Westmoreland County PA Archives Biographies.....McConnell, Samuel D. Rev. ************************************************ 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 21, 2018, 11:16 pm Source: See Below Author: See Below Rev. Samuel D. McConnell, D. D.,whose mother and sister reside at New Alexandria, is a native of Salem township, and is a son of David and Agnes (Guthrie) McConnell. His grandparents, David McConnell and Rebecca Kirkpatrick were among the Scotch-Irish settlers who crossed the Alleghenies into Westmoreland county after the close of the Revolutionary war. Like hundreds of others they came from Ireland just before the war, stopped for one generation in Lancaster county and then joined in the new movement to the backwoods. Having arrived in Westmoreland county they took up a large tract of land lying along the Whitehorn, a branch which puts into Loyalhanna creek some miles below New Alexandria. To David McConnell were born twelve children, all of whom lived to marry. The sons were: Daniel, Thomas, David and Samuel, and of the whole family only Samuel is now living. For many years David and Thomas lived in old Congruity, but Thomas moved late in life to Missouri where he died. Samuel was one of the pioneers in California where he lived twenty years, then returned to Pennsylvania and now resides in Oil City. David McConnell lived all his life on the farm in Salem township which he inherited from his father. In his early life he was like most educated men of his time, a school teacher. A teacher of men he remained all his life and his influence for good is still felt in that community. When a young man he married Agnes Guthrie, a daughter of William Guthrie, one of the early Scotch-Irish settlers on the Beaver Run and a descendant of Captain Brownlee who was killed at the burning of Hannastown. David McConnell and his wife had ten children, seven of whom survive. Their father died in 1868 but their mother is still living. The eldest son, William, married Dorcas Reed and lives at Saltsburg, Pa., where he is an elder in the Presbyterian church and a justice of the peace. The only other son is Samuel D. McConnell, D. D., who is the rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal church, Philadelphia, Pa., and one of the leading divines of that church in the United States. The daughters are: Martha, Mary J., Margaret Kincaid (Mrs. J. C. Steele), Agnes (deceased), Samantha and Lucinda (Mrs. A. H. Sligh). The McConnell family for more than a century have been identified with the history and interests of Westmoreland county and have always been characterized by strict integrity, good citizenship and all the qualities of a pious, God-fearing people. With its members, to know the right is to do it, let the consequence be what it may. Inhabited by such sturdy and upright citizens, it is not remarkable (hat this county has forged her way to the front and now stands second to none in intellectual and moral worth. 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/mcconnel761gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 3.5 Kb