This series is based upon J. W. Jordans 1913 Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content has been preserved.
Showing 1–20 of 101 articles
The Osborne Family of Franklin, Pennsylvania
This article traces the Osborne family from early New England settlers in Connecticut through generations in East Hampton, Long Island, and later New York, then follows the line to Franklin, Pennsylvania. It outlines the family’s ancestry, marriages, and descendants in some detail, including the branch that produced Rev. David Cuvier Osborne, a prominent Methodist minister known for church-building work, musical leadership, and involvement in the Akron Plan. The narrative also connects the Osbornes with the Mitchell and Wilson families of western Pennsylvania, showing how these interrelated lines shaped the civic, religious, and business life of the region.
The Delo Family of Clarion, Pennsylvania
A detailed family and local history tracing the descendants of the Delo line in western Pennsylvania, this account follows the family from its Huguenot roots through early settlement in Westmoreland and Clarion counties. It centers on George Delo and especially his son Daniel, whose life spanned farming, education, public office, business, and church leadership. The narrative also records the lives of many children and grandchildren, including ministers, teachers, railroad workers, soldiers, and civic leaders. Alongside the genealogy, it preserves stories of frontier labor, Native American encounters, Civil War service, and the growth of Clarion-area communities.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 Nichols Family of Oil City, Pennsylvania
This genealogical sketch traces the Nichols family of Oil City through interrelated Farwell, Mason, and Riddell lines, beginning with John Nichols of Farmersville, New York, and following his descendants into Pennsylvania. It highlights William Wallace Nichols’s work with the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad and his son Hosea Monroe Nichols’s rise from Standard Oil employee to banker and civic leader in Oil City. The narrative also preserves the earlier histories of the Farwell, Mason, and Riddell families in New England, including Revolutionary War service, migrations to New York and Pennsylvania, and the marriages that linked these lines together across generations.
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…
The Hurley Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania
This genealogical sketch traces the Hurley family from County Cork, Ireland, to western Pennsylvania, beginning with early Irish ancestors and following successive generations through marriages, children, and migrations. It highlights Jerry Hurley’s family, his daughter Ellen Hurley Barry, and her husband John Barry, whose career in the Pennsylvania oil fields led from modest beginnings to substantial success. The article also records the descendants of John and Ellen Barry, including children who settled in Bradford, Coleville, Erie, and elsewhere, offering a detailed portrait of an immigrant family’s growth, occupations, and connections across Ireland and the United States.
The Wright Family of Coleville, Pennsylvania
This family history traces the Wrights of McKean County from Rensselaer Wright, a self-made farmer, hotel proprietor, lumberman, and county official, to his descendants who became prominent in the region’s lumber and oil industries. It highlights the family’s reputation for honesty, justice, patriotism, and long life, then follows Charles C. Wright and especially James Burdette Wright, whose career expanded from local timber work into major lumber operations, railroad building, and business partnerships. The article also records marriages, children, church affiliations, and connections to other pioneer Pennsylvania families, preserving a detailed portrait of several generations in Coleville and neighboring communities.
The Sharp Family of Kane, Pennsylvania
This genealogy traces the Sharp family from its Scotch-Irish Presbyterian roots in Scotland and Ulster to early settlement in Pennsylvania, then follows several generations into Lawrence County and Kane. It highlights Robert C. Sharp, a businessman who moved to Kane in 1885, organized the Valley Gas Company, and remained active in local industry and politics. The account also profiles his wife, Ellen Ramsey, their children, and especially Reuben Johnson Sharp, whose work in the Kane post office, journalism, civic organizations, and Republican politics made him a prominent figure in the community.
The Armstrong Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania
This genealogical sketch traces the Armstrong family from its Scottish origins through early New England settlers to the Smethport, Pennsylvania, branch. It follows the line from Benjamin Armstrong of Norwich, Connecticut, through successive generations to Alexander McLane Armstrong and his sons Alvin Backus Armstrong and Martin Luther Armstrong. The article blends family descent with local history, noting military service, migration from Connecticut to New York and Iowa, and the family’s strong ties to Presbyterian faith and community life. It also highlights Alvin B. Armstrong’s long career in Smethport business, banking, utilities, and public service, as well as Martin Luther Armstrong’s…
The Redfield Family of Smethport, Pennsylvania
This genealogy traces the Redfield line from its probable English roots and early New England beginnings through eight generations, beginning with William Redfin, an early immigrant to Massachusetts and Connecticut. It follows the family’s gradual name change from Redfin to Redfield and documents marriages, children, occupations, and moves through Connecticut, Vermont, and New York. The account also highlights later descendants who settled in Pennsylvania, especially the branch connected with Smethport, including newspaper correspondent Horace Victor Eugene Redfield and banker Horace Hamlin Redfield. The article combines family history with biographical details from the Allegheny Valley region.
The Kimmel Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania
A detailed family history traces the Kimmel line from Tobias Musser Kimmel, a German immigrant who settled in Coitsville, Ohio, to later generations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and beyond. It outlines the lives of his children and descendants, including farmers, tradesmen, church members, and Civil War veteran Abraham Kimmel, who endured imprisonment at Andersonville. The article then follows Abraham’s daughter Viola A. Kimmel, who moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania, after marrying contractor John Coyne, and records their children and extended Coyne connections. Rich in names, dates, marriages, and migrations, the piece presents a carefully preserved genealogical record of one interconnected family.
The Fleming Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania
This genealogy traces the Fleming family from its Scottish origins and early support of Robert Bruce through its migration to Virginia and later settlement in Pennsylvania. It follows several generations in Indiana and Armstrong counties, detailing marriages, children, occupations, church affiliations, and political views. The account centers especially on William Martin Fleming and his descendants, including Samuel Martin Fleming and Samuel M. Fleming, whose life moved from Pennsylvania’s oil fields to business in Custer City. Based on a 1913 source, the article preserves a family history that links colonial America, westward movement, and local Pennsylvania life.
The Smiley Family of Union City, Pennsylvania
This genealogical sketch traces the Smiley family from Scotch and north of Ireland roots to settlers in New England and, later, western Pennsylvania. It follows several generations, beginning with Thomas Smiley and his descendants, especially James Smiley, a Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veteran who settled in Union City and helped establish the town’s first mill. The article continues with Moses Smiley and his children, including merchants, bankers, farmers, and civic leaders, and concludes with Perry Smiley, a Civil War cavalry veteran who later became a prominent railroad and oil-region superintendent in Bradford.
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