Family History:  Reunited - Descendants of William Guffey Meet - 
Sutersville, Westmoreland County, PA

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The Evening Press, Greensburg, September 17, 1886.
First Edition
Reunited.
The Descendants of  William Guffey Meet at the Old Homestead - 
Beautiful Day - Large Attendance - Exercises of the Occasion - History 
of the Family.
   Could old William Guffey, when, a century and a quarter ago, he 
stood with Forbes on the misty tops of the Alleghenies and cast his 
eyes far over the western wilderness, have taken a prophetic glance 
into the future and seen his descendants, even to the fourth 
generations, gathered around the, as yet unfounded , homestead, what 
feelings would have filled his breast.  And could he, with prophetic 
mind have traced the careers of those descendants, could he have 
foreseen the honorable parts they were destined to bear in society, 
in business and in public affairs, what feelings of pardonable pride 
would have been his.  But, whilst this was denied him,  who shall say 
that the spirit of the old pioneer did not revisit the scenes of its 
earthly trials and joys, and view with emotions of delight the event 
which yesterday transpired on the site of the old home which he 
founded.
   Arrangements for a reunion of his descendants, at the old homestead,
near Suterville, on the 16th inst had been long in progress and the 
brightest anticipation's had been indulged.  When at last, the morning 
dawned, thick clouds o'er hung the sky, but soon they broke away and 
the day became all that could have been desired.  The grove in which
the reunion was held is on the old Guffey farm, about one-half mile 
from Suterville, on the B. & O. railroad.  It is reached from 
Suterville by a narrow, winding road running through the most 
delightful country.  During the early hours of the day this road
presented a lively scene, filled, as it was with hundreds wending 
their way to the grove.  When these hundreds reached the grounds which,
spite of recent rains, were found to be in fine condition they 
strolled leisurely about, admiring the scenery, recalling memories
of the early days and of the old settlers of the region and indulging 
in hand shaking which was a notable feature of the occasion.  It was 
apparent that nearly all on the grounds were Guffey's, or connections 
of that prolific race.  A glance over the grounds made it manifest 
that great preparations had been made to receive in royal style the 
expected guests; tables had been built, cooking tents erected, the 
woods cleared of brush and a speaker's stand, surrounded by seats, 
provided.  The Bellevernon brass band, which was early on the ground, 
discoursed some most excellent selections after which the company 
assembled around the speaker's stand and the exercises were opened
at 11 o'clock by W. C. Guffey, of Webster, in a few concise remarks.  
Hymn No. 435, was then read and sung by all present.  Then Psalm 133 
was read and Rev. W. W. Moorhead, began by invoking the Divine 
presence, recognizing the Fatherhood of God, thanking Him for the 
institution of the family and for the family now holding the reunion 
for its past history and its present energy and worth, their helping 
hand in advancing the interests of the church, and praying that the 
reunion might be a type of that other reunion above.
   The Suterville brass band then played "Home Again," when Peter Todd,
of Braddock, read regrets from the following parties:  Judge and 
Mrs. Hunter, Greensburg,:  Mrs. C. Robbins, Washington County: 
J. T. Maffett, Republican candidate for Congress for the Twenty-third 
District:  Judge Mellon, Mr. A. Mellon and A. W. Mitchell, of 
Pittsburg:  J. C. White, of Jefferson University:  Judge Harry White, 
of Indiana:  Judge Johnston, of Ebensburg:  Mr. And Mrs. Joshua Rhodes,
of Pittsburg:  Judge Thos. C. Leasure and Chas. F. McKenna, of 
Pittsburg:  Governor Pattison,Mr. And Mrs. T. A. Gillespie, of 
Pittsburg, and John L. McKenna, of Titusville.  This concluded, an 
adjournment for dinner was has without a dissenting voice.  The tables,
at which 300 persons could easily be seated, were twice filled and 
about 200 were fed at the third table.  The first table, upon which 
most time was spent, was very elaborately arranged and was loaded 
with all the heart, or stomach, of the hungriest could crave.  It was 
pronounced by everybody the most tempting array of eatables the had 
ever seem on a like occasion, and it appeared from the way the 
eatables disappeared that the exhilarating air of that locality had 
an appetizing effect.  Noticable among the features of this grand 
lay-out were the reunion cakes which were 74 and 55 inches in 
circumference respectively.  They were baked under the supervision 
of the head caterer at the 7th Avenue Hotel, Pittsburg, and were 
the largest ever baked at the hostlery.  On top of each was the 
picture of a primitive log cabin and the following:  "Guffey Reunion,
1758 - 1886, Sept. 16."  The next largest cake was contributed by 
Mrs. Robert Guffey, of Bellevernon; it measured 52 ½ inches in 
circumference.
