J. D. McNARY. Among the representatives of old families in Washington county the subject of this memoir stands prominent. He is a son of David McNary, who in 1782 came from York county, Penn., to Washington county, making a settlement in North Strabane township. Thomas McNary, grandfather of subject, was a son of James McNary, who, some time prior to 1760, emigrated from Scotland to this country, and located in York county, Penn., afterward, in 1787, settling in Hanover township, Washington county. Thomas McNary was elected elder in the Chartiers Church in about the year 1799, and continued to serve in that capacity until his death in 1820. David McNary, father of subject, was born in 1771, in (it is believed) York county, Penn., and about the year 1795 located in North Strabane township, where he purchased a farm of 320 acres, on which he continued to reside until his death. In 1816 he was married to Jane Edgar, daughter of Samuel Edgar, and born in County Down, Ireland, coming to this country with her father in 1794; for six years they lived in New York City, and then came to Washington county, Penn. To David and Jane McNary were born children as follows: Phoebe, born in 1818, married James Beal, of West Virginia, and removed to Licking county, Ohio, where she died, leaving six children two sons and four daughters; Thomas, born in 1820, died in early manhood; Samuel, born in 1822, died in 1892, leaving eleven children five sons and six daughters (for fifteen years he was an elder in Chartiers U. P. Church): Jeanetta, born in 1824, died in early womanhood; Mary, born in 1826, married John Templeton, and has four sons, living in North Strabane township: David E., born in 1828, is living in Cross Creek township, and has three sons and three daughters (for twelve years he was an elder in West Middletown United, Presbyterian Church); Matthew, born in 1830, died in the State of California in 1852; James R., born in 1833, died in 1891, leaving four daughters (for ten years he was an elder in Chartiers U. P. Church), and Joseph D., subject of sketch. The father of this family died in 1847, the mother in 1868. J. D. McNary was born January 28, 1836, on the home place in North Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn., where he was reared to agricultural pursuits, attending, during a few weeks in winter time, the common schools in the neighborhood. After this primary instruction, he entered Jefferson College, at Canonsburg, where he remained until his sophomore year. On April 1, 1857, he removed to South Strabane township, since when he has successfully followed agricultural pursuits on the farm on which he now resides. On February 5, 1857, Mr. McNary was united in marriage with Mary W., daughter of John Caldwell, of West Virginia, and the children born to this union were Lizzie J. (deceased), Lou J., Mattie E., Clara V. (Mrs. Rowley Cook), John R., Thomas H. and Mary J. The family are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Washington, of which Mr. McNary has been an elder since 1864. In politics he has always been a Republican, an active worker in the party, and an influential counselor. For the past eighteen years he has served as school director, and in all things he has proven himself a progressive and loyal citizen.

Text taken from page 844 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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