JOHN BIRCH. This venerable and justly honored citizen of Claysville is a native of the Keystone State, born August 5, 1810, in Cumberland county, near Shippensburgh. John Birch, his paternal grandfather, was by birth an Irishman , of Scotch descent. He early learned the trade of a weaver, which he followed nearly all his life, both in his native land and in America, and for twelve years he served as a soldier in the British army. He was married in his native country to Miss Jane Bright, and the children born to them were William, Valentine, James, Jane, John, David, Thomas and Ann. In 1801 he came with his family to America, and made a home in Cumberland county, Penn., for a short time; then came to Washington county, where he continued to follow his trade of weaver to the day of his death. William Birch, eldest son of the old pioneer, was born in Belfast, Ireland, February 3, 1788, where his early education was received. Coming with the rest of the family to this country, as above related, he completed his school training in Cumberland county, Penn. In the course of time he formed a partnership with a Mr. Campbell in the manufacture of various kinds of cloth, in which business he remained for several years. While yet a young man he was married to Elizabeth Mitchell, who was born in 1791, in Cumberland county, Penn., a daughter of John Mitchell, a Scotch-Irishman, who came to this country about 1760, and the children born to this union were John, Mary, William, David, George Bright, Thomas L. , Drusilla, Margaret J., Mitchell, Joseph, and Elizabeth. Mr. Birch and family in 1818 emigrated from Cumberland county to Washington county, locating on a small farm in Amwell township for a couple of years, and then moving to the farm now occupied by W. C. Ramsey, in Canton township, on which they remained four years. From there they came to Buffalo township, where they resided ten years, and from here proceeded, in 1835, to Holmes county, Ohio, where he lived until the death of Mrs. Birch, which occurred in 1844, when the bereaved husband went to Fulton county, Ill., thence to Birmingham, Van Buren Co., Iowa, where he died April 20, 1879. Politically he was an Old-time Whig, and in religion a Presbyterian. The boyhood and early youth of John Birch were passed on the home place in Cumberland county and in Canton township, this county, in the subscription schools of which latter he received his education. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to Jacob Sharp, a tanner, with whom he remained four years, at the expiration of which time he commenced as a journeyman, working nearly a year for Mr. Sharp. He then, in 1832, came to Claysville, and here entered the employ of a tanner; but it was not long before he commenced on his own account by starting a tannery in that borough, which he operated for fifty years with every success. On May 5, 1835, he was married to Harriet Reed, who was born in Amwell township, Washington county, October 15, 1815, daughter of James Reed, and by this union were the following children: George W. F. , born March 26, 1837 (was educated at Washington and Jefferson College, and is now a Presbyterian minister in New York City); Francis A., born April 26, 1840, died September 13, 1863 (also educated at Washington and Jefferson College); William T., born September 2, 1842, died February 4, 1864; Edward P., born February 1,1845, died 1847; Henry B., born January 9, 1849; John M., born July 7, 1851 (was educated at Washington and Jefferson College); Elizabeth M., born June 1, 1854 (married to Rev. J.J.McCarrell, of McKeesport, Penn.); Thomas F., born May 18, 1856 (educated at Washington and Jefferson College), and Harriet J., born January 9, 1860 (married Frank T. Wray, a druggist of Apollo, Armstrong Co., Penn.). The mother of this family died June 14, 1877, and on February 28, 1882, Mr. Birch was united in marriage at Beaver Falls, Penn., with Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Samuel P. Todd, who was born February 24, 1792, in New York. He studied for the medical profession at Schenectady, N.Y., and commenced practice in New York, proving an able and successful physician. He was married to Susan, daughter of Aaron Kerr, a native of New Jersey, and she bore him eight children. Dr. Todd was a member and warm supporter of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics he was an active Whig. Mr. Birch has always been a strong Democrat, and has served with commendable zeal in various positions of trust. his first office was that of justice of the peace, to which he was four times reelected; in 1848 he was elected county commissioner, serving three years; in 1860 he was one of the census enumerators; in 1875 he was nominated and elected representative to the State Legislature, receiving a flattering majority of over one hundred votes in a Republican county. Mr. Birch and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he has been trustee and a liberal supporter for years.

Text taken from page 437 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed April 1997 by Thomas Shultz of Nashville, TN as part of the Beers Project. Published April 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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