   After the dinner, which lasted till 3 o'clock, the assemblage 
again met around the speaker's stand to hear the orators of the day, 
Hon. H. P. Laird and Dr. Frank Cowan of Greensburg.  The exercises 
were opened by the reading of a history of the Guffey family and 
their connections, compiled by Frank Guffey, Esq., and listened to 
with great attention.  It will be found in full below.  This was 
followed with an address, by Hon. H. P. Laird, of about thirty 
minutes in length.  Rev. Moorhead then read the regrets of Rev. 
Wesley Smith, and a poem of which he is author.  Dr. Cowan then 
took the stand and for fifteen minutes, amused, entertained and
instructed his audience.   Then the hymn, "Blest be the tie that 
binds us," was sung and followed by the benediction, pronounced 
by Rev. Mallory.  This closed the exercises of a day the memory 
of which will long be green in the hearts of all present
   The oldest lady of the family present was Mrs. Robert Guffey, 
of West Newton.  She has passed her 86th milestone and looks remarkably
well for one so aged.  The oldest gentleman of the family present 
was James Scott Guffey of Allegheny county, who has weathered the
storms of 71 winters.  The youngest of the connection present was 
Joseph Milligan, of Madison, aged 18 months.  Yet he is not the 
youngest of the connection; that distinction belongs to James Clarke 
Bell, son of A. H. Bell, of Greenburg.
   John, William, James and West Guffey were the prime movers in 
the reunion.  They were on the alert and kept busy promoting the 
enjoyment of their guests, among whom were many of the Allegheny 
county officials, as well as a number of our own county.
   James M. Guffey presented to each of his nieces a beautifully 
carved gold watch and chain, and to Miss Lydia Irwin, another niece, 
a handsome and unique solitaire diamond pin.  A register, on which 
all present were expected to enter their names and addresses, was 
on the ground.
   By 5:30 o'clock the 800 guests had quit the grounds and the 
largest family reunion ever held in this part of the State was over.
   The following history of the Guffey family and connections, 
compiled by Frank Guffey, was read during the afternoon exercises:

            "Is there that bears the name o'Scot,
               But feels his heart blind rising hot."

   When we of "Old Westmoreland" turn to study the history of our 
forefathers, we are not to content ourselves with the few barren 
facts, as bequeathed to us in the imperfect records of today - 
imperfect for the reason that to them time was alone given for the 
making of history, leaving to us of a later day the easier task of 
writing it.  It is only when we diligently study the trying times and 
momentous events of the years in which they lived that we are fully
able to appreciate their efforts and do honor to their achievements.  
Leaving as they did, the comforts and security of the older 
settlements, the companionship of friends, and all else that make 
civilization so desirable; and coming out into an inhospitable 
wilderness to hew out with stout hearts and willing hands, homes 
for themselves and a country for posterity.  Often enduring the 
greatest dangers and privations, their houses pillaged, their crops 
destroyed, their flocks dispersed and their minds harassed with the 
terrors of their helpless and unprotected families falling the 
victims of savage cruelty, they were the sowers who sowed in trouble, 
who watered at times with their blood, the seed from which we are 
reaping such an abundant harvest in these beautiful valleys and these 
fertile fields, in our churches and our schools.  And it is fitting 
that we revere their memories and do honor to the patient endurance 
and lofty courage which ever characterized their lives.
