James P. Hickman, p. 1286

JAMES P. HICKMAN was born February 26, 1839, on the old homestead in Cecil township, this county. He is a prosperous stock raiser and farmer, and is descended from a pioneer family of Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Peter Hickman, a native of Lancaster county, Penn., married Abigail Fawcett, and after marriage they settled in South Fayette township, Allegheny county, many years ago, enduring all the privations and dangers inseparable from frontier life. He was a Whig, and he and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church. They both died on the old farm. Their children were: Joseph, Moses, Abigail, John, Elizabeth, Ann, Steward, Peter, Daniel and Benjamin.

Benjamin Hickman was born June 8, 1801, in South Fayette township, Allegheny Co., Penn., where he grew to manhood. He married Nancy Jordan, who was born in 1811, also a native of South Fayette township. The young people settled on a farm in Cecil township, and eight children were born to them, of whom four are yet living, viz.: John S. (residing on the home place), Moses (living in Cecil township), James P. (whose sketch follows) and Mary Jane (wife of John Neal, of Canonsburg). The parents were members of the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Allegheny county, Penn. The father died in the spring of 1881, and in August, 1890, the mother passed away. He was a Whig, and a self-made man, who was very enterprising.

James P. Hickman was reared on the home farm in Cecil township, and educated in the schools of the neighborhood. On February 27, 1873, he married Miss Viola Jane, daughter of Arthur J. and Elizabeth (Middleswath) Hopper. Mr. and Mrs. Hickman began married life on a farm of 190 acres in Peters township, this county, but in 1880 they moved to a farm in Cecil township, having purchased the Park homestead, containing 190 acres and adjoining the home farm of the Hickman family. Since locating on this farm, Mr. Hickman has made various improvements and dealt largely in stock, making a specialty of sheep raising. In politics he is a Republican, and has served faithfully two years as supervisor Though not a member of a church, he has been treasurer and trustee of the Centre Presbyterian Church. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hickman: Elizabeth Alcinda, William Arthur and James C.

Arthur J. Hopper, father of Mrs. Hickman, was born November 15, 1816, in Lancaster county, Penn. His father, Samuel Hopper, was born in Ireland, and came to America when a youth. He settled in Lancaster county, Penn., and there married Elizabeth Barclay. In 1817 they came to Allegheny county, settling in Fayette township, and purchased a farm with but ten acres improved. Their children were: Robert, Andrew, Samuel, Arthur J., John, James and Nora (Mrs. Alexander Fitch), Elizabeth (Mrs. Thomas Campbell), Mary A. (Mrs. James Wallace). He was a Whig and later a Republican, and was among the organizers of the United Presbyterian Church. They came over the mountains in a two-horse wagon, and when they arrived exchanged the wagon in part payment for a farm. The youth of Arthur J. Hopper was spent on the home place, and he was educated at the common schools. On July 22, 1841, he married Elizabeth Middleswath, of Allegheny county. Their children were: John C., Samuel N., Elizabeth A. and Viola J. Mrs. Hopper died September 5, 1891. Mr. Hopper settled in Allegheny county, and there continued farming until 1847, when he came to Peters township, remaining there until 1856, when he came to his present residence. He is a Republican; a member of the U. P. Church; is a self- made man, very enterprising.

Text taken from page 1286 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/.

[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]