THE FURNIER FAMILY in Fallowfield township come of French ancestry, David Furnier, the first of them to emigrate to America, having been a native of France, from which country he fled in the days of religious persecution. He first located near Hagerstown, Maryland, afterward coming to Washington county, Pennsylvania, and making a settlement near Speers run some time prior to 1772. In 1798 he purchased of Henry Speers a tract of ninety-four acres of land near the stream just mentioned, having a river front of 100 rods. A log house was erected on this land either by Speers or Furnier, probably the latter. In addition to this tract David Furnier also owned a large portion of the land now in the possession of the heirs of Levi Johnson, the title of which has long been disputed. In 1823 this land was deeded by the heirs of Furnier to Solomon Speers, who, in turn, sold it to L. M. Speers, and it is now the property of S. F. and William Jones. A log flouring-mill was erected on this land many years ago, just below the stone house of Samuel McKean. The original owners of this mill are not certainly known, but it is supposed that Elliott and Williams erected on a lease of several years' duration. At all events David Furnier was the sole proprietor of both mill and store in 1790, and also conducted a distillery -- the entire business being known as the "Barter Mills," the name having been characteristic of the enterprise. This was the first store opened in that locality, and at the same time David Furnier owned an establishment at Devore's Ferry, opposite Monongahela City, and one at Pittsburgh. He did an immense business, keeping all kinds of goods, including groceries, etc., and of the vast quantities of grain brought in from the surrounding country the rye was transformed into whiskey, while the wheat sold in adjacent cities. This was perhaps the largest business existing at that time in the Valley. The old distillery was situated above the log mill, and was afterward supplanted by the stone still-house, which was near the greenhouse of Samuel McKean. In 1803 a large brick mill was erected near the present stone bridge crossing Speers run, but it was torn down in 1837, part of the brick being yet in use in the old schoolhouse in Gould's hollow. A sawmill was afterward erected by Solomon Speers, near the site of the old brick mill. David Furnier had three brothers, Henry, John and James, of whom James lived with Henry in Washington county, and was never married. He died of sunstroke. John, who was also a bachelor, owned a tannery on the present farm of John Irons, and was also proprietor of a store at Becket's place, now Degg's ferry. Henry, the remaining brother of David Furnier, had two sons, David and Simeon. The father erected the stone part of the house now owned by Philip Johnson, where his son, Simeon Furnier, died in 1848. The latter was married to Jane Stout, and their children were Henry, Jesse, John W., William, Simeon and Mary. David, eldest son of Henry Furnier, had four children, namely: Bela, Matilda, Lucinda (wife of Judge James Fuller, of Perryopolis, Penn.) and Bowman. DAVID FURNIER was born in 1825, in Adams county, Ohio, and in 1827 was brought by his parents to Washington county, Penn. Here he was educated, and when a young man he worked on a steamboat. On October 15, 1850, Mr. Furnier was united in marriage with Elizabeth, daughter of Stephen Colvin, and she has borne him two sons and four daughters, namely: Eliza S., wife of Henry Carson; Florentine; Henry, of whom a sketch follows; Joan; Lincoln, married to Lydia Sickman; and Allie, living at home. Mr. Furnier is distantly related to the Marquis de La Fayette, that famous patriot (now so long since deceased) having been a cousin of Mr. Furnier's grandfather. David Furnier's mother was a Dunlevy, and her mother was a Crawford, a full cousin of Col. Crawford, who was burned at the stake by the Indians in what is now Crawford county, Ohio. HENRY FURNIER, son of David and Elizabeth (Colvin) Furnier, was born October 8, 1855, on the home farm in Fallowfield township, Washington county, Penn. He attended the common schools, was early inducted into the mysteries of agriculture, and has since continued to follow rural life. In October, 1882, he married Martha, daughter of Henry Frye, a well-known agriculturist of Washington county, Penn., and they have had two children: Charles L., and Edna A., both living with their parents. The home farm contains eighty-four acres of land, situated five miles from Monongahela City.

Text taken from page 1093 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1997 by Karen Souhrada of Pittsford, NY as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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