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JOHN M. PETTIGREW, M.D.
JOHN M. PETTIGREW, M.D., late of Rural Valley, was one of the foremost
citizens and medical practitioners of that part of Armstrong county for many
years. Born in Indiana county, Pa., Feb. 28, 1835, he was a son of Matthew and
Jane (Windrem) Pettigrew, and grandson of John Pettigrew, a farmer of Ireland.Matthew Pettigrew was born in 1801. When a young man he settled in Plum
Creek township, Armstrong county, where he followed farming until his death.
He died in 1887, in his eighty-sixth year. He was a Democrat in politics, and
in religious connection a member of the Presbyterian Church. He married Jane
Windrem, daughter of James Windrern, of Plum Creek township, the latter a
native of Ireland; Mr. Windrem was a Democrat and Presbyterian. To Mr. and
Mrs. Pettigrew were born seven children, and we have record of John M.; Sarah,
who married James Sturgeon and lived in Elderton; James W., who settled on the
homestead farm in Plum Creek township; Martha, who married Josiah Shoemaker, a
farmer of Kiskiminetas township and Samuel H., who graduated from Jefferson
Medical College and became a practicing physician at DuBois, Pennsylvania.John M. Pettigrew grew to manhood on his father’s farm, meantime obtaining
his early education in the common schools of the locality and Glade Run
Academy. He read medicine with Dr. T. H. Allison, of Elderton, and then
entered the National Medical College, Washington, D. C., from which he was
graduated in 1860. Returning to Pennsylvania he practiced at Elderton,
Armstrong county, for some time, thence moving to Rural Valley, where he
passed the remainder of his days. He had an extensive practice, covering the
eastern part of Armstrong county and reaching out into Indiana county. Dr.
Pettigrew, outside of his professional work, was particularly interested in
the raising of blooded stock, horses, cattle and Merino sheep, making a
specialty of Jersey cattle and Dolphin and Hambletonian horses. He ac- quired
large land holdings, owning some seven hundred acres in Cowanshannock and
adjoining townships, and had an interest in a lumber company. Dr. Pettigrew
died at his home in Rural Valley Dec.21, 1897.Dr. Pettigrew was a Mason, belonging to Kittanning Lodge, No. 244, F. &
A. M., at Kittanning, and he was also an Odd Fellow, holding membership in
Rural Valley Lodge, No.766. In political sentiment he was a Democrat, but he
took no part in party affairs, declining a nomination for representative.
However, he served as school director of the borough.On Feb.20, 1863, Dr. Pettigrew married Cordelia R. McCurdy, daughter of
John McCurdy, of Wayne township, and nine children were born to them, three
sons and six daughters: Delia J., who married B. F. Ambrose, a teacher and
telegraph operator of Iowa; Matthew M., deceased; Charlotte M., who graduated
from the Edinboro normal school and was a teacher at Rural Valley before her
marriage to Dr. Samuel E. Ambrose, of Rural Valley; John M., deceased; Minnie
M.; Mary, deceased; Blanche M.; Martha M., and Bernard Clare. Mrs. Pettigrew
still resides at the old home in Rural Valley.Source: Pages 604-605, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 2001 by Laural Black
Morris 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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