ALEXANDER W. GALBRAITH. Among the prosperous agriculturists and leading stock dealers of East Pike Run township, this gentleman is a prominent figure. He is a son of William Galbraith, who was born in 1812, in Ireland, and came with his parents to America when about twelve years of age. He had one brother Robert, who married a Miss Smith and one sister, who was married to a Mr. Shaw and lived in Ohio. He also had a half-brother Thomas McBeath who married and lived in Ohio. William Galbraith learned and followed the boat-building business for many years, but has devoted the latter part of his life to farming. He has been twice married, first time to Nancy Fry, who bore him five children, as follows: ( l ) Robert, who as twice married, first to a Miss Redd and afterward to a Miss Reynolds; by his first marriage he had children as follows: Isaac, who married Miss Nesbit, Charles and an infant (both deceased); by his second marriage he has five children. (2) Noah, married to a Miss Wilson, and now lives in Delaware county, Ohio. (3) William (now deceased). (4) Cornelia, wife of William Walker, a resident of Kentucky. (5) Emmeline, married Frank Williams, and died in October, 1880; they had five children: Maggie (married to W. Sphar), Aaron, Samuel, Nancv and George A. Linn, the last named having been born July 4, 1880. Mrs. Nancy (Fry) Galbraith died many years ago, and Mr. Galbraith afterward married Mary Hill, by whom he had the following children: Samuel, Elizabeth, John, Alexander W., Marv F. (wife of J. Mozier), Thomas M., Dr. Stephen A. B., Etta, and one that died in infancy, of whom Elizabeth and Dr. Stephen A. B. are deceased. Of this family Elizabeth married Albert Wickerham, and died in June, 1890; they had the following children: Jennie, Robert, Nancy, Mary F. (married to John Mozier, June 5, 1889, and has two children: John Thomas and Lucinda). Dr. Stephen A. B. graduated at Washington and Jefferson College, 1886, graduated at Washington and Jefferson Medical College, 1889, died December 3, 1889. William Galbraith is a representative agriculturist of Carroll township. Politically he is an active worker in the ranks of the Democratic party, and has served as township clerk, assessor and school director, as well as in various other positions of trust. Mrs. Galbraith is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Monongahela. The ancestry of Mrs. Mary (Hill) Galbraith can be traced back some five generations. Gideon Hill, maternal great-great-grandfather of Alexander W. Galbraith, came from England, and the great-grandfather, John Hill, located near where Lancaster, Penn., now stands, and where he lived till some time in 1774 or 1775, when he moved to west of the mountains, to Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh). He was there offered in exchange for a black horse five acres, forming the point between the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers; but he concluded there was no money in property thereabouts, so moved to Somerset township, and obtained a patent for a tract of land, "Government reserving all gold and silver ore," but saying nothing about oil and gas. This patent is dated 1778, and is now in the possession of our subject's uncle, Dr. S. E. Hill, of the same township. Greer McIlvaine, grandfather of Judge McIlvaine, owned the adjoining land, and these were the first settlers to locate in Somerset township. Dr. Hill has some relics of the past in the shape of an old conch shell or horn that used to be blown to scare wolves away; a clock that has been in the family five generations, is still going and keeping good time; also a blue dish about as old as the clock. Grandfather Hill was married February 15, 1815, to Elizabeth Woodrow, a native of near Shippensburg, Penn., and a relative of Judge Black, of the same place, or near there; Mary (Hill) (mother of subject), born March 5, 1825, and Dr. S. E. Hill, of Smithville, are the only ones living of the family of nine children born to this union, who were as follows: Abner, John and Mary, Rachel Jane, Samuel, William, Martha, Stephen A. and Elizabeth; of these Martha and Elizabeth died in infancy. Dr. S. E. Hill married, December 10, 1869, Miss Sadie E. Long, of Pittsburgh, daughter of T. H. Long, and their family are: Pauline, Pearl and Zoe. Grandfather Hill and his father kept store when salt was $8 to $10 per bushel, and whisky was 35 cents per gallon; the salt was carried on pack saddles from east of the mountains. His father was one of the first members of Pigeon Creek Presbyterian Church in the days of Dr. McMillan, Dr. Brown and others, when preaching was conducted in tents, and the men were wont to go to church with their rifles for protection against the Indians. He and his son (when the latter was a young man) were the contractors for the building of the old stone church, Mr. John Atkinson being the carpenter. The same stones used for this church are now under the brick one erected near the same place, and in which services are at present held by Rev. Gilson. Gideon Hill was the second man buried in the present cemetery where there are now hundreds sleeping their last sleep. In old papers Pigeon creek was spelled "Pidgeon" creek. Alexander W. Galbraith, the subject proper of this sketch, was born November 11, 1854, in Carroll township, Washington Co., Penn. He received a liberal education at the common schools of the vicinity of his place of birth, assisting, in the meantime, in the various duties pertaining to the home farm. On February 6, 1884, he was united in marriage with Oella Bedall, a native of the county, born October 4, 1855, a daughter of John M. and Eliza J. (Jones) Bedall, both of whom were born in 1824, in Fallowfield township Washington Co., Penn., the father on August 7, the mother on November 1. They were married January 25, 1855, and two children were born to them, viz.: Clara J. (of whom mention is made farther on) and Oella (wife of Alexander W. Galbraith). Mrs. Alexander W. Galbraith's father was a lifelong farmer and stock raiser, and was very successful in business affairs. Joseph Bedall, grandfather of Oella Galbraith, was born in New Jersey November 10, 1777, and died May 16, 1838. He came to Washington county when a young man and his brothers known to have come with him to this county were James (who lived and died on the farm owned by J. Keys Bedall (a grandson) in Fallowfield township), Levi (who owned the farm, now in possession of J. P. Duvall, at the time of his death, where he spent most of his lifetime) and Benjamain (who was a resident of Washington county, and was never married). There were also two sisters, of whom no accurate account can be given. Joseph Bedall married Sarah McCutchen, who was born December 18, 1788, and died November 20, 1844, married May 2, 1816, and they settled on the farm known as the "Bedall Homestead;" they had five children, viz.: (1) Mary Bedall, born February 24, 1817, died April 24, 1860; (2) an infant, born June 28, 1818, died October 15, 1818; (3) Eliza Jane, born October 25, 1819, died January 20, 1851, married Joseph Morton, and both are deceased; (4) Hester, born April 26, 1822, died March 21, 1851; (5) John McCutchen, born August 7, 1824, died November 24, 1880. Hugh McCutchen, the father of Sarah McCutchen Bedall, emigrated to this country at an early date from Ireland. He was a merchant by occupation, and part of his book accounts are kept in pounds, shillings and pence, one of the dates being June 12, 1781. He married Jane McCutchen, who was of Scotch descent, and they had six children, of whom we have record of five: (1) Mary, married to William Baker, of East Pike Run township, and their children were as follows: Cassandra and Jane (deceased), Ellen (wife of William Young; they reside in Kansas); (2) Sarah, married to Joseph Bedall; (3) Jane, never married; (4) Samuel, married to Melinda Furnier (they had two children, James Shannon and Sarah Jane); (5) James, married to Jane Springer and lived near Tiffin, Ohio. Clara J. (Bedall) Chalfant, sister of Oella Galbraith, was born February 8, 1859, and married October 12, 1882, to C. A. Chalfant, who was born March 22, 1854, a son of Dr. H. S. Chalfant, of East Pike Run township. They have two children: Mary L., born February 10, 1886, and John Switzer, born May 5, 1891. They reside on the old Bedall homestead in Fallowfield township, where Mr. Chalfant is engaged in raising sheep, horses and cattle. He votes the Republican ticket, and takes an interest in all public matters; he and his wife are members of the Ebenezer M. E. Church. JONES FAMILY. William Jones sailed from the port of Baltimore in 1769 (his son William being then six years old), and the vessel was never afterward heard from. The son, William Jones, was born May 3, 1763, at Ellicott's Mills, Md., and died March 14, 1863. He was married April 23, 1789, to Elizabeth McClung, who was born November 24, 1769, and died January. 27, 1829. About 1791 they emigrated from Maryland to Washington county, Penn., near Ginger Hill, six miles from Monongahela, where they settled on a farm on which they passed the remainder of their days, and which farm is still owned by a son, William McKendree Jones. They had twelve children, viz.: (1) John Jones, born in Maryland, May 23, 1790, died July 16, 1875; was twice married, first time to Rachel Frew; second time to Margaret Blaine, who was born October 12, 1805, and died October 29, 1890. By his first marriage he had the following children: William, married to Miss West; James, married to a Miss Cleaver; Elizabeth, married to David Ritchie; Joseph, married to a Miss Watkins; David, married to Miss Phillips; Samuel V. Cook (deceased), married to Miss Gregg; Mary, married to Manuel Stoody. By his second marriage Mr. Jones had two children: Rachel and Jennie. (2) Elijah Jones, born in Maryland, November 20, 1791, died June 15, 1855; was married to Mary Warren, and their children were William, married to a Miss Frye; Eliza Jane, married to John M. Bedall; Margaret, married to John S. Carson; James, married to a Miss Van Voorhis; Wesley, married in the West; Isaac, married to a Miss McIlvaine; Noah, married to a Miss Frye. (3) Mary