JOHN A. NESBITT, a leading farmer of Canton township, this county, is a native of the same, having been born April 3, 1829, on the farm which is now his home. He is a grandson of John Nesbitt, who was a native of Cecil county, Md., and was married to Martha Donaldson, a native of Allegheny county, Penn. In about 1790, John Nesbitt, in company with three brothers, moved to Washington county, Penn. The brothers bought their lands in common, afterward making a division, John's portion being a farm of 119 acres in Canton township, this county. Of the other brothers, one moved away, but John, Joseph and Jonathan passed their lives in the county, and their descendants are living in Canton and Chartiers townships. In the winter of 1837, the family of John Nesbitt was attacked with a fever, and on December 22, 1837, the father died. Three of his children were also taken, namely: John (deceased October 29, 1837), Margaret (deceased November 29, 1837), and Jane (deceased December 19, 1837). Robert and his mother were left to mourn the loss of their dear ones, and on April 26, 1843, the latter was laid to rest beside them. Mrs. Donaldson, the mother of Mrs. Nesbitt, was a native of Allegheny county, Penn., and made her home with her daughter for some time prior to her death, which occurred March 23, 1828, at the age of one hundred years, four months and twenty-three days. She was buried in the cemetery at Cross Roads, in Chartiers township. Robert Nesbitt, a son of John and Martha (Donaldson) Nesbitt, was born in 1800, on his father's farm in Canton township, this county. On June 12, 1828, he was united in marriage with Mary Ann Anderson, a native of Chartiers township, Washington county, after which event he continued to reside on the home farm. Three children were born to this union, namely: John A.; Sarah (marred to Edward Dougherty, of Canton township), born August 24, 1831; and Martha, born September 6, 1835 (deceased wife of William Stewart, of Canton township, whose children are Frank and Martha, twins). Mrs. Mary Ann (Anderson) Nesbitt died September 27, 1837, and Mr. Nesbitt was afterward married to Margaret Shaw, a resident of Canton township, who bore him one son, Robert D., of Chartiers township. Mr. Nesbitt was a shoemaker and a farmer. He was much interested in educational matters, and in politics was a Whig and Republican. He was formerly an elder of the Associate Reformed Church, and then joined the United Presbyterian congregation at Cross Roads. Robert Nesbitt died August 13, 1861, on the home farm. John A. Nesbitt, son of Robert and Mary Ann Nesbitt, passed his early life on the old homestead in Canton township, attending the common schools of both Canton and Chartiers townships. On February 9, 1865, he was married to Mary Reed, daughter of Joseph and Anna (McClain) Reed, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Washington county in an early day, and died in Cecil township. Mrs. Nesbitt died August 20, 1881, and her husband is yet living on the farm, where he follows agricultural pursuits, and occasionally works at the carpenter's trade. His farm consists of seventy-one acres of well-cultivated, fertile land. Mr. Nesbitt is not an active politician, but votes with the Republican party. He is a member of the Associate Presbyterian Church, and a well-known citizen.

Text taken from page 585 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed May 1997 by Kathy Petty of Evansville, IN as part of the Beers Project. Published May 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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