ALEXANDER DEVORE is a son of Andrew Devore, who was born in Washington county, Penn., where he was married to Miss Steele, of Redstone. Penn. She bore him five children, as follows: Henry, Lydia A. (Mrs. Crookham, living in this county), Eliza (Mrs. Seeley), David (deceased) and Alexander. The mother died in 1880, aged seventy five years, having been preceded by the father, who passed away before the birth of his youngest son. Alexander Devore was born March 20, 1830, on the home place in Nottingham township, this county. On January 15, 1851, be was united in marriage with Miss Martha Thomas, of this county, and the following children were born to their union Jonathan T., Abigail A., Elizabeth J., Liverton D. and Nancy B. The mother of this family died in 1865, and October 11, 1867, he was married to Elizabeth Robb, who has borne him eleven children, five of whom are yet living, viz.: Edwin L., Owen W., Oscar C., Maud and Lydia A., all at home. Mr. Devore began life on a farm, at the age of sixteen years, without a penny to pay his expenses. He worked for board and clothes until twenty-one years of age, when his employer, Andrew Crouch, l gave him $100. With this small amount as capital he rented a farm, and then began saving his money until able to purchase one. When the war began he secured many recruits for the army, and on February 14, 1865 sent as his own substitute one Matthew Crookham, who received an honorable discharge at the close of the war. In 1865 Mr. Devore bought sixty-seven acres in Somerset township, which he sold after the war was over. He then purchased the home place of eighty acres in Nottingham township, to which he has added from adjoining farms, now owning 207 acres of well cultivated land worth from $80 to $90 per acre, and has erected a fine house and barn on the place.
Mr. Devore has engaged somewhat extensively in stock, and now has over 300 sheep, twenty head of different stock of cattle, and twelve horses, of the best grade of stock.
Text taken from page 399 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed May 1997 by Marion L. Smith of San Diego, CA as part of the Beers Project.
Published May 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]