BIO: John A. McPHERRAN, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Jessica Orr Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 138-139. __________________________________________________________________ JOHN A. MCPHERRAN, Spruce Creek, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born May 30, 1830, on the farm which he now owns, near Spruce Creek. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Stewart) McPherran. Andrew McPherran, his grandfather, was born in Scotland or Ireland, it is not known which country, June 16, 1763. He must have emigrated from his native land very early in life, for he was here before the Revolution, and enlisted like many other ardent, liberty-loving boys. He served seven years in the Continental army under Captain Church. He was married in Adams county, Pa., to Miss Mary Adams, and later resided in Huntingdon county, where he died, June 16, 1829. Mr. McPherran's maternal grandfather, Robert Stewart, was born in County Down, Ireland, June 15, 1754. In 1794, at the age of forty, he came to America on the old sailing vessel, "Faithful," the passage occupying ten weeks. On the same ship and at the same time, his future wife crossed the ocean. She was then a young woman of thirty, but they were not previously acquainted. Her name was Elizabeth Emmet. She was a relative of the unfortunate young patriot, Robert Emmet. The long and stormy voyage at length ended. After a short courtship, Mr. Stewart and Miss Emmet were married in 1794. in the following spring they took up their abode within the present limits of Spruce Creek township on a tract of 640 acres, which Mr. Stewart had bought from the State. Looking upon those broad acres, covered with the primeval forest, watered by mountain brooks and springs of pure water, with wild game of all kinds in abundance, and streams stocked with a great variety of fish, and feeling that all this was their own, it seemed to their proud hearts a second Garden of Eden, and they named it Eden farm. It is now known as Eden Hill. Until Mr. Stewart could build a cabin, they slept under a large oak. The first cabin served as a home until fall, by that time he had erected a comfortable log house. In it their children were born: Alexander; Martha; Elizabeth; and Robert, who died in boyhood. In the same humble but happy dwelling Mr. Stewart died in 1837, and his wife also, after a life of sixty years in the same beloved spot. John McPherran, father of John A., was born in Adams county, January 9, 1786, and was still very young when his parents removed to Huntingdon county. The family was in very straitened circumstances, and this was at least in part owing to the elder McPherran's services to his adopted country. After giving seven years and six months of his time to the struggle for the liberties of America, Andrew McPherran was paid off, with the rest of the army, in Continental money, which proved worthless. The boyhood of John McPherran was passed in Raystown, Huntingdon county, where he received the little school training that fell to his lot. He afterwards did much to make up for this deficiency, and became, indeed, a self-educated man. He was for many years a contractor. After his marriage he settled in the woods of Franklin township, on a tract of land which he had bought from Thomas Houston, then all in timber. His farming operations had therefore to be begun by clearing the soil. By industry and steady perseverance, he succeeded in maintaining his family in some degree of comfort, and leaving thriving farms to his children. He was married January 9, 1817, to Elizabeth, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Emmet) Stewart, born in Huntingdon county, June 18, 1796. Their children are: Robert, who died young; Martha, born September 25, 1818, married John Ebberts, of Spruce Creek; Jane, born April 3, 1820, wife of George Mattern, of Spruce Creek valley; Mary Ann, deceased, was born November 22, 1823, and married John Kiner; Elizabeth, born July 30, 1825, married David Beck, and removed with him to Iowa, where they both died; Samuel, born February 26, 1827, is deceased; Rebecca, born October 14, 1828, resides with her brother, John; John A.; Alexander S., born June 9, 1832, married Susan Condo, and went to Iowa, where his wife died, after which he married Miss Crane, and removed to Hutchison, Kas., where they now reside; James M., born in September, 1833, a graduate of Jefferson College and an attorney of Sterling, Pa., is married to Miss Witherow; Robert (2), born September 2, 1835, married Miss Miller, and removed to Iowa, where they reside; and George, born December 28, 1838, married Miss Hunter, of Petersburg, Pa., who died, and he afterward married Miss Leslie, of Philadelphia, where he is now an attorney. Mrs. John McPherran died in the spring of 1848; her husband survived her until August 10, 1860, when he died at the age of seventy-four. They are interred at Arch Spring cemetery. Both were devout members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. McPherran was for many years an elder. John A. McPherran was educated in the common schools of his native place, but being obliged to help in the cultivation of the home farm very early in life, he had but little opportunity for acquiring an education. He has always resided on the homestead, having taken entire charge of it about 1856. After the death of his father, he bought the farm from the heirs, and in 1879 erected the stone house in which he resides. Mr. McPherran has always voted the Republican ticket. He is not a member of any church, but inclines to the Presbyterian.