BIO: William A. PARK, 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. 341-342. _________________________________________________________________ WILLIAM A. PARK is treasurer of the well known firm, the Park Fire Clay Company, and is a respected citizen of Rochester, Pa., where the main office of the company is located. He is a man of extraordinary business capacity, and energetic and honest in the methods which he pursues. He is a native of New Sewickley township, Beaver county, Pa., where he attended the public schools and assisted his father in the lumber business. He continued to do so until he entered the general merchandizing business with his brother, John H., at Park Quarries. He afterward became identified with the Park Fire Clay Company as treasurer, and has since served in that connection. The other officers are: J. I. Park, president; J. H. Park, superintendent. The capacity of the works is 250,000 bricks per day, and three hundred and fifty men are employed. They have filled paving contracts in Pennsylvania and adjoining states, and have an established reputation, shipping their product to all points in the United States and Canada. In 1884, he, with his brother, John H. Park, built a line connecting their establishment with the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, at Conway, but this they have since disposed of to the Ohio River Junction Railroad Company of which Mr. Park is treasurer. Mr. Park has been located in Rochester for many years, and has conscientiously endeavored to further the interests of the town. He is widely known throughout the district, and has many friends. William A. Park is of Irish ancestry, being the great-grandson of William Park, who was born in Cookstown, County Tyrone, Ireland, where he received an education. He was a man of good character and of high standing in that country, as is shown by papers which are now in the possession of the subject of this sketch. These papers are evidence of the fact that he became a member of Lodge No. 479, F. & A. M., at Tullaghoge, County Tyrone, Ireland, December 3, 1783. In 1791, on April 26, he was given a demit from that lodge, together with one from the Knights Templar, of which he was also a member, - accompanied by testimonials as to his character. He landed in Philadelphia, Pa., in May, 1791, where he remained for about four years, in the meantime learning the trade of stone mason, and then located in Wilkins- 342 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES burg, Allegheny county, Pa., where he instituted what was, for many years, the only Masonic lodge in that section of the state. He followed his former vocation there and many houses now remain standing in that village as the result of his work. He lived to reach the advanced age of eighty-eight years, and was buried in the Beulah burial grounds. He married Mary McGahey, who died at the age of ninety-four years, and they had the following issue: John, who married Margaret Duff; David, whose wife was Ann Hamilton; Jane; William, who married Nancy Johnson; Robert, who married Elizabeth Loney; and Thomas from whom our subject's wife is descended. David Park, the grandfather of William A. Park, was born at Wilkinsburg, Pa., and there learned the trade of wagon-maker and wheelwright, which he followed until he moved upon a farm, purchased by him in New Sewickley township, Beaver county, Pa., in 1845. There, in addition to cultivating the soil, he plied his trade for many years, dying when eighty-six years old. The property is now owned by his son Theodore. The maiden name of David's wife was Ann Hamilton, and she was born in Warren county, Ohio, in 1806, and died at the age of seventy-nine. Their children were: James F., the father of the gentleman first named above; William; George, who married Mary Beal; Elizabeth, the wife of Hiram Phillip; Mary, the wife of Rev. John Brown; and Theodore, who married Kate Campbell. James I. Park was born at Wilkinsburg, Allegheny county, Pa., and adopted the trade of a carpenter, but early in life removed from his native place to Freedom, Beaver county, where he became a contractor and lumber dealer. He was very successful, and now owns a farm near Freedom, upon which he is living a retired life. He married Emiline McDonald, a daughter of William and Rebecca (Magee) McDonald, who was of Scotch ancestry, and she died leaving four children, as follows: William A.; John H., a record of whose life appears elsewhere herein; Annie V., the widow of Milton McCullough; and George I., who is also identified with the Park Fire Clay Company. He formed a second union, - in this instance with Mary Dean, a daughter of Samuel Dean, and they have two children: Mabel D. and Nellie D. William A. Park was joined in the bonds of wedlock with Mary J. Park, a daughter of Thomas and Helen (Duff) Park. Thomas Park, a son of William Park, the first of the family to locate in this country, was born in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny county, Pa., and settled in Penn township, where he became a farmer of considerable prominence. He died at the age of sixty-three years. His wife, Helen, who now resides with William A. Park, is a daughter of David Duff, and they had two children: James Graham, of Cripple Creek, Colo.; and Mary J. Socially, the subject of this sketch is a member of the Masonic orders, F. & A. M., and R. A. M., of Rochester, Pa., and of the Commandery, of Pittsburg. He is also a member of the Mystic Shrine, of Pittsburg.