ROBERT M. CARRONS. Leslie Carrons, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a son of Daniel Carrons, who lived in County Down, Ireland, where he followed the vocation of farmer. He died there in the latter part of the eighteenth century, leaving Leslie, his only child, with little inheritance save a good education which, however, proved a sufficient capital for this brave son of "Old Erin." In 1797 Leslie Carrons was married to Mary Chambers, daughter of James and Mary Chambers, and of this union were born: Daniel, James and Mary, before the parents decided to emigrate from Ireland and seek a home in the New World. The journey was made in about 1803, and the little family came to Pennsylvania, locating first at Chambers' Mills, Washington county, afterward removing to Amity, Amwell township, where they remained some years. In 1801 Mr. Carrons purchased the "Acheson" place of 164 acres, to which (a short time afterward) he added the "Stokley" tract of ninety acres, took possession, and there spent the remainder of his life in farming and conducting a distillery. After the family came to Pennsylvania three other children were born: Eliza (Mrs. Elkins), late of Iowa; Sarah, wife of Dr. James Stevens, of Washington county; and Robert, late of Henry county, Iowa. Mr. Carrons was a self-made and public-spirited man, and was always consulted by his neighbors for advice upon any troublesome question; he was very successful in business. Politically he was an Orangeman in Ireland, and a Democrat in America. he was a charter member of the Episcopal Church at Washington, and assisted in building it up. He died in 1851, his wife in 1876, in her ninety-eighth year. Robert Carrons, the father of our subject, was born in Amity, Amwell township, this county, October 12, 1812, and received in the common schools a fair education, which he afterward made the foundation of a broad and varied store of knowledge. In 1847 he moved to Henry county, Iowa, and began farming upon a half section of land, to which he added as opportunity offered, until at the time of his death he owned nearly one thousand three hundred acres. On October 4, 1849, he was united in marriage with Jane Munce, daughter of Robert and Mary Munce, of South Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn., and of this union three children were born: Leslie, born January 4, 1851; Mary, born May 30, 1853; Robert M., born November 2, 1854. Mr. Carrons was a conservative business man, who, unaided, gained enviable success. He was an enthusiastic Republican, yielding to no man in his loyalty to his party. He died in Iowa, December 7, 1883. Robert M. Carrons was born in Henry county, Iowa, and after attending the common schools until seventeen years of age, passed one year at an academy. When twenty-two years of age he came to Washington county, Penn., spending one winter there. In 1877 he again returned to Washington county, and began business for himself. He had been deeded his Uncle Daniel's interest in the farm, and some years afterward he bought out the heirs of his Uncle James. On October 4, 1877, Mr. Carrons married Emma Chambers, daughter of George and Catherine Chambers, and they are the parents of two children: Frank Leslie, born October 1, 1878, and Kate Jane, born May 20, 1890. Our subject is radically independent in politics. He is now engaged in farming and stock raising; beginning with Black-top Merino sheep, he now breeds Ayrshire cattle, and has bought some high-priced stock, sparing no expense to secure the best. His first lot was purchased, in 1880, of Dr. Sturdevant, of Massachusetts, and he has now a herd of 100 head of this famous breed, said to be the largest herd of Ayrshires in the West, and the second largest in America.

Text taken from page 963 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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