History of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania United States of America

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

Biographies:

William Hendricks, senator, was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1783; son of Abraham and?(Jamieson) Hendricks and a descendant of Hendrick Hendricks, a Huguenot, one of four brothers who took refuge in Holland and came thence to America in 1683, settling in the province of New Jersey and subsequently removing to the Ligonier valley, Pa. His father was a pioneer settler of Westmoreland county, the owner of a mill on Hendrick's Run, and a representative in the state legislature, 1792-93 and 1796-97. William was graduated at Jefferson college, Pa., in 1810; taught school, 1810-12, was a law student in Cincinnati, Ohio, 1812-14; a printer in Madison, Indiana Territory, where he was one of the first settlers in 1814, and the owner of the second printing press set up in the territory and proprietor of The Western Eagle. He was secretary of the general assembly convened at Vincennes, 1814-15, and compiled and printed at his own expense a complete collection of the territorial statutes. He was a representative in the general assembly, 1815, and secretary of the constitutional convention of 1816 at Corydon. When Indiana was admitted in 1816 he was elected its first representative in congress, serving as sole representative from that state in the 15th and 16th congresses, 1817-21; and was reelected to the 17th congress, 1821-23, but resigned in 1822 on his election to the office of governor of Indiana as successor to Jonathan Jenkins, who succeeded to his seat in the 17th congress. He was inaugurated at the state house, Corydon, Ind., Dec. 4, 1822. In December, 1824, the seat of government was transferred to Indianapolis. Governor Hendricks resigned his office, Feb. 12, 1825, having been elected U.S. senator as successor to Senator Waller Taylor, whose term would expire, March 3, 1825. He served in the U.S. senate, 1825-37, through the administrations of John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, serving on important committees and as chairman of the committee on roads and canals. He supported the policy of President Jackson and maintained a conservative position on the subject of slavery. In 1836 he was defeated before the legislature for reelection to the senate by Oliver H. Smith, and retired to his home in Madison. He was married to a daughter of Col. John Paul, founder of the city of Madison, Ind., who survived him. He was a trustee of Indiana university, 1829-40, and he received the degree of LL.D. from Jefferson college in 1833. He died in Madison, Ind., May 16, 1850.

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

James Pollard Espy, meteorologist, was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., May 9, 1785; son of James Espy and grandson of George and Jean (Taylor) Espy, emigrants from Ireland about 1729. He was christened James. He was taken by his parents to Kentucky at a very early age, and in 1808 was graduated from Transylvania university, Lexington. He then studied law and taught school in Xenia, Ohio. He was for several years principal of the Cumberland, Md., academy, and while there was married to Margaret Pollard, whose maiden name he assumed. In 1817 he went to Philadelphia, Pa., as instructor in classics and mathematics in the Franklin institute, and there conducted researches and experiments in meteorology. He was elected chairman of the committee on meteorology of the Franklin institute, and lectured there and elsewhere. He resigned his position as teacher to devote himself to the science of meteorology. He contributed to the Journal of the Franklin institute a series of papers on the subject, which attracted the attention of scientists in America and Europe. In 1836 he was awarded by the American philosophical society the Magellanic premium for an anonymous memoir. In 1840 he was invited by the British association to submit his theory of storms, and in September delivered an exhaustive paper before that body. Shortly afterward he lectured before the French academy of sciences, and his communication was referred to a committee of three of the most eminent scientists in that body. The committee complimented Mr. Espy on his research, and suggested that he be placed by the United States government in a position to continue his work Mr. Espy also presented to the British association a paper on "Four Fluctuations of the Barometer" which was later elaborated in his "Philosophy of Storms." He believed that storms could be induced by fires large enough to cause the currents of atmosphere to ascend, and made repeated and fruitless petitions to congress and to the Pennsylvania legislature for appropriations by which he could practically demonstrate his theory. In 1843 he established a system of weather reports in the war department, which later developed into the signal service system. He was for several years a regent of the Smithsonian institution, and on the occasion of his death, Prof. Alexander Dallas Bache pronounced his eulogy, and the board of regents passed memorial resolutions. He was popularly known as "The Old Storm King." His published writings consist of numerous lectures and essays; contributions to scientific periodicals; reports to the Smithsonian institution, to the surgeon-general of the army, to congress, and to the secretary of the navy; and The Philosophy of Storms (1841). He died in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jan. 24, 1860.

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

Washington Maccartney, educator, was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., Aug. 24, 1812. He was graduated from Jeffersen college, Canonsburg, Pa., in 1834, and was professor of mathematics at Lafayette college, 1835-36 and 1837-38; and of mathematics and modern languages at Jefferson college, 1836-37. He was admitted to the bar of Northampton county, Pa., Jan. 18, 1838. He was married, April 18, 1839, to Mary E., daughter of William Maxwell of New Jersey. He was professor of mathematics at Lafayette college, 1843-44 and in 1846, and was deputy attorney-general for Northampton county, 1846-48. He established a law school in Easton, Pa., in 1846, which was incorporated as the Union Law school in 1854. He was a trustee of Lafayette college, 1847-52; professor of mental and moral philosophy, 1849-53, and was president judge of the 3d judicial district of Pennsylvania, 1851-56. He also lectured before schools and institutes. He received the degree of LL.D. from Marshall college in 1852. He is the author of Differential and Integral Calculus (1844); The Origin and Progress of the United States (1846). He died in Philadelphia, Pa., July 15, 1856.

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

Benjamin Hardin, representative, was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1784. His father was a brother of Lieut. John Hardin and removed with the Hardin families to Kentucky in 1786. Benjamin was admitted to the bar in 1806 and practised in Bardstown, Ky. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1810-11, and again 1824-25; in the 14th congress, 1815-17, and in the 23d and 24th congresses, 1883-37; secretary of the state of Kentucky, 1844-47; and a member of the state constitutional convent/on of 1849. He died in Bardstown, Ky., Sept. 24, 1852.

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

History of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania

Biographies:

Local History and Genealogy Links: