Month: August 2025

William Devers William Devers, the oldest man living in South Bend township, is one of the few who still remain of a fast decreasing circle of pioneers. He is one of the men who witnessed and partook in the work of planting civilization in the wilderness, and is more blessed than some of them in … Read more

THE CRAIG FAMILY THE CRAIG FAMILY of Madison township, is one of the largest in its territory, or, for that matter, in the county. George Craig was born in Butler county April 6, 1798, and came to Armstrong county in 1831, settling where his son Alexander T. now lives, where he resided and followed farming … Read more

COWANSHANNOCK TOWNSHIP   John Boyer, a native of Somerset county, Pennsylvania, settled in Cowanshannock township, in 1831, or the following years, and married Miss Mary Beers. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom John A. Boyer, a successful farmer of this township, is one. He married Miss Mary E. St. Clair, daughter of … Read more

JOHN CHRISTY The old and well-known resident of this county whose name stands at the head of this brief biography was the son of Daniel and Rebecca Christy, respectively of Irish and Scotch-Irish descent, and was born in Hopewell township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, November 7, 1800. He lived with his parents until he attained his … Read more

CAPT. JOHN B. CHAMBERS James Chambers, grandfather of the subject of our sketch, was a native of Ireland, but emigrated to America and settled in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, at a very early day. He married a Miss Hutchinson, by whom he had two children–William and Jane, the latter of whom became the wife Judge James Bovard, … Read more

Joseph and Joseph I. Campbell Joseph Campbell was born in Ireland in 1808, and his father dying when he was quite young, he was adopted by an uncle, who cared for him until he reached manhood, and then, after paying a visit to his mother, whom he had not seen since he was first separated … Read more

Hon. John Calhoun James Calhoun, the father of the old and honored resident of Armstrong County whose name stands at the head of this sketch and of whom a portrait appears, came from Ireland to this country prior to the issuance of the declaration of independence, and settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he married … Read more

Thomas Butler The subject of this sketch was born February 1, 1825, near the great manufacturing City of Birmingham, England, and was the thirteenth child of Joseph and Fanny (Garrington) Butler. There was one child younger, and of the fourteen but three are now living. The family was in good circumstances and the children were … Read more

BURRELL TOWNSHIP    J. W. McKee, M. D., son of William and Harriet T. McKee, is a native of Armstrong county, he is a graduate of Wooster University, of Cleveland, Ohio. He has practiced medicine at Cochran’s Mills some eight years successfully. He was married to Amanda, daughter of John and Christina King, in 1872. … Read more

HON. JOSEPH BUFFINGTON  Joseph Buffington, for many years judge of the “old tenth” district, and whose life was intimately connected with the history of Armstrong county, was born in the town of West Chester, county of Chester, on the 27th of November, 1803, and died at Kittanning on the 3d of February, 1872. The ancestors … Read more