Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 1912


Chisolm Family Biography

This Highland clan first appears in Scottish history as a united clan about six centuries removed from the present. The badge of the clan is the fern; their plaid is distinctive and their war cry unutterable in the English tongue. In the reign of King David Bruce, Sir Robert Chisholm was a powerful Northern chieftain, whose deeds of warlike valor are thrillingly narrated by the Scottish bards. The present seat of the Chisholms in Scotland is the castle of Erchless in Strathglass, Inverness, in the Highlands. It has been the family seat for many generations, descending by the law of entail to the eldest son. It is always the residence of the head of the family who is known as "the Chisholm," one of the early chieftains of the family having said only three persons should have the prefix: "The King, The Pope and The Chisholm." The history of the Fayette county family, as preserved by them and carefully treasured, follows:

(I) William Chisholm, born about 1698 near Erchless Castle in Strathglass, Inverness, Highlands of Scotland, had a son William, of whom further.

(II) William (2), son of William (1) Chisholm, of Inverness, Scotland, was born about 1747. He came to the United States with his wife where a son William (3) had preceded them. He died near Goffs Mills, Preston county, Virginia, November 21, 1836. He had children: James, William, Archibald, Alexander, of whom further; Daniel, Nancy, Jane, Mary; Alexander and James were the only ones who married. William emigrated first and settled at the Yough Glades in Allegheny, now Garrett county, Maryland, near Oakland. Then a few years later, William (2), his father, with wife, sons Archibald and Daniel, daughters Nancy and Jane, came, settling also at the Glades. Later still Alexander and Mary joined the family in Maryland. This narrative follows the fortunes of Alexander.

(III) Alexander, son of William (2) Chisholm, was born in Ballymore of Ragbegg in Strathglass, parish of Moy, Inverness, Scotland, September 25, 1782, died at the Yough Glades, now Garrett county, Maryland, April 13, 1837, and was buried at Bald Hill, six miles southwest of Oakland in the family burying ground on his own farm. He grew to manhood in his native land where he and his sister Mary remained after all of the family had emigrated to the United States. Three days after his marriage in 1809 he left Dalriach Corrybrough, Nnvernesshire, Scotland, emigrating to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Later they joined the family in Maryland, where he followed farming until his death. He married, June 30, 1809, Elizabeth MacQueen, born in August, 1788, in Willow Glen, one-quarter of a mile from Loch Endorbe and ten miles from Torres. She was baptized in the church of Aden Kellie, parish of Moy in Invernesshire. She died in Rockdale township, Crawford county, Pennsylvania, in 1864, at the home of her cousin, James MacQueen, near Porters, and was buried on the Chapin farm. Her daughter, Eliza Jane, also died there and is buried by the side of her mother.

Children of Alexander Chisholm: 1. James, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, April 22, 1810, died at the home of his son, P. A. Chisholm, Oakland, Maryland, November 4, 1879, and is buried by the side of his wife, Margery (Mason) Chisholm, in the Lutheran churchyard, near the Red House. 2. William, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, January 1, 1813, was drowned at Baltimore, Maryland, June 24, 1818, falling into the river from the dock on which he was playing with other boys. 3. Alexander, of whom further. 4. Mary Ann, born at the Glades about five miles from Oakland, Garrett county, Maryland, April 5, 1820; married McClure Mason, and died aged about seventy years. 5. Robert, born in 1822 at the Glades, Garrett county, Maryland, died July 29, 1825, and was buried in the old Rinehart farm now owned by Mrs. Yutzey. 6. Eliza Jane, born June 15, 1825, in the Glades, Garrett county, Maryland, is buried by the side of her mother in Crawford county, Pennsylvania.

(IV) Alexander (2), third child of Alexander (1) Chisholm, was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, February 2, 1816, died in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, December 23, 1891, and was buried in the Grove cemetery on Christmas morning. He was about two years of age when his parents came to Baltimore, Maryland, where they lived for several years before moving to near Oakland, Garrett county, Maryland, where the lad was educated and grew to youthful manhood. When seventeen years of age he apprenticed himself to Peter Stover, of Cumberland, Maryland, who taught him the carpenter's trade, In 1837, having completed his apprenticeship, he moved to Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where he worked as a builder and farmer until his death. He was a member and elder of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, an extensive reader, and a son testifies: "Honest to a fault and lived as near the perfect life as it is vouchsafed for mortals to do."

