Westmoreland-Franklin County PA Archives Biographies.....Findley, William ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 13, 2018, 1:21 pm Source: See Below Author: See Below HON. WILLIAM FINDLEY. One of the principal characters figuring in the Whiskey Insurrection of 1794, and thus brought into national prominence was William Findley. Without his biography the early history of Westmoreland County would be incomplete, for he easily secured and successfully held a political ascendancy over the common masses of the people of southwestern Pennsylvania which was relaxed only with his death. William Findley was born in the north of Ireland in 1711 or 1712, and was of Scotch-Irish extraction. He was a descendant of one of the old signers of the Solemn League and Covenant and another of his ancestors was a prominent defender of Derry, Ireland, in the noted siege of that place. He came to Pennsylvania at an early age and located in the famous Octorara settlement of Franklin county, where he taught school for several terms, he soon became quite popular, served six years as county commissioner and acquired considerable property. During the Revolutionary war he served as a captain in the Continental army. In 1781 he removed to Westmoreland county and settled in Unity township, where he followed his trade of weaving for some time. He soon became an influential member of the Presbyterian church and a prominent political leader. He was soon elected to the Assembly as an anti-federalist, he was a member of the Board of Censors and represented Westmoreland county in the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention of 1789-90, where he introduced a resolution in favor of educating the poor gratis. William Findley was elected to Congress from the Westmoreland district in 1791, 1793, 1795, 1797, 1803, 1805, 1807, 1809, 1811, 1813, and 1815, and some of his old friends assert that he would have been returned to this time had he lived. He was an able and adroit politician and although he opposed the adoption of the Federal Constitution and was a prominent participant in the Whiskey Insurrection, yet such was his tact that his constituents never forsook him. He was a rather fluent talker, a strong and forcible writer, but he was no public speaker, and secured his great power over the common people by bis method of mingling with them. Findley was one of the most prominent characters identified with the Whiskey Insurrection. His course at first, seemed to encourage open resistance to the government, but he soon advocated obedience to the law and displayed good statesmanship in working for compromise measures. His “History of the Insurrection” was attacked by Brackenridge, and has been quoted by all historians who have written on that subject. Findley admitted that many of his statements wore erroneous and prepared the manuscript for a revised edition which was lost on its way to the press. Findley is sarcastically represented by the character of Traddle, the weaver, in Brackenridge’s “Modern Chivalry.” William Findley was twice married. By his first wife, whom he married in Franklin county, Pa., he had three children: David, an officer in the Regular army; Nellie, who married a Carothers, and Mary, who was the wife of John Black. Hia second wife was a widow Carothers. In his dress Mr. Findley was very tasteful; he was a large man; his complexion was florid and he wore no beard. His earthly career ended on the 5th day of April, 1821, when he had entered upon the eightieth year of his age. He sleeps in his adopted county whose annals will forever preserve his name. Additional Comments: Extracted from Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Compiled and Published by John M. Gresham & Co. Samuel T. Wiley, Chief Assistant 1890 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/westmoreland/bios/findley709gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb