Bedford County PA Archives Biographies.....Covalt, Abraham 
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Judy Banja jbanja@msn.com May 2003


ABRAHAM COVALT, a successful general merchant of Bedford, 
Pa., was born in Thompson township, Fulton County, this 
State, February 14, 1833, son of Ephraim and Rachel (Mason) 
Covalt.  He is of the seventh generation in descent from his 
immigrant progenitor, Bethuel Covalt, a native of Wales, the 
line being: Bethuel, 1, Bethuel, 2, Isaac, 3, Bethuel, 4, 
Isaac, 5, Ephraim, 6, Abraham, 7.
  Bethuel Covalt, first, born in Wales, Great Britain, 
October 15, 1642, O.S., was cupbearer to Charles H. until 
the death of that monarch.  He then immigrated to Northern 
New Jersey.  Three sons - Abraham, Bethuel, second, and 
Chemiah - were there born to him, prior, it is thought, to 
1700.  Abraham had two sons - Abraham, Jr., and Bethuel, 
third.  The younger Abraham and his father were killed in 
Miami County, near the site of Cincinnati.  Bethuel, third, 
escaped South.  His descendants now live in Iowa.  All that 
is known of Chemiah is that he settled in Brush Creek, 
Fulton County, Pa., but afterward went South.
  Bethuel, second, had a son Isaac, who settled on Tonaloway 
Creek, near Covalt, Pa., about 1740.  Isaac Covalt had one 
son, Bethuel, fourth, born October 15, 1746, who was married 
February 11, 1772, to Sarah Hart, who was born March 5, 
1752.  They had nine children: Ruhamah, born March, 11, 
1776; Isaac, second, born December 11, 1778; Mary, born 
September 18, 1780; Rachel, born April 29, 1783; Sarah, born 
December 8, 1785; Jacob; Bethuel, fifth, born June 15, 1790; 
Elizabeth, born April 21, 1793; Martha, born September 8, 
1796.
  Isaac Covalt, second, married September 29, 1801, 
Elizabeth Cowell, who was born January 6, 1779.  They had 
three sons, namely: Bethuel, born July 12, 1802, who died 
young; Isaac, born May 9, 1804; and Ephraim, born December 
12, 1806.  Ephraim, the younger son, was married February 2, 
1831, to Rachel Mason, daughter of William Mason, of Bethel 
township, Pa.  She was born November 5, 1812, and died 
December 29, 1862.  He died February 7, 1883.  Their 
children were: John S., born January 23, 1832, died February 
25, 1894; Abraham, born February 14, 1833, subject of this 
sketch; Lavina, born August 11, 1835; Elmira, born November 
16, 1837, died October, 1893; Isaac M., born December 17, 
1839, died November 23, 1863; Anna, born February 24, 1842; 
Sarah, born December 31, 1844, died July 16, 1894; 
Elizabeth, born September 14, 1847, died October 30, 1895; 
Rachel, born July 8, 1850; Mary Martha, born March 21, 1858.
  Ephraim Covalt was born in Thompson, Pa., and was there 
engaged as a farmer all the active years of his life.  His 
daughter Lavina is the wife of Henry R. Brewer, of Belfast, 
Pa.  Elmira was the wife of Ben Fauner, of Martinsburg, W. 
Va.  Annie is the wife of the Ref. Calvin Funk, of Belfast, 
Pa.  Elizabeth married Joseph H. Covalt, a very distant 
relative and a resident of Thompson, Pa.  Sarah married 
Thomas Myerly (both deceased).  Rachel is the wife of Jesse 
Peck, of Martinsburg, W. Va.  Mary Martha lives in 
Martinsburg, W. Va.  Ephraim and Rachel Covalt were members 
of the Baptist church, in which he served as Deacon for a 
number of years.
  Abraham Covalt, special subject of this sketch, received 
his education in the public schools of Thompson, his native 
township, and remained on the home farm until he attained 
his majority.  The following year he worked at the 
carpenter's trade.  He next became a clerk in a general 
store in Hancock, Md., where he was employed for seven 
years.  In 1863 he embarked in business for himself at 
Warfordsburg, Bethel township, Fulton County, continuing 
until 1869, when he again went to Hancock, this time to 
engage in business on his own account as a merchant.  Two 
years later, about 1871, he removed to Broad Top (now 
Defiance), Pa., and has had business interests in that place 
ever since, although after living there two years he came to 
Bedford, and this township has since been his residence.  
When in Hancock he formed a partnership with J. M. Hedding, 
under the firm name of Abraham Covalt & Co.  Upon 
establishing the business at Defiance the firm style became 
Hedding & Covalt, but was subsequently changed to A. Covalt 
& Co.  About 1882 the firm built a planing mill in Bedford, 
which they conducted until 1895, when the partnership was 
dissolved.  At one time this firm did the most extensive 
business in the county.  In 1897 Mr. Covalt started alone in 
the general mercantile business which he now conducts in 
Bedford.
  Mr. Covalt was married in 1862 to Annie, daughter of James 
Dorrance, of Mercersburg, Pa.  They have two children: James 
A., of Saxton, Pa.; and Eva L.  Mr. and Mrs. Covalt are 
members of the Presbyterian church.  He is a Mason, being a 
member of Bedford Lodge, No. 320.


Source: Bedford Biographical Review, 1899, Bedford Co., Pa