The Park Family, p. 1413

THE PARK FAMILY are numbered with the earliest settlers of Washington county, Penn. In the fall of 1777 one Samuel Park came from Lancaster, Penn., to Washington county, and bought 566 acres of land on Chartiers creek, of Matthew Rodgers. He then returned home, and sent out his two sons John and James, with their sister Isabella to keep house for them. The rest of the family soon followed, and to the original tract other lands were added. This Samuel Park died in 1794, followed by his wife in 1808. Their children were John, James, Mary, Isabella and Hugh.

John Park was born December 18, 1758, in Donegal, Lancaster Co., Penn., coming with the family to Washington county when a young man. In 1787 he married Sarah McDowell, a native of South Strabane township, this county. They resided on the Park farm several years, and April 20, 1809, bought and moved upon the homestead in Cecil township, this county. The following children were born to this marriage: Rebecca (Mrs. James Rankin), William, and McDowell (a wealthy land- owner who resided on a part of the homestead. He was never married).

William Park, second child of John and Sarah (McDowell) Park, was born July 15, 1797. In 1831 he bought a 300-acre farm in Peters township, this county, and having prepared the home, lost no time in securing a life companion. On October 29, 1833, he was united in marriage with Miss Jane Law, and settling on the place devoted his time to sheep raising and wool growing. Of the seven children born to this couple, John is living in Cecil township, Robert resides in Peters township, James M. lives in Canonsburg and Sarah, married to J. L. Thompson, is living in Westmoreland county, Penn. The father was trustee of Jefferson College thirty years, and also director of the Chartiers Valley Railroad Company. He died November 6, 1870, in his seventy-third year.

JAMES M. PARK was born December 25, 1850, and attended the schools of the home district during his boyhood. He was married to Nancy J., daughter of Thomas Hill, a resident of Peters township, this county, and she has borne him two children, William and Clara. Some years after his marriage Mr. Park moved to Allegheny, Penn., residing in that city for some time, where he was interested in musical enterprises. He then came to Canonsburg, this county, and opened the general merchandise business which he is now conducting. Politically he is an active member of the Republican party. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Canonsburg, and has for some time led the choir.

Text taken from page 1413 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]

>