George McCullough Tenan, p. 1345

GEORGE McCULLOUGH TENAN. A record of the substantial and intelligent citizens of Washington county would be most incomplete were the names of this representative family not included. They were among the large number of pioneers who emigrated from Ireland during the past century.

James Tenan was born in 1758, in County Londonderry, Ireland, of Scotch Irish parents. Soon after the close of the Revolutionary war, the young man crossed the ocean to America, locating in the State of Pennsylvania. He was married near the town of Octoraro, Lancaster county, to Jane Brown, and there they remained until 1785, when they purchased aud settled upon a small tract of land in Smith township, Washington county. Here children were born to them, and reared as follows: John, Robert, James, William, Mary and Moses. Mr. Tenan (who then spelled his name Tynan) in politics affiliated with the Democratic party, and in religion was an early member of the Associate Church. He died in 1840, having been preceded by his wife in 1836.

James Tenan was born in 1796, in Smith township, this county, and received his education in the subscription schools of the home neighborhood. In 1829 he was united in marriage with Margaret McCullough, daughter of George and Agnes McCullough. The McCulloughs came from Little Britain township, Lancaster Co., Penn., to Washington county, Penn., about 1786, making a settlement in Smith township, two miles north of Burgettstown. He was one of the original proprietors of the land, having been the one to get out a patent for same. George McCullough was a farmer, and died in 1811, in a very old age, on the farm in Smith township where he had located, having been preceded to the grave by his wife. She was the mother of the following children: Christiana, who married James Wilson, and died at the age of ninety-eight years, in Mahoning, county, Ohio; Elizabeth, who married Thomas McCullough, and died in Ohio; Jane, married to James McNall, and died in Findley township, Allegheny Co., Penn., at the age of ninety-eight; Mary, who married James Brown, and died in Allegheny county when ninety- six years of age; Susan, who died unmarried, aged ninety-six years; Margaret, who married James Tenan, and one who died in infancy. George McCullough was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Florence. The old McCullough homestead is now in the possession of the Tenan brothers, they having inherited it. George McCullough had a brother who served in the Revolutionary war.

James and Margaret (McCullough) Tenan passed their married life on the home place in Smith township, and to their union two sons were born, viz.: George McCullough and James Brown. Mr. Tenan was liberal in his political views, and voted with the Jacksonian Democrats. In religious faith he was a member and liberal supporter of the Associate Church at Burgettstown until his death, which occurred April 1, 1859.

George McCullough Tenan, who has been a lifelong farmer, was born December 2, 1830, in Smith township, this county, and passed his boyhood in attending the common schools of the vicinity. On February 24, 1863, he was united in marriage with Martha I., daughter of Deacon Whittaker, who was born on the farm where Mr. Tenan is now living, and was married to Jane Moore; their children were Martha I., Elizabeth (wife of J. B. Cunningham), Mary, Samuel and Jane, all now deceased. In politics Mr. Whittaker was formerly a Whig, but in 1850 he became a Democrat. In religion he was first a Methodist, then united with the Presbyterian Church.

After their marriage George and Martha I. Tenan located in Smith township, this county, then resided in Pittsburgh two years, and from there came to the home farm of Mrs. Tenan. Here Mrs. Tenan died May 11, 1891, aged fifty-four years twelve days, and is buried in the U. P. cemetery at Burgettstown. They had two children: Jennie L. (wife of Oliver Perrine, of Mingo Junction) and Effie S. Politically George M. Tenan was a Democrat, but in 1863 became a worker in the ranks of the Republican party, and he has served in various township offices, though desiring no political preferment. In 1876 he was elected justice of the peace, and in 1892 commenced a fourth term of five years. He is a member of the United Presbyterian Church at Burgettstown, this county.

Text taken from page 1345 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

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

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