Bradford – 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 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 Webster Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

A detailed genealogical sketch traces the Webster line from early New England settlers through several generations of military, civic, and business service, culminating in Philip Leavitt Webster of Bradford, Pennsylvania. The account follows the family from Thomas Webster of Hampton, New Hampshire, through Ebenezer Webster’s Revolutionary War service and David Webster’s descendants, then to Philip Huntoon and his sons Charles Dix and Philip Leavitt. It also connects the Webster family to the prominent Dix family through Lucy Jane Dix Webster, whose relatives included Governor and General John A. Dix. The article emphasizes frontier settlement, public service, and the family’s lasting presence in Bradford.

The Camp Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This article traces the Camp family line from Nicholas Camp, an early New England settler who came from England in 1638, through successive generations in Connecticut and New Jersey to the Pennsylvania branch associated with glass manufacturing. It follows Samuel, John, Israel, Daniel, Ephraim, and William Davis Camp, showing the family’s migrations, marriages, and occupations, especially the glass trade that shaped many descendants’ lives. The narrative then focuses on Thomas Wescott Camp, who worked in Pennsylvania glass plants before becoming a prominent manufacturer and businessman in Smethport, Bradford, and Mount Vernon, while also outlining the Barber and Scott family connections through his marriage.

The King Family of McKean County, Pennsylvania

This article traces the King family line from Clement King of early Massachusetts and Rhode Island to its establishment in McKean County, Pennsylvania, in 1816. It follows several generations, including Isaac King, the Rhode Island farmer whose son Isaac settled on East Potato Creek, and Horace Brown King, a farmer, lumberman, and long-serving Smethport court crier. The account also covers George W. King, who served briefly in the Civil War before becoming a merchant, postmaster, and community leader, and includes family connections by marriage, children, occupations, church ties, and public service across Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

The Gifford Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This genealogy traces the Gifford family from its legendary English origins through successive generations in New England, New Jersey, and finally northwestern Pennsylvania. It follows the line from early colonial settlers Walter and William Gifford to later descendants in McKean County, including farmers, merchants, public officials, and church members in Smethport, Keating township, and Bradford. The account also connects the family by marriage to the Hackett, Bishop, Gallup, and Cogswell lines, preserving dates, residences, occupations, and children for multiple generations. A final section outlines the Cogswell ancestry and a Revolutionary War descent linked to Emma A. (Gallup) Gifford.