GEORGE E. LOCKHART, ex-sheriff of Washington county, is a native of the Keystone State, born in Beaver county in 1848. His father, George K. Lockhart, a native of Lawrence county, Penn., was married in Allegheny county to Margaret Ann Savage, who bore him three children: William A., a resident of McDonald, Washington county; George E., and Agnes J., deceased wife of L. G. McIlhinney, of Cecil township. The father died in 1854 of smallpox, at the age of thirty-four years, and his widow was afterward married to John Allen, by whom she had one child, Annie E., wife of J. A. Evans, an attorney at law of Pittsburgh. George E. Lockhart was reared by his grandfather, William Savage, on a farm near McDonald, in this county, his education being obtained at the public schools of the locality. Here he remained until he was fourteen years of age. In 1864 he enlisted in company A, One Hundred and Forty-seventh P. V. I., and participated in the fortunes of that regiment; was with Sherman at Atlanta, and on the march to the sea, his regiment being the first to enter the city of Savannah, and was present at the battle of Resaca, May 15, 1864. He was never wounded, but soon after being ordered to the front was seized with typhoid fever and was sent to hospital at Nashville, Tenn., whither his mother went from Pennsylvania to visit him. On his recovery he returned to his regiment and served to the close of the war, being mustered out of the service at Alexandria June 5, 1865, and discharged July 21, same year. He then proceeded to the home of his mother in Allegheny county, and commenced working in the mines as director of shipping. In 1885 he was appointed deputy sheriff under Sheriff Hemphill, serving to the close of the term, and then, in 1888, was elected sheriff on the Republican ticket, for a three years' term, receiving a majority of 2,159 votes in the county. During this incumbency, the colored murderer, West, was executed, the first person hanged in Washington county since 1867. Mr. Lockhart is a member of Stockweather Post No. 60, G. A. R., and of the Jr. O. U. A. M.

Text taken from page 1121 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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