D. R. BEBOUT, a well-known farmer and stock raiser of Cecil township, was born September 3, 1832, on the old homestead in North Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn. He is a son of Peter Bebout, and grandson of John. John Bebout was born June 20, 1752, in Holland, and when a young man sailed to America. He first located in New Jersey and was there married to Mary Agnew, who was born October 23, 1757. The young people resided in Sussex county, N. J., until 1801, when they moved overland to Washington county, Penn., there making a permanent home. They were the parents of nine children, viz.: William, born April 21, 1778 (lived in Cross Creek township); Peter, born February 20, 1780; Sarah B., born February 28, 1782, wife of Joseph McLain, Mercer county, Penn.; John, born March 21, 1789, resided in Carroll county, Ohio; Mary, born June 23, 1791 (Mrs. Harmon Haines, of North Strabane township); Israel, born August 12, 1793 (a farmer); Susan, born December 30, 1796 (Mrs. Long, who first settled in Cecil township, this county, then moved to Ohio); Betsey, born December 4, 1798 (wife of Isaac Weaver, of Chartiers township), and Ira, born February 3, 1800 (deceased in 1891, first lived in North Strabane township, this county, thence moved to Muskingum county, Ohio). All of this family are now deceased. The father died in 1836, in Mercer county, Penn., his wife having preceded him several years.
Peter Bebout was born on Staten Island, N. J. and when twenty years of age took a trip on foot to Washington county, Penn., returning to New Jersey the same fall. In 1801 he and his parents moved to Washington county, locating in North Strabane township, on Chartiers creek, where Peter Bebout was married to Isabella Cooper, a native of Columbiana county, Ohio. The young couple settled on the old homestead in North Strabane township, and children were born to them as follows; Mary (deceased wife of William Hays), Susan (married to William Bebout, of Washington, Penn.), Ira (living in Monongahela City), Margaret (deceased wife of Cephas Cochran), D. R. (whose name opens this sketch), Isabelle (wife of John Crouch, of North Strabane township), Joshua ( who moved to Missouri), Stephen (deceased in 1872, at Canonsburg), Martha Jane (deceased at the age of two years), one who died in infancy, Caroline (Mrs. Joseph Manes, living on the old homestead) and Herman (a stock dealer, residing in Canonsburg, Penn.). The parents were members of the Hill Presbyterian Church. The father of this family died about 1861 in North Strabane township, and was followed by the mother in 1889.
D. R. Bebout attended the district schools of South Strabane township, and then learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed some years. He was appointed agent of the Chartiers Valley Railroad, at Canonsburg, before it was completed. On March 10, 1859 he was married to Dorothea, daughter of James and Katie (Whitely) McMurray. James McMurray was a native of Ireland, and coming to America married and settled permanently in Washington county, Penn.
Mr. and Mrs. Bebout remained in Chartiers township until 1878, when they bought and moved upon the farm in Cecil township where they are now living. It contains eighty acres of well-improved land, upon which he has erected good buildings and operates three good oil wells, in addition to the usual farm duties. Politically he votes with the Democratic party, but devotes the greater part of his time to private interests. In religion he and his wife are members of the First Presbyterian Church at Canonsburg. Their children are: James, an elder in the First Presbyterian Church at Canonsburg, living at home; Catherine, wife of S. W. McNary, of Cecil township; Mary Belle; Frank, married, a clerk in a furniture store in Monongahela City; Martha Jane, wife of William McCorkle, of Somerset township; and Elizabeth, attending school at Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.
Text taken from page 1290 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]