BIO: Samuel Wherry, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2011.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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 LVII.

                         SOUTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP.

548  BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

  WHERRY.  The origin of this family in America was Samuel Wherry, who 
emigrated from County Antrim, Ireland, in April, 1762; settled in what 
is now known as Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, Penn., and 
married Elizabeth Ewing in 1776.  Both were Scotch-Irish.  Samuel 
Wherry died in 1825, and Elizabeth (Ewing) Wherry died in 1779, leaving 
one child, John Wherry, who was born July 2, 1777, married Margaret 
Mitchell in 1801, and died April 8, 1827.  Margaret (Mitchell) Wherry, 
his wife, died June 23, 1837.  These last-named left offspring; Samuel, 
born July 22, 1804; John Mitchell, February 10, 1806; Isabella Mary, 
April 7, 1808; William, February 11, 1810, and Elizabeth Wherry, July 
22, 1813.

  HON. SAMUEL WHERRY was the first child of John Wherry and Margaret 
(Mitchell) Wherry, born July 22, 1804; married Margaret McCune February 
9, 1832, and died April 2, 1861.  Margaret (McCune) Wherry died May 23, 
1877.  Mr. Wherry was a man of marked nobility.  His distinguishing 
qualities were purity, truthfulness, unaffected simplicity, clearness 
of intellect with unbiased judgment, decision of character beneath the 
mildest manner, modesty scarcely to be paralleled, charity that knew no 
bounds but prudence, a lifetime integrity without one stain, 
Christianity, not of sentiment merely, but of the highest practical 
type, and conscientiousness in the discharge of duty that often brought 
him the deepest pain by exposing him to the censure of men who were not 
worthy to loose the latchet of his shoes.  He was a notable farmer.  He 
took a deep interest in education, public and private.  All his 
children received a thorough seminary and collegiate education.  He 
filled a large space in his church (Presbyterian).  In 1853 he was 
elected to a three-year term in the Senate of the State, and filled the 
office with credit to the district and honor to himself.  In 1860 Gov. 
Packer appointed him to the bench at Carlisle, to fill a vacancy caused 
by the death of Judge Woodburn.  While yet holding that commission he 
died, in his fifty-sixth year, leaving children:  Eleanor S., Margaret 
J., Rev. John, Samuel M., Alexander S., Robert S. and William R. 
Wherry.