McKean County Archives - Page 5 of 10 - Pennsylvania Genealogy

The Sherman Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogical account traces the Sherman family from its German and English roots through successive generations in New England and beyond, beginning with Henry Sherman of Dedham, England, and following descendants who settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, and later Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania. It highlights the family’s early civic, military, and clerical service, including Roger Sherman, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and later descendants such as Sergeant Edmond James Sherman and Edward Roger Sherman. The article concludes with the Bradford, Pennsylvania branch, describing Edward Roger Sherman’s Civil War service, public roles, business career, and family connections.

The Stewart and Richmond Families of Smethport, Pennsylvania

Old town hall, Allegheny City, torn down in 1863

This article traces the ancestry of the Stewart and Richmond families from England and Scotland to Canada and Pennsylvania, then follows their descendants through several generations. It outlines the life of William Stewart of Ontario and his children, including Mary Sarah Stewart, who later married Thomas Franklin Richmond of Smethport, Pennsylvania. The Richmond line is explored in detail, linking local family history to earlier generations in McKean County and New England. The piece also highlights Thomas Franklin Richmond’s education, legal career, public service, fraternal memberships, and reputation in Smethport, while preserving the broader family connections across Canada, the Midwest, and the western United States.

The Lillibridge Family of Eldred, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Lillibridge family from Rhode Island roots to early settlement in McKean County, Pennsylvania, beginning with Lodowick Lillibridge and his marriage to Anna Carpenter Stanton. It follows several generations through Elias Lillibridge, a farmer and lumberman in Port Allegany, and his son Wilbur Stanton Lillibridge, who later served as a mail carrier and local official. The narrative culminates with Charles Wesley Lillibridge, a teacher and county superintendent of schools in McKean County, and includes family connections through marriage, children, occupations, church affiliation, and civic service, offering a detailed portrait of one Pennsylvania family over multiple generations.

The Specht Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Specht family’s German origins and their establishment in Smethport, Pennsylvania, beginning with cabinetmaker William Specht, who emigrated in 1851 and built a successful furniture and undertaking business. It follows his marriage to Elizabeth Heinemann and the career of their son, William Frederick Specht, whose varied work in railroading, merchandising, and insurance was matched by long public service and active involvement in Masonic organizations. The article also connects the family through the Brownell line, detailing several generations of ancestry from colonial Rhode Island to McKean County, and showing the kinship that linked the Spechts to the Brownell family of Smethport.

The Waite Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces several generations of the Waite family in central and northwestern Pennsylvania, beginning with Franklin Waite of Huntingdon and Clinton counties, a teamster and active member of the Evangelical church. It follows his son John Franklin Waite, a carpet weaver, school director, constable, and deacon at Rebersburg, and then John Wesley Waite, who moved to Smethport after training in dairying at State College. The article also connects the Waite line with the Hosterman and Vonada families through marriage, offering births, deaths, occupations, residences, and children for each branch.

The Wright Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Wright and Bennett families through several generations in New York and Pennsylvania, with a particular focus on Smethport, McKean County. It follows Andrew Hamilton Wright’s family from their New York roots to Benjamin Franklin Wright, a Civil War veteran, sheriff, and hotel proprietor in Smethport, along with his descendants. The article also details the Bennett line, especially Oshea R. Bennett and his daughter Catharine L. Bennett Wright, whose marriage links the two families. Family movements, occupations, military service, marriages, and children are documented to show the development of these interconnected households.

The Adams Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This family history traces the Adams line from a Revolutionary War ancestor through several New York generations to James L. Adams of Bradford, Pennsylvania. It follows the family’s migration from Livingston and Allegany counties, recounting the lives of Leonard Adams and his children, including Civil War service and rural occupations. The article gives particular attention to James L. Adams, who enlisted before age seventeen, later built a successful career in Bradford’s oil and industrial business, and became active in civic, veterans, and fraternal organizations. It also notes his marriage to Emma M. Tyler and their daughters, linking the family to Bradford’s local history.

The Colegrove Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Colegrove line from Francis Colegrove, who emigrated from Wales to Rhode Island in the late 17th century, through several generations that moved from New England into Pennsylvania and neighboring states. It follows the branch descending from Stephen Colegrove to Jonathan Colegrove, an early settler of Norwich, Pennsylvania, and then to William Jonathan Colegrove, a farmer, land agent, and civic leader in McKean County. The article concludes with Alpha William Colegrove, a Civil War veteran and businessman whose life reflects the family’s continued presence in Smethport and the surrounding region.

The Garlick Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Garlick family from its early Connecticut roots to its later establishment in northwestern Pennsylvania, distinguishing it from the unrelated Garlock family. It follows Truman Garlick, a farmer and teamster, and his son George Orson Garlick, who worked as a shoemaker, farmer, and long-serving postmaster at Kasson. The account also outlines George Orson’s marriage to Phoebe McKean and the careers of their children, including Bernard Truman Garlick, a businessman connected with the Smethport Water and Gas Company and local hardware interests. The article presents family relationships, occupations, residences, and public service across several generations.

The Raymer Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Raymer family from early Schuylkill County roots to later generations in Smethport and McKean County. It begins with Nicholas Raymer, a farmer and Methodist whose children spread across western Pennsylvania, and follows his son William, a wheelwright and wagonmaker who later became a farmer and dairyman near Smethport. The article also profiles William’s wife, Matilda Fry, her Berks County family, and their daughter Alice, whose marriages to Robert Walters and Samuel McClure connect the Raymers to other Pennsylvania and Midwestern families. The account includes occupations, residences, church affiliations, and descendants.