THOMAS BORLAND McCORKLE, retired farmer, Canonsburg, late of Cross Creek township, was born July 7, 1835, on the old farm of his father, John McCorkle, where his grandfather settled in 1810. The paternal great-grandfather of our subject emigrated from the North of Ireland to Pennsylvania, settling east of the mountains at an early date, probably in Adams county, as his son Thomas was born in that county. This Thomas McCorkle came to Washington county, and November 7, 1810, purchased the old homestead farm of something over 432 acres. He was born February 12, 1759, in Adams county, Penn., and died on his farm in cross Creek township May 25, 1843, at the age of eighty-four years, three months and thirteen days. His father, Robert McCorkle, came to Washington county, and died on the son's farm June 26, 1822, in his ninetieth year, in Cross Creek township, and he was buried in West Middletown graveyard, Hopewell township, this county. Thomas McCorkle and his wife, Esther (Terrell) McCorkle, were members of the Associate Reformed Church in West Middletown, and he was a ruling elder in the same for many years. He always followed farming, and was a man of fine principle. Esther McCorkle died December 12, 1839, aged sixty-five years. Their children were as follows: Robert, born October 26, 1796, died when a young man, unmarried; Margaret, born November 22, 1798, married Thomas Ritchey, of Hopewell township; Frances, born February 7, 1800, died unmarried; John, born June 4, 1803, married Mary McCorkle, of Somerset township; Jane, born September 14, 1807, married Charles Phillis, of Claysville, Ohio; Thomas, born March 24, 1814, married Margaret Welch, who is now a widow and is living in Burgettstown, Washington county. John and Mary (McCorkle) McCorkle were married January 14, 1834. She was born February 22, 1810. They were both members of the Associate Reformed Church of West Middletown, in which he was a ruling elder. He held various offices of trust, and was a man of more than ordinary executive ability and intelligence, serving as county supervisor, school director and as executor, administrator and guardian for many estates. It was through his persistent efforts that the post-office, Woodrow, in Cross Creek township, was established. He was a member of an old militia company. Mr. and Mrs. McCorkle had one child, Thomas Borland, our subject. The mother died May 25, 1836, and May 12, 1842, the father married Miss Mary Hay, who was born October 13, 1814, on the old homestead of her father in Chartiers township, this county, a daughter of David and Mary (McCullough) Hay. Of this union no children were born. Mrs. McCorkle is still living in West Middletown, and is a member of West Middletown U. P. Church. She is descended from the Hays of Scotland. Thomas B. McCorkle was educated at the common schools of Cross Creek township, known as "Bushy Rock," and when of proper age learned farming with his father. On June 21, 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Asenath M. Nevin, who was born November 18, 1847, in Beaver county, Penn., on her father's farm near Sheffield, a daughter of George and Eliza A. (Harper) Nevin, the former of whom was a son of John and Margaret (Murray) Nevin, and both descendants of Scotch-Presbyterian ancestry. George Nevin was a native of Washington county, Penn., where he was reared to agricultural pursuits, at which he worked a short time, and then opened a store at Sheffield, Beaver county. His wife was born at Frankfort Springs, Beaver Co., Penn., a daughter of Archibald and Mary (Hay) Harper, the former of whom was a miller at Frankfort Springs (where he owned a mill), the latter a native of Cecil township, Washington county, and born on her father's farm. She was a daughter of John and Ann (Burns) Hay, who were born and married in Scotland, where some of their children were also born. They came to Washington county at an early day, settled on Miller's run, in Cecil township, and sleep their last sleep in Oak Grove cemetery in Chartiers township. Mrs. Ann (Burns) Hay was a full cousin to Robert Burns, the poet; her husband, John Hay, was descended from the Hay family of Scotland, whose coat of arms, etc., appear in "Burke's Peerage." To Thomas B. and Asenath M. (Nevin) McCorkle have been born three children, two now living: Mary L. and John T. R. Politically our subject is a Democrat, and has filled various local offices of trust. He and his wife are members of the U. P. Church of Canonsburg, and he is the owner of two farms in Cross Creek township, comprising 270 acres and 144 acres, respectively; he also owns a mill in the same township, known as the Buckeye Flouring Mill. Mr. McCorkle is recognized as one of the leading upright and moral citizens of Washington county, and ranks high among its representative and progressive agriculturists.

Text taken from page 559 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed May 1997 by Linda Vourlogianes of Petaluma, CA as part of the Beers Project. Published June 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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