R. R. THOMPSON, a native of Chartiers township, is a son of Andrew Thompson, who was born February 7, 1793, also in Chartiers township, and passed his early life on the home farm, receiving a limited education at the subscription schools. On July 6, 1827, he married Miss Elizabeth Bell, who was born May 23, 1797, in Mt. Pleasant township, this county. Andrew Thompson passed his married life on the farm in Chartiers township now occupied by our subject, and four children were born to him: Mary Ann (deceased April 22, 1870); R. R.; Elizabeth M. (wife of James McBurney, of Hickory, Mt. Pleasant), and Jane (married to Mark Cowden, farmer, of Mt. Pleasant township). Andrew Thompson was a farmer, and in politics a stanch Whig. In church connection he was formerly a Seceder, afterward uniting with the Hickory U. P. Church, of which he remained a member until his death, that event occurring January 23, 1860. Mrs. Thompson was laid to rest March 10, 1871. R. R. Thompson was born October 6, 1830, on the home farm in Chartiers township, this county, and was educated at the subscription and public schools of the vicinity. On October 4, 1871, he was united in marriage with Jane McBurney, a native of Mt. Pleasant township, this county, a daughter of John (2) and granddaughter of John (1) McBurney. John McBurney (the grandfather) was born in 1764 in County Down, Ireland, and in 1783 emigrated to America, locating in Washington county, Penn. In 1798 he was married to Sarah Hunter, a native of Chambersburgh, Penn. Her grandfather was married in 1790, and then settled in Robinson township, Washington county, his son and grandchild Sarah (then a child of ten years) also making their home in this county. The grandfather died September 2,1846, and was followed by his wife in 1863, in her ninetieth year. John McBurney (the father of Mrs. R. R. Thompson) was born June 29, 1802, in Robinson township, Washington county, and in early life changed his residence in Robinson township. On February 7, 1828, he was married to Jane Keys, who was born in 1806, near Poland, Ohio, coming in 1808 to this county with her parents, and setting in Mt. Pleasant township. She was a daughter of James Keys, who was born in 1766, in Washington county, and growing to manhood was married in Mt. Pleasant to Jane McClellan (born in 1783), and they settled on a farm in Smith township, this county, where seven children were born to them, three of whom are now living: James (in Steubenville, Ohio), Joseph (in Smith township), and Ezra C. (in Emporia, Kans., having located there). The parents of these children are now deceased. Mr. McBurney passed the first years of his married life on a farm in Mt. Pleasant township, this county, and in 1871 moved to Hickory, also in this county. John and Jane (Keys) McBurney were the parents of the following children: Jane (wife of R. R. Thompson); John (living in Mt. Pleasant township); Sarah (widow of Robert Jeffery, of Canonsburg); James (living in Hickory, this county); Martha (Mrs. James McIlvine, of Mt. Pleasant township); Elizabeth (deceased in 1846, aged six years); William (deceased in 1846, at the age of three years); Ezra (living with his family on the old homestead in Mt. Pleasant township), and William A. (who recently lost his wife); he has located in Canonsburg, Penn.; his little daughter, Lizzie, died August 15, 1892. John McBurney was a member of the U. P. Church at Hickory, in which be was an elder for many years. He died April 8, 1883, at his own home in Hickory, Penn.; his wife died at the home of her daughter Jane in Chartiers township, September 29, 1884. After his marriage to Jane McBurney, Mr. R. R. Thompson settled on his present home of 175 acres of well-cultivated land, where his time is principally employed in farming and stock raising. Mr. Thompson votes with the Republican party, but prefers to devote his principal attention to private business. He and his wife are members of the U. P. Church at Hickory, this county.

Text taken from page 514 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed May 1997 by George & Mary Ann Plance of Gainesville, FL as part of the Beers Project. Published June 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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