Biographical Sketch of Samuel WHITSON (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Philadelphia, PA, 1893, pp. 382-3. "SAMUEL WHITSON, a member of the grain and lumber firm of Hastings & Whitson, at Atglen, and a prosperous farmer of that town, who has served as commissioner of Chester county, and held important positions in his borough, is a son of Thomas and Martha (Hobson) Whitson, and was born January 29, 1838, in Bart township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He was reared on his father's farm in that county, and educated in the common schools of his neighborhood. After leaving school he settled down to farming, and that has been his principal occupation ever since. He now owns a valuable farm, situated inside the borough limits of Atglen. In the spring of 1892 he formed a partnership with William S. Hastings, under the firm name of Hastings & Whitson, and engaged in the grain, lumber and coal business at Atglen. The firm already has a large trade, and being gentlemen of established character, command the entire confidence of the community. "In politics Mr. Whitson is a stanch republican, and while never a bitter par- tisan, at all times gives his party a loyal support on all leading political questions. In 1884 he was nominated by his party and elected as county com- missioner, in which office he served one term with an ability which reflected credit on himself and was entirely satisfactory to the people. In addition to this he has been a member of the borough council most of the time since his residence here, and has become familiar with the public business of this part of the county. In religion he is a strict member of the Society of Friends, and liberal in his support of its various interests. Mr. Whitson has never married, and is a pleasant, affable gentleman, widely known and universally esteemed. "The Whitson family is of Celtic origin, coming from Ireland to Pennsylvania at a very early day. Thomas Whitson, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Chester county, and spent most of his life in the neighborhood of Atglen. He was a farmer by occupation, a Quaker in religion, and in politics an old line whig. He married Hannah Starr, and was the father of eight children, among whom was Thomas Whitson (father). The latter was born in Chester county, near Atglen, where he was reared and educated, but he removed to Lancaster county soon after marriage, and resided in that county until 1861. In that year he returned to Chester county, and died in West Fallowfield township, this county, in November, 1864, at the advanced age of sixty-nine years. All his active years were devoted to agricultural pursuits, in which he was very successful. He was a Friend, or Quaker, in religion, and in 1827 married Martha Hobson, by whom he had a family of children. She was a daughter of Francis and Ann Hobson, and like her husband was a member of the Society of Friends. She was a native of New Garden township, this county, and passed from earth June 18, 1887, in the eighty-seventh year of her age, after an active, useful, and honored life, spent principally in the service of those she loved, and in doing good to all around her."