ALEXANDER TOTTEN is a native and prominent citizen of Washington county, Penn., but in his veins flows the warm blood of Spanish ancestors. William Totten passed the early portion of his life near Red river, Penn., and afterward came to Hillsborough, Washington county. He was a tanner, and also worked at various other employments. When a young man he was united in marriage with Nellie Hamilton, who bore him five children, all of whom are deceased. The father passed away in his ninety-fifth year, and his widow lived to celebrate her one hundred and fourteenth birthday. James Totten, the eldest son of William and Nellie Totten, was born about the year 1761 on the place in Washington county, Penn. He learned the blacksmith's trade, continuing in that business for twenty years, then settled on a farm. In personal appearance he was large, portly, and good-looking. He must have been a worthy representative of the gallant Spanish senors who never brook an insult, for at the age of eighty years he conquered the bully of Washington county, who had dared to call him a liar. In early manhood he was united in marriage with Margaret Fister, a resident of Upper Ten Mile creek. They were the parents of nine children, viz.: Sarah, Ellen, Hannah (deceased), George, Alexander, Henry, Marian (deceased), Almira (deceased) and Lavina. Alexander Totten was born September 18, 1826, near Bentleyville, Washington Co., Penn. His youth was passed on the home place, and he then learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed for three years. He afterward worked for almost forty years at carpentry, and since 1848 has given his time to contracting. On August 12, 1846, he was married to Elizabeth Richey, of Washington county, Penn., and they had three children: Sarah, Mary and an infant. The mother died in 1853, and on March 16, 1858, Alexander Totten married, for his second wife, Mary Dick, a native of Allegheny, Penn. The children born to this marriage were: Alexander and Annie. This wife died in 1863, and on April 14, 1864, he married Margaret Murphy, whose children were Maggie, James, Etta and an infant son who was buried beside his mother in 1876. After the death of this wife Mr. Totten married, September 21, 1883, Samantha Figley, of Washington county, who has borne him five children, namely: Lillie, Robert, Katie, and Amelia and Adelia (twins). Mr. Totten has leased one hundred and twenty-eight acres of the home place; he owns a farm in Allegheny county, Penn. He votes with the Democratic party, and in Church relations was connected with the Baptist Society during his residence in Somerset township.

Text taken from page 965 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL 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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