MRS. MARGARET MINTON, widow of Matthias Minton, a native of Morris township, was born December 26, 1824, and is a daughter of John V. Hanna. She was married to Mr. Minton March 8, 1849. Matthias Minton was born April 3, 1826, in Morris township. His father Matthias Minton, moved to Washington county from New Jersey, in the early history of the county. He was by trade a blacksmith, to which, in conjunction with farming, he gave his attention. He married, early in life, Miss Sally Lindley, and of their children is named one son, Matthias Minton. The latter received educational advantages as a youth, and by private application in reading and otherwise, prepared himself for the successful pursuance of his vocation, farming, and later merchandising and hotel-keeping, having succeeded not only in leaving his family a competence, but an honored name. Public spiritedness was a prominent attribute of his nature, and the community in which he lived attest with pride to what an extent he exercised it. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in the One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment, P. V. I., but on account of poor health was compelled to return home in July, 1862. He was a life-long Democrat, and for twenty-four consecutive years served as justice of the peace. He was a zealous Christian, being united with the Presbyterian Church, in which he was deacon. Generous and charitable, he was revered by his neighbors, who often went to him for advice. He was justly called the poor man's friend. In 1890 he sustained injuries from a horse kick, which resulted in his death seven weeks later. To the marriage of Matthias Minton and Margaret Hanna four children were born: the eldest, John Vance, is a tanner by trade; he served as gauger under President Cleveland's administration. He married Miss Mary J. Merriman, of Canonsburg, Washington county. Henry Collins, the second son of Matthias, was educated at Washington and Jefferson College, from which institution he graduated with honors in 1879; he then entered the Western Theological Seminary, of Allegheny, Penn., and having completed the course, accepted the call to the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church of Duluth, Minn. His health failing him, he resigned the charge after a short term of service, and passed some time in Florida. Receiving a call from the Second Presbyterian Church of Baltimore, Md., he entered upon the labors of this charge, but after a brief time, on the advice of his physician, resigned, the climate proving unfavorable to his health, and accepted a call to the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church, of San Jose, Cal. This congregation he served six years, when he resigned to accept a call to the charge of St. John's Church, of San Francisco, which he still holds. He was united in marriage with Claire Louise Smith, an accomplished Philadelphia lady, and the daughter of a prominent Presbyterian divine. Miss Sarah Lydia, the third child of Matthias and Margaret Minton, resides with her mother. Isa D., the fourth child, was united in marriage to W. S. Guttery, and resides in Prosperity.

Text taken from page 455 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1998 by Karen Souhrada of Pittsford, NY as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1998 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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