History of Canonsburg, (Washington County) Pennsylvania United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Canonsburg, (Washington County) Pennsylvania, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

Alexander Taggart McGill, educator, was born in Canonsburg, Pa., Feb. 24, 1807; son of John and Mary (Taggart) McGill; grandson of Hugh McGill, and a descendant of Daniel McGill. He was graduated from Jefferson college, Pa., A.B., 1826, A.M., 1829, and served as tutor in mathematics. He studied law in Georgia, 1826-30, was admitted to the bar in Milledgeville, 1830, and by appointment from the Georgia legislature surveyed and made a map of the northwest section of the state in 1831. He studied theology in the Associate Presbyterian seminary, Canonsburg, Pa., 1831-34; was ordained by the presbytery of Carlisle in 1835, and was pastor in Cumberland, Perry and York counties, 1835-38. He was married May 15, 1837, to Eleanor A., daughter of the Hon. George McCullough, and after her death to Catherine B., daughter of the Rev. Charles Hodge, D.D., of Princeton, N.J. He connected himself with the old school Presbyterian church in 1838; was pastor of the Second Presbyterian church, Carlisle, Pa., 1838-42; professor of ecclesiastical history and church government at Western Theological seminary, Allegheny, Pa., 1842-52, and professor in the Presbyterian Theological seminary at Columbia, S.C., 1852-53. He returned to his chair at Western Theological seminary in 1853, and in 1854 was transferred to Princeton Theological seminary, where he was professor of pastoral theology, church government and the composition and delivery of sermons, 1854-59; of church history and practical theology, 1859-60; of ecclesiastical history and church government, 1860-61; of ecclesiastical, homiletic and pastoral theology, 1861-83, and was emeritus professor, 1883-89. He was moderator of the general assembly of the Presbyterian church in 1848; permanent clerk of the general assembly, 1850-62, and stated clerk, 1862-70. He received the degrees, D.D. from Marshall college, Pa., 1842, and LL.D. from the College of New Jersey, 1868. He contributed to reviews and is the author of: Church Government, and The Ordinances of the Presbyterian Church. He died in Princeton, N.J., Jan. 13, 1889.

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

Samuel Albert Martin, educator, was born in Canonsburg, Pa., Nov. 1, 1853; son of William and Mary (Houston) Martin, and grandson of Samuel and Mary (McAvery) Martin and of David and Margaret (Cowden) Houston. He attended Canonsburg academy, and was graduated from Lafayette college, A.B., 1877, A.M., 1880, and from Western Theological seminary in 1879. He studied theology at Edinburgh, Scotland, 1878-79, and at Princeton, N.J., 1879-80. He was married, Feb. 20, 1881, to Katharine, daughter of the Rev. Thomas C. Porter, D.D., LL.D., of Lafayette. He was pastor of Christ church, Lebanon, Pa., 1881-85; professor of homiletics and librarian at Lincoln university, 1885-95, and was elected president of Wilson college, Chambersburg, Pa., in 1895. He became a member of the American Academy of Political and Social Science in 1899. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Lafayette college in 1892. He is the author of The Man of Uz (1890).

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

James Martin, educator, was born at Albany, N.Y., May 12, 1796; son of William Martin, a farmer in Argyle, N.Y., who emigrated from Ireland about 1795. He was graduated from Union college, A.B., 1819, A.M., 1822; studied theology at the seminary at Canonsburg, Pa., and was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Cambridge, N.Y., Sept. 2, 1822. He served the Associate Congregational church at Albany for a few months; took a post graduate course at the Theological seminary, 1822-23, and was pastor of the Associate Congregational church, Albany, 1824-33. He became editor of the Religious Monitor in 1833, and proprietor in 1836. He was professor of didactic theology and Hebrew at the Canonsburg, Pa., theological seminary, 1842-46. He was married in 1825 to Rebecca, daughter of Mathew and Elizabeth (Given) White of Albany, N.Y. She died in 1835 and he was married secondly in May, 1836, to Jane, daughter of John Watson of Canonsburg. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Jefferson college in 1843. He is the author of: An Essay on the Imputation of Adam's Sin to his Posterity (1834) and The Duty of Submission to Church Rulers, Explained and Defended (1841). He died at Canonsburg, Pa., June 15, 1846.

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

Daniel McCook, soldier, was born in Canonsburg, Pa., June 20, 1798; son of George and Mary (McCormack) McCook. His father emigrated from Ireland in 1780 and settled in Canonsburg; was a charter member of the "McMillan church" and was active in the establishment of Jefferson college. Daniel McCook attended Jefferson college and removed to New Lisbon and thence to Carrollton, Ohio, where he engaged in the practice of law. He was married to Martha, daughter of Abraham and Mary (Greer) Latimer, descendants of the family which gave Hugh Latimer to the English reformation. He and his nine sons all served in the Federal army or navy in the civil war. At the outbreak of the civil war, although sixty-three years of age, he offered his services to the government and was commissioned a major. He participated in the skirmish at Buffington's Island, July 20, 1863, where he opposed the advance of Morgan's raiders and was mortally wounded. He died near Buffington's Island, Ohio, July 21, 1863.

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