SAMUEL J. GHRIST, one of the most prosperous and influential citizens of Burgettstown, is a son of Isaac Ghrist, who was born in Maryland, where he was reared and educated. He was a blacksmith by trade, and in early life was united in marriage with Maria Willison, also a native of Maryland, where the young people continued to reside for several years after their marriage. They then moved to Fayette county, Penn., finally going farther west, to near Ironton, Ohio. The children born to them were: Samuel J., John, Peter, Isabel, Isaac, Elias, William, Sabina and Sarah A., of whom Samuel J. is the only one living in Washington county. The father and other members of the family died of cholera during the outbreak of that disease at Ironton. The mother afterward married Mr. McCoy of Ironton, and after his death removed to Illinois with her sons, Elias and William, where she died. Samuel J. Ghrist, the subject proper of this sketch, was born January 1, 1818, in the State of Maryland, and when a young man came from Fayette county to Smith township, this county. He commenced working on a farm for one John Hobbs, remaining with him four years, at the end of which time he began working on another farm. Several years later he purchased a small place, to which he added from time to time, and he now owns over 230 acres of good land in Smith township, and a fine residence in Burgettstown. In March, 1838, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth, daughter of James and Jane (Vance) Stevenson, of Smith township, the latter of whom was a daughter of William Vance, of Vance's Fort. The following named children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ghrist: Jane, deceased February 15, 1892; Sarah M.; Martha A.; M. Elizabeth; Catherine W., wife of J. R. McNary, of Smith township (they have six children); Anna M., deceased January 31, 1892, was married to G. M. Miller, of Claysville now a druggist of Burgettstown (had one child, Sara Edna); and S. Vance Ghrist, now an attorney at law in South Dakota. He married Miss May Putnam, who holds the honor of teaching the first school in Hand county, S. Dak. They have two children: Elizabeth Vance and Bayard Sidney. The mother of this family dying March 3, 1854, Mr. Ghrist married in August, 1873, Rachel Stroud, of Stephenville, Ohio, who died July 24, 1888, leaving no issue. In 1878 Mr. Ghrist moved to Burgettstown, where he is yet residing, his home being cared for by his daughters, who are still under the paternal roof. His success in life is to be attributed solely to his own efforts, which have been untiring, and now, a man of about seventy-five years of age, he is in the enjoyment of good health. Until he was twenty years of age he never wore a coat of any kind, only a kind of knitted jacket, and his first coat he worked for and earned by the sweat of his brow. His farm, when he came to it, was but partly cleared, but by assiduous labor he highly improved it. His present home in Burgettstown he bought, besides which he owns other houses in that borough. The family are all great readers. Catharine and Martha were educators in Washington and Allegheny counties, and S. V. in Washington county and in several western States, and has been admitted to the practice of law in Kansas, Illinois and South Dakota. In political opinion Mr. Ghrist was formerly a Whig, afterward a Republican upon the organization of the party; has been actively interested in politics, and has held various township offices. He is a member, and has been a liberal supporter, of the Presbyterian Church from early youth, at the same time contributing largely to all charitable and public enterprises.

Text taken from page 1218 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL 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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