He married, May 26, 1841, Mary Ann Williams, born near Winchester, Virginia, December 16, 1816, died February 7, 1881, daughter of Daniel and Jemima Williams, who when she was about two years of age moved to Menallen township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania. They were of English and Welsh descent, of an early Virginia family. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Williams: Lewis, Thomas, Sarah, John, Mary Ann, Isaac, Daniel, Joseph; all died in Pennsylvania where their lives were spent, except Thomas, who went to California in 1850, but returned to Harrison county, Ohio, and Joseph, who moved to Illinois. Mrs. Mary Ann (Williams) Chisholm is buried in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Again her son testifies: "She fitted the place of wife and mother with rare fidelity and devotion, leaving to her family an inheritance more precious than gold." Children of Mr. and Mrs. Chisholm: 1. Daniel, of whom further. 2. Alexander, of whom further. 3. Eliza Jane, born June 22, 1851, on the Ebenezer Finley farm near New Salem, Fayette county, Pennsylvania

(V) Daniel, eldest son of Alexander (2) and Mary Ann (Williams) Chisholm, was born February 26, 1845, near Van Kirks, now the residence of the widow of Joseph M. Thompson on the McClellandtown road from Uniontown in German township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the public schools of German township and Uniontown, and began business life as a clerk in a Uniontown dry goods store in 1861, remaining until 1864, then on February 29, he was mustered into the United States service, enlisting in Company K, One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, seeing sixteen months of strenuous service. He was engaged in the battles of the Wilderness, May 5, 6, 1864, where his cap was shot from his head; Spottsylvania Court House, May 12, 1864, and for a period of nearly two months was continually under fire at Cold Harbor, Poe River, Petersburg, where he was wounded in the leg, and several other battles. At Strawberry Plains he received a slight wound, but was never taken prisoner. He was honorably discharged and mustered out of the service at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 9, 1865. He then returned to Uniontown, where for fifteen years he was a drug clerk. In 1879 he embarked in the dry goods business on Pittsburgh street opposite the post office, remaining at that location for fifteen years, having added largely to his original store, as business increased and prosperity came. In 1894 he bought the building at 27 West Main street, where he removed his large stock and still continues in successful business operation. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and a Republican in politics.

He married, May 16, 1878, Sarah Ann Clarke, born January 30, 1853, near Martin 's church, near the Monongahela river, Monongalia county, West Virginia, She is the fifth child of William Fruzard and Sarah A. (Batton) Clarke, of Springfield township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and granddaughter of Matthew James Clarke, a prosperous merchant and large slave owner of Gerradstown, Berkeley county, West Virginia, and his wife, Sarah Ann (Gaw) Clarke. William Fruzard Clarke was born March 14, 1815, in Gerrardstown, Berkeley county, West Virginia. He clerked in his father's store until attaining his majority, then engaged in mercantile business with his brother at Mobile, Alabama. He came to Springhill township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and engaged in farming, then moved to West Virginia, remaining eleven years, engaged in agriculture. He then returned to Springhill township and purchased a farm. In 1870 he visited Missouri, later moving his residence to that state. He next moved to the state of Nebraska, settling in the Nemaha Valley, where he died July 14, 1890. He married Sarah Ann Batton, who died in Springhill township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1864, daughter of John H. Batton, son of Thomas H. Batton, son of Thomas Batton, who took a warrant for the Batton homestead in Springhill township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, dated April 5, 1769, containing three hundred and thirty-one and a quarter acres. The home-stead still remains in the hands of descendants. Children of Daniel and Sarah Ann Chisholm; 1. Alexander, born January 19, 1879, at the family residence, near the bridge on West Fayette street, Uniontown, Pennsylvania; he married, June 26, 1900, Nellie Irene, daughter of Frank W. and Eleanor (Fox) Andrews; one child, Sarah E., born March 19, 1903; Mr. Chisholm is a clerk in the dry goods business. 2. Clarke MacQueen, born March 25, 1884, at the family residence on Berkeley avenue, west of the Catholic Church, Uniontown, Pennsylvania; he married, March 25, 1912, Mabel Gladys, daughter of Frank H. and Lucy (Hawkins) Rosboro, the latter deceased; Mr. Chisholm is employed in his father's mercantile establishment.

(V) Alexander (3), second son of Alexander (2) and Mary Ann (Williams) Chisholm, was born August 26, 1846, about one-half mile from Uniontown on the New Salem road. He was educated in the public school, leaving at the age of sixteen years. He enlisted in the Fifty-eighth Regiment State Troops for the repulse of the Morgan Raiders, when they invaded Ohio. On February 29, 1864, he enlisted for three years in Company K, One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and between the date of muster and the close of the war between the states was engaged in twenty-two battles and skirmishes. His was a fighting regiment and in all the severe battles they passed through Mr. Chisholm escaped without a serious wound. He was honorably discharged and mustered out near Washington, D. C., July 14, 1865. After the war he located in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, where he worked at the carpenter's trade, and since 1870 has been one of the leading contractors and builders of Uniontown and Fayette county. In 1867 he went west with a cousin, Wallace Chisholm, going as far west as St. Louis, Missouri, working at his trade there and at Quincy, Illinois, Chicago, and then back to Pittsburgh, consuming a year on his trip. In 1868 he again went west, stopping six months at Ottumwa, Iowa, thence to Omaha, Nebraska, where he entered the employ of the Union Pacific Railway Company, working at carpentering on their lines as far west as Ogden, Utah, While at the latter city he witnessed the departure of the first train from Ogden for Salt Lake City. He returned to Uniontown, where he has since continuously resided. He was one of the first uniformed police officers of Uniontown, and in the early days was kept busy preventing street fights and rioting. He also served as a township constable. In early life he was a Republican, but is now a supporter of Socialistic principles. He was baptized in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. During the civil war the Chisholms of Maryland divided and were found in both the armies of the north and south. The Chisholm brothers of Uniontown, Daniel and Alexander, served in the same company and regiment, Company K, One Hundred and Sixteenth Pennsylvania.

He married, October 20, 1870, Eliza Jane, born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Andrew and Eliza Dutton, and granddaughter of Jacob Dutton, a skilled millwright and early settler of Fayette county. Her mother, Eliza Dutton, died three days after the birth of her daughter. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Chisholm: 1. Nora, born June 14, 1871, died November 17, 1902; married Thomas Longnecker, who died August 26, 1897; their only child died in infancy. 2. Helen, born February 16, 1873; married John Z. Smail, one of the high class engineers used by the New York Central in the operation of their eighteen-hour train between New York and Chicago, the Twentieth Century Limited; five children: Hazel; Irene, married Charles Cope and has one child, Charles A.; Miland; Carl; Nora Grace; Charles A. 3. Charles, born November 3, 1875; a carpenter of Uniontown; married Helen Litman. 4. Kate R., born January 30, 1890; married Carl Keek, of Connellsville, a bookkeeper at Leisening, Pennsylvania; child, Virginia Mae.

"The Clan of The MacQueens." - Daniel and Alexander (3) Chisholm descend through their grandmother, Elizabeth MacQueen, wife of Alexander (1) Chisholm, from another Highland clan, the MacQueens. Roderick Dhu Revan MacSweyn or MacQueen is said to have been the founder of this clan. About the fifteenth century he received a grant of territory in the county of Inverness, Corrybrough, the name of the property granted MacQueen, belonged to the family of the Lord of the Isles, and his descendants were called the clan Revan. The MacQueens fought under the standard of Mackintosh, captain of the Clan Chattan, at the battle of Harlow in 1411. The badge of the Clan MacQueen, said to have been the first distinctive one adopted by the clan, is "Box tree." An item of interest is the following: "The last wolf in Scotland was killed by an old man by the name of MacQueen in the year 1797." The generations are thus traced:
(I) Donald (Daniel) MacQueen.
(II) Angus, son of Donald MacQueen.
(II) His daughter, married a Donald MacQueen.

(IV) Elizabeth, daughter of Donald MacQueen, married Alexander Chisholm, June 30, 1809. Margery, a sister of Elizabeth (MacQueen) Chisholm, married, September 15, 1799, Alexander MacQueen, both of Corrybrough, Parish of Moy, Inverness. Their children, born in Scotland : Duncan, August 6, 1800; Jean, 1801; James, December 11, 1803; Mary, April, 1806; Margery, November 10, 1810; all deceased save Margery who married a Mr. Willy and now lives on the James MacQueen farm in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, where Elizabeth (MacQueen) Chisholm and her daughter Eliza Jane are buried. The MacQueens and Chisholms intermarried with the different families of the clans and with each other but only in rare instances was the relationship close.

Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1912.





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