoemaker and Civil War veteran, to John H. Frederick, a Bradford oilman and South Penn Oil Company superintendent. It also records the Carnahan family line through Sarah A. Carnahan Frederick, linking the family to earlier settlers in Butler and Armstrong counties. Alongside migration, military service, trades, church membership, and children are documented, creating a detailed portrait of interconnected German, Scottish, and Irish-descended families in western Pennsylvania.

The Auerhaim Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Auerhaim family from its German roots in Prussia to its establishment in western Pennsylvania. It describes several generations, beginning with an industrious grandfather who supported a synagogue and conducted grain and hotel businesses, then follows Moses Mordecai Auerhaim and his children, many of whom settled in American cities. The account focuses especially on Solomon Auerhaim, who emigrated to the United States, built a successful dry goods business in Petroleum Center, Oil City, Erie, and Bradford, and erected the New Auerhaim building. It also outlines the marriages, children, and later careers of his descendants.