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 21–40 of 52 articles
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…
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.
The Catlin Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania
This genealogical sketch traces the Catlin family from its English roots in Kent through several generations in Connecticut and New York, beginning with Thomas Catlin, an early colonial settler in Hartford. It follows the line through John, Samuel, Isaac, Elisha, Dewey, and Oren Catlin, noting marriages, children, occupations, and civic roles along the way. The account also connects the family to the Dewey lineage and includes the biography of Ellen Virginia Catlin Stanton, whose husband, Norman J. Stanton, served in the Civil War and later held important public offices in Bradford, Pennsylvania.
The Mallory Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania
This was an ancient and distinguished family long seated at Studley Royal, in Yorkshire, England. Of this family was Captain Roger Mallory, who founded a line in the Virginia colony about 1660, and some of whose descendants located in Pennsylvania. (I) Nathaniel Mallory Nathaniel Mallory, born at Middletown, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, was undoubtedly a descendant of Captain Roger Mallory, of Virginia. After growing to manhood he removed to western Pennsylvania. He married and left a son John, of whom further. (II) John Mallory John, son of Nathaniel Mallory, was born in western Pennsylvania, in 1794, died at Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania,…
The Hawkins Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania
This genealogical sketch traces the Hawkins family from early Westmoreland County roots to Bradford, Pennsylvania, showing a progression from farming to ministry and then to business leadership. It outlines Thomas Hawkins and his descendants, including David Riley Hawkins, a Methodist Episcopal minister remembered for his faith and anti-slavery views, and Major Adam Clarke Hawkins, who built a career in mercantile work, river commerce, and Bradford’s oil industry. The article also notes family marriages, children, public service, church ties, and civic involvement, offering a detailed account of several generations connected to western Pennsylvania history.
The Benninghoff Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania
This genealogy traces the Benninghoff line from a German family established for centuries to successive generations in Pennsylvania, following Frederick, John, George, and Dr. George Edward Benninghoff. It outlines the family’s migrations through Lehigh, Union, Clearfield, Venango, and Mercer counties, along with marriages and descendants connected to local communities. The account highlights John Benninghoff’s rise as an oil-region landowner and the notorious robbery of his safe, then turns to George Benninghoff’s farming and oil interests. It concludes with Dr. George Edward Benninghoff’s medical career in Bradford, his professional affiliations, and his family.
The Ash Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania
This article presents a genealogical and biographical sketch of the Ash family, tracing its origins from Germany through Canada to western Pennsylvania. It follows Dunham Ash, a veterinary surgeon who settled in Kingston, Ontario, and his descendants, including Dr. Dunham E. Ash, born in Erie County, Pennsylvania, who built a medical practice in Bradford while also engaging in oil business and civic service. The account outlines family connections, marriages, children, and the public roles of several members, offering a detailed record of migration, education, profession, and community life across multiple generations.
The Artley Family of Williamsport, Pennsylvania
This genealogical sketch traces several generations of the Artley and Cowan families, beginning with Abraham Artley, a Tioga County farmer and church member, and following his descendants through Williamsport, Liberty, Jersey Shore, Bradford, and other Pennsylvania communities. It highlights Jonas Artley’s work as a hotelkeeper and oil businessman, along with the family’s civic, religious, and fraternal ties. The article also follows John Huling Artley’s move into the oil industry and connects the Artleys through marriage to the Cowan line, including William Carl Cowan and Civil War veteran George J. Cowan. Together, the families reflect regional migration, occupations, and kinship across…
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
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…
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…
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,…
Discover more from Pennsylvania Genealogy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.