   And the following short historical sketch of the family who 
celebrate this day should be of interest to all, as the history of 
this family is with few variations the history of many other families 
represented here and whose united histories go to make the history of 
Western Pennsylvania.
   William Guffey, the remote though necessary cause of the presence 
of so many Guffeys here today, was born in the year 1698, in 
Lanarkshire, Scotland, and within a short distance of Glasgow.  The 
clan Guffey, of which he was a member, was very large and influential,
and occupied, and their descendants still occupy, one of the most 
fertile parts of the Scottish lowlands.  Frequent mention is made of 
them in MacGohegan's history of the Scotch and Irish people.
   In the year 1738, William decided to try his fortune in the new 
world he was hearing so much about, and so came with his family 
consisting of his wife, and one child James, aged two years, to 
America , and settled near Philadelphia.  There is a tradition to 
the effect that two of his brothers also came with him, and that one 
remained near Philadelphia, while the other finally settled in 
Kentucky, but as yet the truth has not been ascertained.  From the
most reliable sources to which access can be had, we find that when 
Forbes in 1754 made his memorable expedition against Fort Duquesne, 
that William, with a few other hardy spirits, accompanied by their 
families, followed the expedition into the then unbroken forests of
the West, until they reached the Loyalhanna creek, where they decided 
to locate, and thus was made the first permanent English settlement 
in Westmoreland, and the second west of the Alleghenies, one having 
been made at Braddock six years before.
   Many others soon followed their example, until in 1763 they had 
quite a large settlement.  In that year there was a general uprising 
among the Indians, and Fort Ligonier was for a time in great danger 
of falling into the hands of the savages, which calamity was only 
averted by the timely arrival of Col. Bouquet with a large force, 
and who, after a desperate engagement, fought near Bushy Run succeeded
to routing them, which brought comparative quiet to the settlement 
for a time.  During this year James the only son of William fell a 
victim - not to savage cruelty - but to the charms of Margaret, 
daughter of William Campbell, who had also come in with the Forbe's 
expedition.  In August, of 1764, their first child, John, was born,
and in the year 1780, James and his family purchased what is now a 
portion of Sewickley township.  Although it is the opinion that he 
lived in this township fifteen years earlier, and settled on the farm 
we are now on, and within a few rods of this place is said to be the 
first cleared land in this part of the country.  Here were born two 
other children: May and Isabella.  In January, of the year 1783, 
old William died at the ripe age of 85 years, and was buried in 
Ligonier Valley.
   In 1791, Margaret, the wife of James, died.  And in the following 
year, although being then at the mature age of 56, he engaged in a 
second matrimonial enterprise with Mary the  youthful daughter of 
William Findlay, one of the two, at that time representatives in 
Congress from this part of the State.  Two children were the fruit 
of this union, Sarah and William.
   James died in 1806, ages 70 years, he was a man of unusually 
liberal education for those days, having received his education 
before coming west, and was for several years in the earlier part of 
his life a Magistrate:  deriving his commission at that time from 
King George III.  It may be remembered that the office of Justice 
did not at that time have the restricted jurisdiction it now has, 
but to the Justice belonged many of the prerogatives of a judge at the
present day.
   The will of James Guffey written by himself in 1806, and shortly 
before his death, is still in the possession of the family, and is 
as good an example of legal skill and technicalities as can be found 
even at the present day.
   As we come down to another generation, the tiny stream we have 
been following soon begins to  grow wider and deeper.  John the 
eldest son of James married Agnes, daughter of Cal. Lowry. Judging 
from the number of his family, he seems to have taken the old 
scriptural injunction about replenishing the earth seriously to 
heart, as we have first, James, born in 1791, William, in 1793, 
Annie in 1794, John in 1796, Robert in 1798, Joseph in 1802, 
Alexander in 1804, Margaret in 1806, Isabella in 1807, Mary in 1809, 
and Nancy in 1811.  In that year his wife Agnes died, and in 1812 
having decided that it was not good for a man to be alone - with 
eleven children - he married Rebecca, daughter of Benjamin (?) 
