BIO: Alexander T. FORSYTH, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 256-269. _________________________________________________________________ ALEXANDER T. FORSYTH, a prominent citizen of the borough of Baden, Beaver county, Pa., is a contractor of wide reputation, and has built many of the principal buildings in that section of the county. He was born in Allegheny county, Pa., in 1829, and received the ordinary instruction of the public schools. Although his educational advantages were limited, he made the best of his opportunities, and has acquired a good degree of practical knowledge by close observation and reading. He was taken from school at an early age to learn a trade, but continued to learn what he could in private. There were six children in the family, and they all studied out of the same old arithmetic. He adopted farming and followed that line of work until he reached his twentieth year, when he learned the trade of a carpenter, which he followed until 1852. He then removed to Beaver county, and subsequently to Wheeling, West Virginia, where he worked in a sash and door factory until 1861. Owing to the central situation of Wheeling, there was a division of sentiment on the war question, which resulted in a depressing effect on all kinds of business. He then began contracting for himself at Baden, Beaver county, Pa., and has since been one of the most prominent men of that place. His first contract was to build the Lutheran church, in which he has always been a most earnest worker, and he has since had the contracting of all the principal buildings in that locality. He recently completed a church in Braddock, Pa., and now has a school building in course of construction at Remington, Pa. He is also agent for Dr. Daly, of Pittsburg, and has the management of his real estate interests in this district. He has always been a popular citizen of the borough, and served in the first council after its incorporation. He has since served as school director and councilman, and was burgess for four years. He was then elected justice of the peace, an office he is now filling for his third term. He has always given good satisfaction in this capacity, his aim being rather to keep people from litigation than to increase his own revenues by promoting it. That his policy is appreciated was forcibly demonstrated at the last election. He ran on the Democratic ticket, and out of a voting list of 100, he only received an opposing vote of seven. This is all the more remarkable when the fact is taken into consideration that the county is strongly Republican. Mr. Forsyth was united in marriage with Sarah J. Romigh, and they became the parents of three children, namely: James F., a foreman in the tin-plate mill; William Taylor, now working in the oil fields; and Walter A. BEAVER COUNTY 259 who is with Jones & Company, of Pittsburg. Mrs. Forsyth died on her thirty-eighth birthday, and the subject of our sketch subsequently formed a second union, with Mary J. Sickles, to whom have been born three children: George, weigh master in the tin-plate mills; Alma; and Margaret. Mr. Forsyth is a very active member of the Lutheran church and for thirty-seven years was superintendent of the Sunday School. He is also a deacon of the church.