Jones, born November 1, 1793, died August 15, 1856, married March 8, 1819, to Joseph Alexander, who was born April 1, 1795. (4) Ruth Jones, born September 4, 1795, died January 22, 1892. (5) Delilah Jones, born February 14, 1797, died July 22, 1882 married to James Mills, who was born in 1801 died May 23, 1878, and their children were William (deceased); Andrew Bascom, died May 14, 1888, married to Deering; Mary married to a Mr. Dalby; Rebecca, married to Rev. Dr. Watkins; James, married; Charles S.; Wilbur Fisk, married. (6) Jesse Jones born December 24, 1798, died February 11, 1888 married Eleanor Frew, and their children were Alexander (deceased); Jackson (married to Miss Black); Elizabeth, married to Rev. Mr. Snyder; Charles, married; Carrie B., married; Nancy, married to a Mr. Rankins (now deceased); Jesse, died June 21, 1888; Ellen, married to Mr. McDonald, now deceased; others have been lost sight of in the West. (7) Samuel Jones, born August 25, 1800, accidentally killed June 14, 1867; was twice married, first time to Jane Fell, and for his second wife to Mary Thomas; the children by his first wife were William, married to a Miss Sheplar; S. Fell, married to a Miss Thomas; Mary, married to a Dr. Watkins, both deceased; and James, married to a Miss Finley. By the second marriage Mr. Jones had children as follows: Elizabeth, Melissa, Retta, Amanda, Homer, Luther, John and Celia. (8) Rebecca Jones, born March 8, 1802, died July 3, 1838, married Andrew Mills, and they had one child, James Mills, editor of the Pittsburgh Post, who married Elvira Alexander. (9) Rose Ann Jones, born May 4, 1804, died in September, 1870; married Francis Hull Williams, and their children were Elizabeth (married to Greer McIlvaine), Elmira, John W., William, David, James and Harvey. (10) Elizabeth Jones, born January 15, 1806, died in September, 1830; married James McCauley, and their children were Ann Eliza and Mary. (11) Ann Jones, born April 22, 1808, died June 30, 1889; married John Hess, born in 1818 died in 1883, and their children were John, Elizabeth, Westley, Alcinous, Amanda and Maggie. (12) William McKendree Jones, born October 29, 1809, married Sarah Fulmer, who died in 1886; their children were Leonidas, Mary, Edward, James Mills, Margaret, Kate, Snyder, Albert, Florence and Rose. The children born to (2) Elijah and Mary (Warren) Jones were as follows: (1) William, born in Fallowfield township, married Miss Eliza Jane Fry, and afterward moved to Brighton, Washington Co., Iowa, and still resides there; their children are as follows: Samuel W., married to Rachel, daughter of Manuel Stoody, of this county; Mary, married to Mr. William Hide, of Washington county, Iowa; Henry, married to Miss McCain; Irilla Jane, married; Amy, married to Mr. Johnson; Josephine, married; Della (now deceased), married to Mr. Hedge. (2) Eliza Jane, married to John McCutchen Bedall, as already mentioned. (3) Margaret, married to John S. Carson, both deceased (their children were eleven in number, as follows: Isaac, married to Miss Fry; Cornelius, married to Miss Beazell; John C. (now deceased), married to Miss Raymond; Henry, married, to Miss Furnier; Robert F., married to Miss Odvert; Mary Elizabeth, deceased; Van Curtis, deceased; Margaret M., married to I. N. Carson; Caroline Jane (now deceased), married to J. W. Carson; Noah T., married to Miss Sprowls; and Joseph, married to Miss Greenlee). (4) John Wesley, married to Jane Davison, in Logan county, Ohio, and now living near Linneus, Linn Co., Mo.; they have nine children, viz.: Margaret J., married to George Hide, of Brighton, Iowa; Arabelle, married to a Mr. Watterhouse, in Iowa; Ella, married to a Mr. Hossick; James, married and living in Iowa; John C., living near Linneus, Mo.; Annie Neal, also living near Linneus. Mo.; Helen, Hester and Isaac Willfred (unmarried and living at home). (5) James Jones (now deceased) married Miss Van Voorhis and had children. (6) Noah, married to Mary Frye, and their children are nine in number, as follows: John T. K., married to Miss Gamble; Florence C., married to Miss Bradley, in Missouri; Annie M., married to Mr. Huffman; Mortimore, married to Miss Huffman (now deceased); Eunice married to Warren Gibson; and Frank, Bert, Noah King, Lilley, all four unmarried. (7) Isaac Warren, married to Mary Agnes Mcllvaine; their children are as follows: Dora B., married to William Morrow; William, unmarried; Isaac L., married to Miss Rettig; McIlvaine, Harry and Mary A., all three unmarried. Mr. and Mrs. Alexander W. Galbraith reside on 222 acres of well-cultivated land in East Pike Run township, upon which a pleasant dwelling was erected in 1888, and a frame barn 46x60 feet, completed in 1892. He is extensively engaged in raising sheep, horses and cattle. Politically he votes the Democratic ticket, and he takes an interest in public matters. He and his wife are members of the Ebenezer M. E. Church. They have one son, Wilbur, born August 12, 1891.

Text taken from page 1374 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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