W. P. VANCE. Among the leading business men of Burgettstown, this enterprising merchant takes a prominent position. His family are numbered with the earliest pioneers of Washington county. Maj. William Vance, born in Scotland in 1718, died in Pennsylvania in 1788, and was buried in Cross Creek cemetery. Joseph Vance, the son of Maj. Vance, was born about the middle of the eighteenth century in Scotland, but emigrated in early manhood. He first settled in Winchester, Va., and in 1774 came to Pennsylvania. He located in Cross Creek township, Washington county, while the Indians were still numerous, and soon achieved a wide-spread reputation as an Indian fighter, many of the dusky warriors having fallen by his unerring rifle. Few, if any, were more prominently identified with the early settlement of the western portion of Washington county, than was Joseph Vance. He married and passed the remainder of his life in the wilderness, where his first log cabin was erected. The uncultivated land has now become a fertile farm. He and his wife were called to their rest at an advanced age, leaving their children to finish the work so nobly begun. Among these children was a son, William, born in the year 1776, and reared in Washington county amid the usual trials and dangers of pioneer life. His education was necessarily limited, as schools were few, and at best afforded but meager opportunities. He was first married to Rachel Patterson, a resident of Cross Creek township, who bore him six children. She died, and a few years afterward he selected a second wife, Hannah Patterson, a member of an old family of Cross Creek township. To this union, also, there were born six children. Mr. Vance always lived in Cross Creek township, and was one of the representative men of the day. He died in the year 1856. He was a Whig in politics, and in religion a member of the Presbyterian Church. Vance's Fort was located on the home tract, having been used as a church, the first sermon preached in the vicinity being given in that building. Allison Vance, son of William Vance, was born in 1808, on the home farm, and was educated in the neighboring schools. He was married to Margaret, daughter of John Campbell, of Smith township, this county, and settled on a farm adjoining the old place, where the following named children were born and reared: John (deceased), W. P. (subject of this sketch), Rachel (deceased), David (deceased), Robert C., James L. and Leander. In politics, Allison Vance was an active worker in the Whig party, and in religion a member in and liberal supporter of the Cross Creek Presbyterian Church. After a successful life he died in 1890, his wife having crossed the dark river three months previously. The remains of both now rest in Cross Creek cemetery. W. P. Vance was born September 1, 1842, in Cross Creek township, this county, remaining at home until twenty years of age. He then went to Washington, Penn., and learned photography. After following that vocation a few years, his health failing, he sold out, and coming to Burgettstown, this county, opened a hardware store, which he has since conducted. On July 4, 1865, W. P. Vance was united in marriage with Alice M., daughter of Andrew McFarland, of Cross Creek township, this county, and their children are Annie M., Charles M. and Alice M. Mr. Vance is a public-spirited man and very successful in business, owning a fine stock of hardware, and supplying a large amount of custom. In politics he is a Republican. He and his family are attendants of the Presbyterian Church.

Text taken from page 1012 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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