Stewart.  The fruits of this union were: Stewart born in 1814 and 
Benjamin born in 1816.  John or as he was usually called "Squire" 
Guffey, died in 1845, aged 81 years.  He was for many years a Justice 
and was greatly beloved and respected by all who knew him.  By the 
way there is a venerable old lady here today Aunt Margaret Cox, who 
is in her 96th year, and who distinctly remembers, when a young woman 
of 16, of attending a flax scotching and quilting at "Squire" Guffey's,
over 80 years ago.  She certainly enjoys the distinction of having 
known the family longer than any other living person.  When a young 
man, John with his sister narrowly escaped being killed by the Indians.
They were riding on horse-back, accompanied by a young man named
John McManus and his sister.  As they were passing a house by the 
roadside, they noticed smoke issuing out of the door, and supposedly 
the house had accidentally caught fire, they hastily dismounted and 
entering, were attempting to put out the flames, when Miss McManus 
in passing the large open fire place, saw a  quantity of broken dishes 
lying among the ashes, and immediately exclaimed "the Indians have 
been doing this!"  At this they quickly rushed out to escape, as they 
were certain that the Indians were lying in ambush somewhere near, 
which was true, for as soon as the savages saw them going towards the 
horses, they giving the was whoop, sprang from their hiding places 
and surrounded them.  In the excitement of the moment Isabella was 
unable to mount her horse, when John hastily threw her on the neck 
of his horse, sprang into the saddle, and dashing through the line
of savages, escaped unharmed.  In the meantime, John McManus and sister
had succeeded in mounting their horses when Miss McManus' saddle 
girth broke and she fell off her horse.  In an agony of terror she 
cried out to her brother "for God's sake, John, don't leave me."  Upon 
hearing this he looked around and seeing what had happened to his 
sister, rode back and being a powerful man he tore his sister from her 
captors and threw her on his horse which galloped off and saved her 
life, while he, surrounded and overpowered by the great number of 
savages, fought them until he was literally cut in pieces. 
   Just here it will be fitting to give a short sketch of Robert 
Campbell, a nephew of James, and therefore, a cousin of John's and 
his senior by six years.  When about the age of 14 the Indians made 
one of their sudden incursions into the settlement and while he and 
his younger  brother were at work in their corn field, they were 
surprised and taken prisoners.  The Indians then went to the house, 
and the father of the boys being away at a muster, the savages 
pillaged it and then took the mother out and seating her on a log 
killed her with one blow of a war mallet, she clasping an infant to 
her breast at the time.  One of them then grasped the infant by the 
legs and whirling it through the air brought it down on the sharp 
stump of a sapling and split open its head.  Then one of the demons 
in attempting to put the two little sisters on a horse frightened 
one of them so that she cried, then he seized her by the ankles and 
dashed her brains against a tree.  They then took the remaining 
children into captivity with them.  The little sister was afterwards 
taken by another tribe and all trace of her was lost.  Several years 
after, William, the younger brother, was adopted by an English officer 
as his son and taken to England, while Robert remained in captivity 
until he was 21 years of age, when, he with several others, bribed 
a friendly Indian to guide them back home, which they reached in 
safety after enduring many hardships.  Robert lived to the good old 
age of 99 years, and "Elder" Robert Campbell as he was called, was 
widely and justly celebrated in the records of the Presbyterian 
church in his goodness and piety.
    Mary, the second child of James, married James Lyon.  To them 
were born five children:  Joseph, James, John, Margaret, and Nancy.
     Isabella, the third child of James, married John Robinson, who 
had come to this country from Ireland just before the revolution and 
served as an officer in the continental army until the war ended, 
coming out of it with the rank of captain.  They settled in Ligonior 
valley in what is now Cook Township.  To them were born nine children:
Robert, John, James, William, Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary, Nancy 
and Lavina.
     Sarah the eldest child of James, by his second wife, died 
without issue.  William F., the other child, married Sarah Eakman, 
and settled in Armstrong county, near Apollo.  To them were born 
two children: John and Elizabeth.  William died in 1883, aged 83 years.
