McKean County Archives - Page 7 of 10 - Pennsylvania Genealogy

The Jaynes Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

Old town hall, Allegheny City, torn down in 1863

This genealogy traces the Jaynes family from English academic and religious roots to settlement in colonial New York and later migration into Pennsylvania. It follows several generations, including Revolutionary War service by Captain Timothy Jayne and the family’s eventual move westward into Indiana and Westmoreland counties. The article then focuses on Joseph Wallace Jaynes, a blacksmith and Bradford resident, and his son James Milton Jaynes, whose career ranged from oil-field work to mercantile and insurance business. Along the way, it records family marriages, children, occupations, military service, and community affiliations, offering a detailed portrait of a family’s long American lineage.

The Wagner Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This article traces the Wagner family line from German immigrant John Wagoner through several generations in New York and Pennsylvania, showing how the surname shifted between Wagoner, Waggoner, and Wagner. It follows John Henry Waggoner and his descendants into western New York and then focuses on Martin Ward Wagner, who settled in Bradford, Pennsylvania, built and managed the Wagner Opera House, expanded theatrical operations with Moses Reis, and later pursued farming, real estate, and civic service. The account also connects the Wagners to the Frank family, outlining intermarriage and the broader family network that shaped their history in the region.

The Sloan Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Sloan line from James Sloan, an Irish immigrant who settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania, through several generations of farmers, craftsmen, and community leaders. It follows his son John Sloan and the Murphy connection, then details the many children and descendants who lived in Washington, Allegheny, Butler, and other Pennsylvania counties, with some branches moving west. The account closes with James Mitchell Sloan of Bradford, who shifted from farming and carpentry to oil production and later established a successful undertaking business, while remaining active in local government and the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The McIntyre Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the McIntyre line from Scotch roots to its establishment in western Pennsylvania, following the family from Grandfather McIntyre’s migration through New York to Sugargrove and later Bradford. It outlines the ministry and community work of Nathaniel McIntyre, including his service in the United Brethren church and his marriages and children, then gives a fuller account of Richard E. McIntyre’s life. Richard’s story highlights his early work in oil-region hauling, lumbering, farming, and butchering, as well as his successful meat business in Bradford and his church and fraternal affiliations.

The McVay Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the McVay line from Patrick McVay of Londonderry, Ireland, through his son John, who emigrated to New York and later settled in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It follows the family’s movement from farming in Ireland into American occupations tied to the oil industry, including drilling, contracting, producing, and related work in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, and Colorado. The account also notes the family’s Catholic faith, Democratic and Independent political ties, civic involvement in Bradford, and connections by marriage to the Cummings family. Several children and descendants are identified across multiple generations and locations.

The Backus Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Backus line from early New England settlers to later branches established in Pennsylvania and New York, emphasizing the family’s long public, religious, and professional service. It follows successive generations from William Backus of colonial Connecticut through Lebbeus Backus, Thomas L. Backus, Rev. William Backus, and the Smethport descendants Frank Ward Backus and Harry Llewellyn Backus. The account also includes the related Windsor and Couch families, especially Major John Couch Backus, a lawyer, legislator, and Civil War officer, and Mary Almira Backus. Together, the sketches show how the family became prominent in Smethport and surrounding communities.

The Chatley Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Chatley family from Francis Chatley, an Irish immigrant who settled in Beaver County and raised a large family in Pennsylvania, through several generations in Mercer County and beyond. It follows the lives of his children and descendants, including farmers, teachers, ministers, oil workers, and church members, with details on marriages, residences, and children. The account gives special attention to John Chatley and his son Homer, whose career moved from teaching to oil production in Bradford, Pennsylvania, while also connecting the family to allied lines such as the Bowmans, Alexanders, Browns, and Stewarts.

The Freeman Family of Custer City, Pennsylvania

This article traces several generations of the Freeman family from the early New England settler Edmund Freeman through later descendants who moved from Massachusetts and Connecticut into New Hampshire, Vermont, and eventually McKean County, Pennsylvania. It follows the line in detail, noting marriages, children, and places of residence, while also highlighting military service in the Revolution and the War of 1812, Harvard education, farming, and church leadership. The narrative concludes with the Custer City branch, including William Chadwick Freeman and his descendants, and the marriage of Effie Evangeline Freeman to Rev. Thomas Eugene Evans, whose ministry and later farm life are also described.

The Irvine family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Irvine family’s Scotch-Irish origins from Fermanagh, Ireland, to Pennsylvania, highlighting Revolutionary War service and later generations in Bradford, Warren, Towanda, and Cattaraugus County. It follows General William Irvine and his brothers, then Andrew Irvine’s move from Towanda to Warren and his descendants, especially Benjamin F. Irvine, who established Irvine’s Mills in New York. The account also profiles Mary A. Irvine Andrews and her husband, Harper G. Andrews, a Civil War veteran who settled in Bradford. Additional Leonard family ancestry is included to show the maternal line connected to Rebecca (Leonard) Irvine.

The Olds Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogical sketch traces the Olds family from Thomas Olds of New Hampshire through his son Ezekiel, who settled in Ohio and later Illinois, and then follows the descendants of Ezekiel’s daughter Cynthia Olds Chapman. It outlines several generations of marriages, children, migrations, and deaths, while also giving a biographical portrait of Cynthia’s husband, William Brooke Chapman, a lawyer, Civil War veteran, and Bradford, Pennsylvania resident. The article places the family within the broader history of northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, noting civic service, church ties, and the continuing presence of descendants in several states.