THOMAS H. RALSTON is a native of Brooke county, W. Va.. where his ancestors were among the earliest residents along King's creek. The first member of this well known family to locate in that vicinity was Joseph Ralston, who was born and married in Scotland. He came to America prior to the Revolution, and finally settled in Brooke county, W. Va., where he took up a vast tract of land on King's creek. Indians were numerous then, and wild beasts roamed through the forest, making pioneer life extremely dangerous. The family of Joseph Ralston consisted of but two sons, Joseph and Samuel. They were frequently taken with the mother to Fort Pitt (where Pittsburgh now stands), while the father lived for months in his cabin in the wilderness, without a fire, lest the attention of the Indians should be attracted. Joseph Ralston and his wife passed their days on the farm, and in a good old age were laid to rest in Three Springs cemetery, Brooke county, W. Va. The land, which had then increased in value, was left to his two sons. Samuel (the younger son), was married to Martha Tucker, of Hanover township, who bore him four sons and eight daughters, all of whom lived to marry and have children. Joseph Ralston, eldest son of Joseph, was first married to Ann McCready, of Beaver county, who lived with her parents on Mill creek, now Hookstown, Penn. They were early settlers in that section, and of Irish descent. To this union were born ten sons and one daughter. The youngest child, named McCready, died unmarried at the age of twenty-eight years, and the only daughter was married to Daniel Wilson; the others were also married. The mother died and was buried in Three Springs cemetery. For his second choice Joseph Ralston selected Sarah Greer, a native of Carroll county, Ohio, living near Harlem Springs. She bore him seven children, of whom one died in infancy, and another never married. The father lived to be about seventy-two years of age, dying about 1835. The greater part of his life was passed in farming, and he built the first gristmill in that country. His property became very valuable, and the gristmill was owned and operated by his descendants of the two generations following. After a long and useful life, he was laid to rest in Three Springs cemetery, where his parents and wives were buried. Joseph Ralston was the oldest of the eleven children born to Joseph and Ann (McCready) Ralston. He was born March 5, 1791, on the old homestead in Brooke county, W. Va. When a young man he learned the miller's trade in his father's mill, and finally took charge of the business, which he conducted for many Years. In 1817 he married Lucinda P. Holmes, who was born March 7, 1795 east of the mountains. She was a daughter of Thomas and Nancy (McNeely) Holmes, both of whom were natives of County Donegal, Ireland. The McNeely fanily was an eminent one in Ireland, and the brothers of Nancy were all legislators there. Thomas Holmes was a shoemaker, and in about 1789 came to America, locating temporarily near New York City. He removed farther west and settled in Brooke county, W. Va., where he died at the age of ninety-six years. His wife died when over one hundred years old, in Guernsey county, Ohio, at the home of her son, Isaac Holmes. The children of Joseph and Lucinda P. (Holmes) Ralston were born as follows: Isaac, was killed when a young man, by a horse; Mary A,, is the wife of J. H. Harper, of Burgettstown, Penn,; Joseph, a miller, while taking a cargo of flour to New Orleans, contracted bilious fever in that city, died May 30, 1846; Thomas H., whose sketch follows; Eli, deceased at the age of two years; Caroline Mrs. Miller Shane, of Burgettstown, Penn.; and William, a school teacher, died January 1, 1861, at the age of twenty-eight years. Mr. Ralston passed his life on the old place, and followed milling. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and voted with the Democratic party. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church at Three Springs, of which he was an elder for many years. In 1846, while on a trip to Buffalo, N. Y., with a cargo of flour, he was taken sick with bilious fever, and returning home, died July 18, 1846, followed by his wife December 26, of the same year. They were burried in Three Springs cemetery, which now contains four generations of this name, who were at one time by far the most numerous family on King's creek. Thomas H. Ralston was born July 19, ]826, in Hancock county W. Va., on the ancestral acres. In early life he learned the cooper's trade, in which he became an expert. When his elder brother died, he took charge of his father's mill, in which business he continued many years. On April 26, 1859, he was married to Rebecca Graham, who was born January 17, 1833, in Hancock county, W. Va., a daughter of Thomas and Honor Graham. Their union has been blessed with the following children: Lucinda P. (Mrs. James Work, of Florence), William S. (a farmer of Hanover township), George G. (at home), Anna K. (Mrs. S. F. Campbell, of Hanover township), and Jessie M. (at home). Mr. Ralston conducted the old mill until April 10, 1873, when he came to Hanover township, Washington county, locating on the "Moses McLaughlin" place, where he has since resided. He is now following farming and stock raising. having made many improvements on the place, which are indicative of his progressive spirit. He owns several good farms, and is one of the leading men of Hanover township He, his wife and children are members of the Frankfort Presbyterian Church.

Text taken from page 667 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by John R. Mort of Salt Pointe, NY 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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