McKean County Archives - Page 3 of 10 - Pennsylvania Genealogy

The Allen Family of Bradford Township, Pennsylvania

Old town hall, Allegheny City, torn down in 1863

This genealogy traces the Allen line from early Rhode Island settlers to Herbert Eugene Allen of Bradford, Pennsylvania, where the family became established in business and civic life. Beginning with Paul and Polly (Case) Allen, it follows Henry Allen, a farmer and War of 1812 veteran, then Thomas Whitman Allen, who moved from Providence to Cattaraugus County, New York, and served in the Civil War. The account concludes with Herbert Eugene Allen’s career in cheese making, grocery, marble and granite work, and real estate, along with his marriage to Clementina Seaward and their family connections in western Pennsylvania and beyond.

The James Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

A detailed genealogy of the James family traces its roots from seventeenth-century Hingham, England, to Hingham, Massachusetts, and later to Nantucket and Pennsylvania. It follows several generations of farmers, mariners, whalers, coopers, and oil producers, including Obed Sandbury James, whose life ranged from Nantucket whaling voyages and Civil War naval service to oil work in Pennsylvania and South America. The article also outlines the Russell family connection through Elizabeth C. Russell, providing a broader family lineage with dates, marriages, occupations, and children, and placing the James family within the wider history of New England and Allegheny Valley families.

The Dana Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Dana family from French roots in Alsace to their settlement in western New York and later Bradford, Pennsylvania. It follows several generations, beginning with Anthony Dana and his children, then focusing on George Dana and his descendants, many of whom became farmers, hotel proprietors, oil producers, and other workers in the Bradford region. The account notes marriages, children, occupations, church affiliations, and places of residence, showing how the family spread across New York, Pennsylvania, the Midwest, and beyond. It also highlights the family’s close ties to the local oil industry and the broader immigrant experience.

The Eastman Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Eastman family from Roger Eastman, who came from England to Salisbury, Massachusetts, in 1638, through successive generations in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania. It follows the line down to Luther Eastman of McKean County and his son John Boothe Eastman, a Smethport official and civic leader, while also noting related Squires ancestry through Evalyn Squires, John Boothe’s wife. Along the way, the account records births, marriages, occupations, military service, church connections, and local residences, offering a detailed family history tied to early New England settlement and later western Pennsylvania life.

The Seaward Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Seaward family’s origins from Amos Seaward of Almond, New York, through his son Joseph Stevens Seaward, who settled in Tarport, Pennsylvania, in 1843 and became a farmer and public official. It follows Joseph’s large family, including Levi Seaward, a Civil War veteran who later worked the family homestead and held local offices. The account also outlines the Cole family line connected by Levi’s marriage to Mary Jane Cole, with details on several generations, migrations, military service, occupations, marriages, and descendants in Pennsylvania, New York, and beyond.

The Barr Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Barr family’s Pennsylvania roots from an early Lancaster County settlement near Quarryville, where Martin Barr built the notable stone residence known as the “Ark” in 1790. It follows several generations as the family moved westward into Butler, Crawford, Erie, and McKean counties, documenting farmers, colliers, coopers, merchants, and oil industry workers. The account gives special attention to Christian S. Barr of Bradford, whose steady rise through the Tide Water Pipe Company made him a respected local citizen, as well as to his wife, Elizabeth Ellen Marshall, and their daughter, Gretchen Freda Barr.

The Morrison Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Morrison family line from Hugh Morrison, an immigrant from the North of Ireland, through several generations in Pennsylvania and New York. It emphasizes William Morrison, a prominent farmer of Pleasantville, and especially his son, Judge Thomas Anderson Morrison, whose Civil War wound, legal career, and judicial service in Venango, McKean, Potter, and the Pennsylvania superior court shaped the family’s public standing. The article also follows the Gardner and Rust lines connected by marriage, showing the ancestry of Helen Sophia Gardner Morrison and linking the family to early New England settlers, Revolutionary War service, and later civic and professional achievements.

The Hogarth Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This article traces the Hogarth family of Smethport through several generations, beginning with William Hogarth of Scotland and his son, Dr. Frederick William Hogarth, a physician and pharmacist who settled in McKean County after serving in the Civil War. It follows the family’s move from Scotland and England to Pennsylvania, highlighting Dr. Hogarth’s establishment of the county’s first drugstore and the continued prominence of his son, Leon Keating Hogarth, in Smethport civic and business life. The piece also connects the Hogarths to the Bennett, Powell, and Weaver families, outlining marriages, children, military service, and local ties across Pennsylvania and beyond.

The Boardman Family of Derrick City, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Boardman family from its English and colonial roots to its Pennsylvania descendants, with special attention to the line settled in Warren County. Beginning with early emigrants to New England, it follows several generations through Connecticut and New York before reaching Jared Boardman and his son Alphonso Marcellus Boardman of Derrick City and Bradford. The account includes family migrations, marriages, children, and occupations, along with public service, Civil War service, and religious and fraternal affiliations. It also provides a related Kay family line through Alphonso Boardman’s wife, Alice Kay, adding further context to the family’s Pennsylvania connections.

The Clark Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Clark family from its traditional origins in Devon, England, through early colonial Connecticut and into Bedford, New York, before later branches settled in Bainbridge, Sidney, Binghamton, and Smethport, Pennsylvania. It follows multiple generations of farmers, landowners, merchants, surveyors, and lawyers, noting marriages into the Smith, Phelps, Foote, and other families, as well as Revolutionary and Civil War service. The account highlights the family’s long connection to Presbyterian life, its acquisition of substantial landholdings, and the later prosperity of Joseph Foote Clark and his descendants in western New York and Pennsylvania.