George Pearson and Sarah Reynolds
Husband George Pearson 1 2
Born: 11 Oct 1779 - Darby, Delaware Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: 11 Dec 1871 - New Castle, Lawrence Co, PA 2 Buried:
Father: John Pearson (1740-1829) 1 3 4 Mother: Sarah Johnson ( - ) 2
Marriage: 6 Apr 1812 5
Wife Sarah Reynolds 1 5
Born: 18 Dec 1787 5 Christened: Died: 1 Nov 1871 5 Buried:
Father: James Reynolds ( - ) 1 5 Mother: Hannah Webster ( - ) 5
Children
1 M James Pearson 1 5
Born: 29 Mar 1813 - Lawrence Co, PA 5 Christened: Died: 30 Jul 1857 1 5 Buried:
2 M Thomas Pearson 1 5
Born: 8 Dec 1814 - Lawrence Co, PA 5 Christened: Died: 15 Mar 1883 5 Buried:
3 M Charles Pearson 1 5
Born: 18 Oct 1816 - Lawrence Co, PA 5 Christened: Died: 1 Jul 1853 5 Buried:
4 M Johnson Pearson 1 5
Born: 10 Jan 1819 - Neshannock Twp, Lawrence Co, PA 1 5 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Sarah Jane Templeton (1827-1860) 6 7 Marr: 2 Mar 1846 7
5 M George Pearson 1 5
Born: 18 Apr 1822 - Lawrence Co, PA 5 Christened: Died: 14 Oct 1900 5 Buried:
6 F Hannah R. Pearson 1 5
Born: 23 Aug 1824 - Lawrence Co, PA 7 Christened: Died: 22 Dec 1895 7 Buried:Spouse: James R. Shaw ( - ) 1
7 M John Pearson 1 7
Born: 18 May 1827 - Lawrence Co, PA 7 Christened: Died: 7 Dec 1827 7 Buried:
8 U [Infant] Pearson 1
Born: Christened: Died: in infancy Buried:
General Notes: Husband - George Pearson
He was born in Delaware County, PA, where he learned the tanner and currier's trade. He came to Mercer County in 1803, and in 1806 he went down the Ohio River, working at his trade, as far as New Orleans. Thence to Charleston, SC, and there followed his trade for some time; returned to his native county, and in 1810 he located on a farm in a part of Mercer County that later became Lawrence County. In 1854 he removed with his family to New Castle, PA, where he principally retired from labor. He was reared in the Quaker faith, and was one of the earliest advocates of the Whig party. When eighty years old he marched on double-quick with a militia company, organized as home guards during the Rebellion, much to the amusement and delight of the by-standers. [HMC 1888, 692]
In 1806 a number of the Pearson family came from Darby, Delaware County, PA, and vicinity to settle in Western Pennsylvania. At this time George Pearson bought and settled upon a large tract of land about four miles north of New Castle. This land consisted of the north half of Donation Lot numbered 1873 in the Second District of Donation lands in Neshannock Township-then in Mercer County. This tract was conveyed to him and his brother Thomas by one Hugh McLaren; a short time after Thomas conveyed his one-half interest in that tract to his brother George who eventually acquired property aggregating nearly 1,000 acres in that neighborhood. The improvements consisted of a small log cabin with about one acre of cleared land adjoining, and to this home George Pearson brought his bride. All his children were born here and here he continued to reside until 1854 when he removed to New Castle. [HMC 1909, 873]
It was about this time that George Pearson made a trip which must have been attended by much hardship and danger. He made his way down to the Ohio River to the present location of Beaver from which point he continued to New Orleans; here he found a sailing vessel upon which he crossed the Gulf of Mexico and sailed up the Atlantic coast until he reached Charleston, South Carolina, where he remained for some time working at his trade of tanner and currier. From here he made his way by land back to Darby, PA. The exact time of his third trip to Western Pennsylvania is not known but the deed from Hugh McLaren to him for the land purchased was placed on record and dated in 1809; it is altogether probable that he had returned to the land some time before this; it is certain that from this time Donation tract No. 1873 was his fixed abode. [HMC 1909, 873]
His future father-in-law was employed in the mill at the "Old Forge," on the Neshannock about two miles north of New Castle. Here George Pearson first met his future wife. He had gone to the mill one day with his grist and, while waiting for it to be ground, heard singing; he went out to discover the owner of the voice and found the daughter of James Reynolds seated upon a large stone under the shade of overhanging hemlocks, her needlework in her lap, and singing. When their wedding day arrived he took his bride behind him on his horse and went down to New Castle, then covered with a thick and almost impenetrable growth of alders, to the house of 'Squire Hurry, a justice of the peace and residing near the Shenango; here they were married, the service being performed by the 'Squire.
George Pearson served in the war of 1812 in Captain Dawson's company, which was called out three times during that conflict. He was on the shore of Lake Erie at the time of Perry's victory and was with General Harrison for a period of six months at Sandusky. A local historian in writing of him has well said: "His moral character was spotless, high above reproach; he was a good man. Of strong mentality and of power he was easily the controlling spirit of the section in which he lived." He was the most progressive man of his neighborhood; was the first to introduce improved breeds of stock. He always declined office but took an active interest in the establishing of schools they, at that time, depending upon voluntary subscriptions of the neighbors. He was a principal mover in establishing a circulating library in New Castle and was a member of a library association in Mercer. [HMC 1909, 874]
Notes: Marriage
After his return from Charleston, South Carolina, he married Miss Sarah Reynolds, daughter of James Reynolds, who was also a Quaker. It was customary among these people to publish the intentions of a couple wishing to marry in the "meeting" for some time previous to the marriage. In this instance there was no Quaker "meeting" within many miles, and the only roads were bridle paths, and so the young couple made a virtue of necessity and employed Ezekiel Sankey, Esq., to perform the ceremony, without waiting for preliminaries. The necessary arrangements were soon made and the "twain were made one flesh" at the house of Jesse Du Shane, in New Castle. This was about the year 1810. The Quakers in the eastern part of the state, hearing of this violation of their rules, sent a deputation to the new settlement to persuade them that they had done a great wrong, and must confess before "meeting" and have the ceremony performed a second time, according to Quaker usage. But the young people concluded they had committed no great fault and so refused to comply. They were accordingly solemnly read out of the society.
1 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 692.
2 J. G. White, A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Pg 869.
3 William Henry Egle, History of the County of Dauphin in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: Everts & Peck, 1883), Pg 591.
4 J. G. White, A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Pg 867.
5 J. G. White, A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Pg 874.
6 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 693.
7
J. G. White, A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Pg 875.
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