History of Fayette County Pennsylvania United States of America

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Jacob Harris Patton, teacher and author, was born in Fayette county, Pa., May 20, 1812; son of Thomas and Anna (Harris) Patton; grandson of Joseph and Sarah (Weir) Patton and of Jacob and Rebecca (Mofford) Harris. He was graduated at Jefferson college, Pa., A.B., 1839, A.M., 1842; was a tutor in the University of Nashville, Tenn., 1840-43, and at Union Theological seminary, New York city, 1843-46, and was graduated there in 1846. He was principal of a private classical school in New York city, 1846-82, and was licensed to preach by the presbytery of New York in 1846, but chose the profession of teaching. He was married in 1854 to Caroline, daughter of Oliver Chear; she died in 1880. He received the degree of Ph.D. from Washington and Jefferson college in 1884. He devoted the latter part of his life to literary work, and is the author of: A Concise History of the American People (2 vols. 1860-1901); Yorktown Memorial 1731-1831 (1881); Political Parties of the United States, their History and Influence (1884-1902); A Popular History of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (1901); The Natural Resources of the United States (1888-1894); Which Religion Satisfies the Wants of the Soul? (1902), and contributions to periodicals.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Mordecai Bartley, governor of Ohio, was born in Fayette county, Pa., Dec. 16, 1783. In 1809 he went to Ohio and engaged in farming, and at the outbreak of the war of 1812 he joined the army of General Harrison with the rank of captain, from which he received promotion to that of adjutant. In 1817 he was chosen to represent Richmond county in the state senate, and the following year received the appointment of registrar of the land office of Virginia military district school lands. This office he held until he was elected a representative to Congress in 1822. He served in the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st congresses. He was elected governor of the state in 1844, as a Whig, and served one term. In the Mexican war he personally superintended the raising of troops, although as a Whig he was opposed to the war. In 1856 he joined the Republican party, but took no active part as a politician, devoting himself to his farm and the practice of law. He died in Mansfield, Ohio, Oct. 10, 1870.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Daniel Veech McLean, educator, was born in Fayette county, Pa., Nov. 24, 1801; son of Alexander and Mary (Veech) McLean and grandson of James McLean. He was brought up near Chillicothe, Ohio, graduated from Ohio university, 1824, and studied at Princeton Theological seminary, 1827-29. He taught in Chambersburg, Pa., 1825-26; was ordained an evangelist in Miami, Ohio, June 29, 1831; was stated supply at Lebanon, Ohio, 1831-32; pastor of Tennent church, Freehold, N.J., 1832-36, and of the Village church, Freehold, which he had organized, 1838-50. In 1851 he was inaugurated president of Lafayette college, and at once undertook to raise a permanent endowment of $100,000 by the saleof Scholarships, the sum of $100 entitling the subscriber to the tuition of his own son, or of the son of any person to whom he might transfer the certificate. He pushed this work with untiring energy and the full amount was pledged by January, 1854. He resigned the presidency in 1857, travelled in Europe, 1858, and spent four years in London, England, where he preached frequently, and on his return he served as pastor of First church. Plainfield, N.J., 1862-63, and at Redbank, N.J., 1863-69. He was a trustee of Lafayette college, 1853-65, and a director of Princeton Theological seminary, 1848-60. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Lafayette college in 1848. He died at Redbank, N.J., Nov. 23, 1869.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Robert Baird, reformer, was born in Fayette county, Pa., Oct. 6, 1798. His classical studies were pursued at Uniontown, and he was graduated at Jefferson college, Pa., in 1818. He studied theology at Princeton, N. J., and was licensed to preach in 1822. He served as tutor in the College of New Jersey, and in 1822 founded a grammar school at Princeton, which he conducted until 1827, when he became interested in the effort to supply every family in New Jersey with the Bible. In connection with the missionary society of New Jersey he did much to lay the foundation of the present school system of that state. He next spent five years in the service of the American Sunday-school union, visiting all parts of the country in the interests of that institution. In 1835 he left the United States, and for over eight years labored for the establishment of a mission of Christian benevolence in southern Europe, and for a revival of the Protestant faith, and the advancement of the cause of temperance in the northern countries. He returned to the United States in 1843, and continued the work on which he had been engaged in Europe. In 1846 he was a delegate to the evangelical alliance in London, and the same year was present at the World's temperance convention in Stockholm. In 1862 he again visited Europe, and did important service to the cause of the Union in public addresses to large audiences in London and elsewhere in Great Britain. He labored zealously throughout a long career, for the promotion of temperance and all other Christian reforms. He wrote numerous books, with a reformatory or religious tendency, some having been translated into nearly every European language. His "History of the Albigenses, Waldenses and Vaudois" is a standard work. His principal publications include: "A View of the Valley of the Mississippi" (1832); "History of the Temperance Societies" (1836); "Memoir of Anna Jane Linnard" (2d ed., 1837); "Transplanted Flowers" (Memoirs of Mrs. Rumpff and the Duchesse de Broglie, 1839); "Visit to Northern Europe" (1841); "A View of Religion in America" (1842); "Protestantism in Italy" (1845); "The Noblest Freedom" (1848); "Impressions and Experiences of the West Indies and North America in 1849" (1850); "The Christian Retrospect and Register" (1855). See his life, written by his son, Henry M. Baird. He died March 15, 1863.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Fayette County Pennsylvania

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