BIO: William H. McCrea, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2010.  All rights reserved.
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http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, 
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and 
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and 
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.  Illustrated.  Chicago: Warner, Beers 
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
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                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

                               CHAPTER LI.

                            MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP.

504 	BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

  W. H. McCREA, teacher, Newville, is a grandson of William McCrea, who 
left County Tyrone, Ireland, for this country, in June, 1790, bringing 
with him his wife, Margaret (Ballentine), daughter, Sarah, and an 
infant son, Walter, who died on shipboard and found a grave in the 
broad Atlantic.  They settled the same year near Newville, in West 
Pennsborough Township, this county, and after residing there several 
years moved to the vicinity of Bloserville, in Frankford Township.  
William McCrea was a weaver by trade and followed this occupation until 
his death.  To him and his wife were born eight children, all natives 
of this country  but the two already mentioned:  Sarah, wife of James 
Wallace; Walter (deceased); Martha, wife of Alexander Logan; Catharine, 
wife of Robert Giffin; Margaret, wife of James Hume; Jane, wife of 
Robert Fenton; William, married to Mary, daughter of Henry and 
Elizabeth (Mentzer) Snyder, and John.  Of these John was born May 28, 
1803, and followed the occupation of farmer until his fifty-first year.  
June 15, 1854, he married Barbara M. Snyder (sister of his brother 
William's wife), the Rev. Joshua Evans, a Lutheran divine, performing 
the ceremony.  Several years prior to his marriage, John McCrea had 
purchased the mill property and farm formerly owned by Samuel J. 
McCormick, at sheriff's sale.  Mr. McCormick was a noted man in the 
valley in his day, his ancestors being among the first settlers of 
Doubling Gap.  For a quarter of a century the mills were operated under 
the supervision of Mr. McCrea, who disposed of the property, in 1868, 
to Maj. Henry Snyder, but it is still known as the McCrea Mills.  Two 
children were born to John McCrea and wife:  W. H. and Mattie E., who 
became the wife of H. M. Koser, in 1882.  John McCrea died March 19, 
1879, at the ripe age of seventy-six.  He was born and reared amid the 
privations attending a pioneer's life, but in his last years witnessed 
the substantial development of his beloved county.  His first ballot 
was cast in 1824 for Gen. Jackson, and from that date he never swerved 
from the Democratic party, in fifty-five years never missing an 
election, either special or general.  W. H. McCrea, his son, was born 
January 13, 1856, in Mifflin Township.  From his early childhood he 
showed a fondness for books, and at an early age was sent to the brick 
schoolhouse near the mill, and William M. Hamilton, who was for a 
number of years an able instructor, gave him his first start.  As our 
subject increased in years and knowledge a desire came to him to impart 
his information to others, and he taught his first term in the Blean 
Schoolhouse, Mifflin Township.  The following year he received a course 
of instruction at the normal school in Shippensburg, after which, for 
five consecutive terms, he taught in the Blean School.  He accepted a 
position in the grammar school at Newville in 1880, and two years later 
was promoted to the position of principal, in which he has since 
continued.  As a practical educator he has but few equals and no 
superiors in the county.  Courteous, social, talented, and coming from 
ancestors noted in this county as honest and practical men, the people 
of Mifflin Township have reason to be proud of W. H. McCrea who was 
born, bred, reared and educated in their midst, and here has developed 
into one of the most widely-known educators in the county.

1860 Mifflin Township, Cumberland County census -
John Mccrea, 57 
Barbara A Mccrea, 42 
Wm H. Mccrea, 4 
Margt E. Mccrea, 2 
Sarah Mccrea, 71