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Hamilton H Say
HAMILTON H. SAY, a farmer of Perry township, Armstrong county, was born
Oct. 5, 1840, in Parker township, Butler Co., Pa., son of John and Sarah
(Fletcher) Say, both natives of Butler county, of English and Irish descent,
respectively.The paternal great-grandfather of Hamilton H. Say, who was born in England,
became one of the first settlers at Slippery Rock Butler Co., Pa. His sister,
Esther R. Say, became the wife of the Mr. Harris who founded Harrisburg. The
Says devoted themselves principally during the early days to agricultural
pursuits, and were largely instrumental in forwarding the development of their
several communities. They helped very materially to lay the foundation for the
prosperity of western Pennsylvania to-day.John Say, the grandfather, was born at Slippery Rock, where he was reared.
After reaching his majority he married Sarah Martin. Locating on a farm of 300
acres in Parker township, Butler Co., Pa., the clearing and development of
this large property was his life work, and he died there. He had a family of
three sons and one daughter: James, John, William and Fanny (who married
Samuel Jack).John Say, son of John Say, and father of Hamilton H. Say, was born Jan. 26,
1810, in Parker township, Butler Co., Pa., where he spent his entire life,
operating 100 acres of the family homestead, left to him by his father. His
death occurred in 1896, and his wife died Oct. 5, 1853. Of their family, six
grew to maturity, namely: Hamilton H.; Elizabeth, deceased, wife of John
Cannon; Sarah and Annie, who both died unmarried; John T.,deceased; and Perry,
who resides near West Sunbury.Benjamin Fletcher, father of Mrs. John Say, was born in Connecticut, and
became a pioneer of Parker township, Butler Co., Pa. There he became prominent
in several ways, building a grist and saw-mill which he operated until his
death. His daughter Sarah married John Say, and they became the parents of
Hamilton H. Say.Hamilton H. Say spent a pleasant boyhood on the family homestead, where he
alternated attending district school with working for his father. Thus engaged
he learned farming at first hand, and has always devoted himself to
agricultural pursuits. His life has been spent in Perry township since 1874,
when he bought the fine farm of seventy-seven acres he now occupies and
operates.During the Civil war Mr. Say proved his patriotism by enlisting, Oct. 7,
1861, in Company C, 11th Pennsylvania Reserves, with which he served until
June, 1864, when he was transferred to Company A, 190th Pennsylvania Volunteer
Veterans, known as the famous Bucktails or Kane Rifles. Mr. Say was honorably
discharged from the service Oct. 6, 1864, in front of Petersburg, Va. He
participated in the battles of Mechanicsville and Gaines’ Mills, and had the
misfortune of being captured with his regiment at the later engagement, June
27, 1862. They were confined in Libby prison and the one on Belle Isle in all
for forty days, when they were exchanged after a very unhappy experience.
After rejoining his regiment Mr. Say was stricken down with typhoid fever, but
recovered in time to participate in the battle of Gettysburg, the Wilderness
campaign, and the engagements at Spottsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, siege
of Petersburg, and others. He is a member of Craig Post, No. 75, G. A. R., of
which he is now commander, and belongs to Loyal Legion in Butler county, Pa.On Dec. 15, 1864, Mr. Say was married to Margaret J. Hutcheson, daughter of
David and Mary (Porter) Hutcheson, of Perry township. Seven children have been
born of this marriage: Warren D.; Sarah, wife of Dr. A. J. Edmonds; Annie,
John P.; Charles E.; Edwin G.; and Mabel, deceased. Mr. Say and his family
belong to the First Presbyterian Church of Parker City, which Mr. Say has
served as elder since 1865. He has held nearly all of the township offices,
always elected on the Republican ticket, as he is a firm adherent to the
principles of that party. He has served five years as justice of the peace. In
every relation of life Mr. Say has shown himself to be a man of high
principles, whose determination has been to live according to the religious
faith he professes.Source: Pages(s) 712-713, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past
and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed October 1998 by Neil G. Anderson for the Armstrong County Beers
Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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