History of Northumberland County Pennsylvania United States of America

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Richard Armstrong, missionary, was born in Northumberland county, Pa., Sept. 19, 1805. He was graduated from Dickinson college and Princeton theological seminary, and went to the Sandwich Islands in 1832 as a missionary. He served the missions at Nukahiva and Walluka, and in 1840 succeeded Hiram Bingham at Honolulu. He attained not a little distinction, and was chosen minister of instruction by the Hawaiian government. He was also appointed president of the board of education, and later he acted as privy councillor. He died suddenly, from accident, in Honolulu, Sept. 23, 1860.

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

William Plunkett Maclay, representative, was born in Northumberland county, Pa., Aug. 28, 1774; son of Samuel Maclay . He was prothonotary of Mifflin county, 1808-16; filled the unexpired term of Thomas Burnside in the 14th congress and was a representative in the 15th and 16th congresses, 1817-21. He was a delegate to the state constitutional convention but declined to sign the constitution as it did not extend the right of suffrage to negroes. He died in Milroy, Mifflin county, Pa., Sept. 2, 1842.

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

William Stevens Potts, educator, was born at Fishing Creek, Northumberland county, Pa., Oct. 13, 1802; son of William and Mary (Gardner) Potts. His father was a Quaker, and his mother of Scotch descent. He removed with his parents to Trenton, N.J., in 1810; was educated in the public schools; in 1818 went to Philadelphia to learn the printer's trade, and while there, in 1822, studied theology under the Rev. Ezra S. Ely. He attended Princeton Theological seminary, 1825-27; was licensed by the presbytery of Philadelphia, November, 1827; became a missionary in New Jersey and the south, 1827-28, and was ordained by the presbytery of Missouri, Oct. 26, 1828. He was pastor of the First Presbyterian church of St. Louis, Mo., 1828-35; president of Marion college, Mo., 1835-39, and founder and pastor (1839-52) of the Second Presbyterian church of St. Louis. He received the degree D.D. from Marion college in 1841. He was married to Ann, daughter of Samuel Benton. He died in St. Louis, Mo., March 27, 1852.

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

Matthew Brown, educator, was born in Northumberland county, Pa., in 1776. He was graduated from Dickinson college in 1794, and for two years taught school. He then entered the Presbyterian ministry and preached in several churches in Pennsylvania, settling in 1805 at Washington, Pa., where in addition to preaching, he taught, in the academy, which became Washington college the following year. For the next ten years he was president of the college. In 1822 he was made president of Jefferson college, and in 1823 Princeton college conferred on him the degree of D.D. Hamilton college conferred upon him the degree or LL.D. in 1835, and Jefferson college gave him the same honor in 1845, upon his resigning the presidency. He died July 29, 1853.

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

History of Northumberland County Pennsylvania

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