WILLIAM WHERRY. Among the public-spirited and successful citizens of Somerset township, the gentleman whose name opens this biography takes a prominent position. He was born July 2, 1815, and is a son of John, and grandson of James and Sarah (McConel) Wherry. The grandparents were natives of Chester county, Penn., and after their marriage settled on 400 acres of land in Washington county, where a family of eleven children were reared. The grandfather died in March, 1807, on the home farm, and was followed to the grave by his widow in the same year. John Wherry, the second child of James Wherry, was born in 1776, on their farm in Washington county, and attended the subscription schools of the neighborhood. He followed farming and stock raising, and in early life was wedded to Elizabeth Welch, who bore him the following named children: William, Mary, James, John, Eli, Stephen, Ellen, Elizabeth and Margaret. Of this family, William and Mary are the only living members. The father was a Whig, and, in religion, he and his wife were members of the Baptist Church. He died in 1831, being followed by his widow in 1866, in her eightieth year.
William Wherry passed his early years on the home farm, where his grandparents had also passed the greater part of their lives. He has always lived on the place of his birth, and having never married, his maiden sister Mary has managed the household affairs, and been a companion to him since the death of their mother. Mr. Wherry owns 600 acres of land, all in one farm, which is highly cultivated. Last year he shipped 10,000 pounds of wool, in which product he deals extensively. He is a Republican.
Text taken from page 768 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed April 1997 by Jack McNatt of Valrico, FL as part of the Beers Project.
Published April 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]