W. B. MOORHEAD, one of the most successful business men of Cecil township, was born November 18, 1825, on the farm in Cecil township, which is yet his home. He is a grandson of Samuel Moorhead, who was born in 1745, in Scotland, and when about twenty-one years of age left his native land for a home in America. He first located in eastern Pennsylvania, coming to Cecil township, Washington county, in 1775. In the following year he was married to Elizabeth Sproul, a native of eastern Pennsylvania, and a sister of Sarah Sproul, who married James McBride, grandfather of John B. McBride, whose biographical record appears elsewhere. After their marriage the young people located on the timber covered farm in Cecil township (now occupied by the W. P. Rend Coal Co.), where at night they, in connection with other settlers of the neighborhood, were obliged to resort to blockhouses, in dread of the Indians. They finally removed to the farm located where the subject of this sketch now lives. Here they erected a one-story cabin, built of round logs with the bark on. In this rude but happy home six sons -- John, James, Francis, David, William and Robert -- and on daughter -- Elizabeth -- were born, all of whom moved to Ohio with the exception of John. The father took an active part in the Whiskey Insurrection, and other questions of the day. Samuel Moorhead was one of a number of neighbors who went turn about over the mountains from eastern Pennsylvania, to carry salt in sacks on horseback, riding one horse and leading two, and carrying as much salt in one trip as would last the company one year, and he was a prominent actor in the many scenes of danger so common to frontiersmen. His mother-in-law, Mrs. Sproul, lived to the advanced age of one hundred and four years. He passed away in 1805, and his widow when she was ninety-two. John Moorhead, father of subject, was born in 1785, on the home farm in Cecil township, where he grew to manhood, receiving a subscription-school education. In 1810 he was united in marriage with Sarah, daughter of John Buchanan, a native of Scotland, who settled in Robinson township, this county, and five children were born to this union: Samuel (first settled in Washington county, then moved to Beaver county, Penn., where he died in 1890), John (deceased in 1886 in this county), Eliza Jane (deceased at the age of twenty-one years), W. B. (whose sketch follows), and George B. (deceased at the age of twenty-one years). The mother of this family died in 1828, and in 1837 John Moorhead was united in marriage with Priscilla, daughter of John Aiken, a pioneer settler, and she bore him two children: Isabelle and Sarah (both deceased in youth). Mr. Moorhead was an ardent Abolitionist, taking an active part in politics, and serving his township as justice for many years. He and his wife were members of the Associate Reformed Church at Robinson's Run, later uniting with the U. P. Church at Venice. He died in 1861, and his widow was afterward married to David McKee of Mt. Pleasant township, this county. She died in 1871. W. B. Moorhead was reared on the home farm in Cecil township, receiving his elementary education at the schools of the neighborhood, which was supplemented with a partial collegiate course of study in Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio. On February 9, 1871, he was married to Margaret Johnston, who was born on the farm in Robinson township, which afterward became the site of McDonald village. Her father, Thomas Johnston, was born in Chester county, Penn., and in early life was married to Susan Scott, a native of County Donegal, Ireland, who came here in an early day. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Johnston settled on the home farm in Robinson township, where the mother died in 1847, and in 1869 the father was also laid to rest. Mr. and Mrs. Moorhead have resided on the home farm, containing 200 acres in Cecil township, which is included in the oil belt. He has made many improvements, erected a good house and barn, and is operating seven oil wells, two more being now under way. Mr. Moorhead is an active business man, and has settled many estates. In politics he cast his first vote for the abolition of slavery, giving his assistance to the "Underground Railroad" for the purpose of shipping fugitives to Canada; he has since united with the Republican part, and has served his township as justice of the peace and in various other ways. In religious faith he and his wife are members of the U. P. Church at McDonald. The children of this well-known and influential couple are as follows: Rosena E. and Melicent Scott, attending the academy at McDonald, and Tolbert Buchanan and Romulus Johnston, living at home. Mr. Moorhead is noted for his sympathy for people in distress, or the unfortunate from any cause. He is much famed for his success in compromising troubles between neighbors, and carrying people through when in straitened circumstances; for securing the liberation of people who may have been put in jail for trivial offences, to await their trial. Another feature of his sympathy for the unfortunate is his attending sheriff sales, buying in property and turning it over to its original owner, and giving him his own time to pay for same. Such acts of kindness and generosity have endeared Mr. Moor head to the community, especially to the poor, who look upon him as of a verity "a friend in need."

Text taken from page 314 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed July 1997 by Linda Carroll of So. Chicago Heights, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published July 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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