His wife is still living and is the great-great-grand-aunt of the 
youngest generation, thus making five generations of Guffey's having 
at present, four generations of which are represented here to-day.
     Coming down another generation and taking up first children of 
John, we find that James, the eldest son, married Hannah, daughter 
of Col. James Scott.  To them were born eight children:  John, Mary, 
James S., Zachens, Nancy L. and Margaret, twins Sarah J. and Rebecca.
James was a member of the Westmoreland Cavelry in the war of 1812 
(and took part in the battle of Missinema).
     William died without issue. 
     Anne also died without issue.
     John Jr., married J. Zabella daughter of "Elder" Robert Campbell.
To them were born eight children:  Robert, John, Mary, Hannah, George,
James, William and Andrew.
     Robert married Sally, another daughter of "Elder" Campbell's.  
To them were born four children:  James L., John R., Campbell and 
Mary, "aunt Sally" is one of the five remaining living representatives 
of her generation, she is in her 66th year and is present with us 
to-day.
     Joseph married Martha daughter of John Peirce; to them were 
born five children: Rebecca, Nancy, John, Martha and Mary.  Joseph 
was a Col. In Gen. Markles Cavelry Co., and one of the prominent 
politicians of his day.  He served for several years in the
Legislature.
     Alexander married Jane daughter of William Campbell.  To them 
were born seven children:  Nancy, William, C. John, Alfred, James M., 
Westly S. and Allie.  The affinity which the Guffey and Campbell 
families had for each other, is worthy of note, here were three  
brothers who married Campbell, and who before marriage were related 
to them in the degree of second cousins; their grandfather having 
married a Campbell.  In this manner the ties of affinity and 
consanguinity have been cemented in so many different ways, that 
even the learned ways of an English Ecclesicestical court, aunt 
could not straighten out the tangled lines.
     Margaret married and had two children, Eli and Amanda.
     Isabella marrid John, son of Col. Thos. Warne.  To them were 
born twelve children:  Thomas, Rebecca, Mary, Anne, John, Benjamin, 
Joseph, James, Robert, Hester, Hannah and Mary.
Aunt Isabella is the second of the five living representatives of 
the older generation, and is present with us to-day.
     Mary died without issue.
     Nancy married John Galbreath.  To them were born four children:  
John G., Rebecca, Nancy and Hannah.  Nancy is the third living 
representative of the older generation yet living.
     Stewart died without issue.
     Benjamin also died without issue.
     Now, taking up the children of Mary and James Lyons, we find 
that Joseph, James, Margaret and Nancy all died without issue.
     John, the remaining one, married and had three children:  John, 
James, and Joseph.
     Next, taking up the children of Isabella and John Robinson.
     Robert died without issue.
     John died without issue.
     James married Jane Weir.  To them were born five children:  
Isabella, John, Elizabeth, Samuel and Margaret.
     William was married but had no children.
     Margaret died without issue.
     Elizabeth married Andrew Bell, but had no children. 
     Mary married David Bell.  To them were born seven children:   
Susan, John, Nancy, James, William G., Andrew and Thomas Jefferson.
     Nancy died without issue.
     Lavina died without issue.
     Lastly, taking up the children of William F. and Sarah.
     John A. married Miss Savilla R. Oakes.  To them were born twelve 
children:  Sarah E., Mary A., William T., Samuel S., Jennie N., 
John R., Isabella R., Margaret L., Jessie B., Martha B., James G. 
and Lulu W.
     John is the fourth lining representative of his generation.
     Elizabeth married William Fryer.  To them was born one child, 
Elizabeth.  Elizabeth is the fifth and last living representative 
of her generation.
     Joseph A., brother of John A.
     Joseph married Ruth Reiffer.  To them were born twelve children:   John A., Daniel W., 
Cynthia, Sarah, William C., James F., Robert, Rebecca, Elizabeth, 
Samuel, Isabella, Joseph, nine living.
     Rebecca, sister of John A., has one child living.
     Owing to the great amount of time it would take to enumerate 
all the names in the two remaining generations, it was thought best 
by the committee to give instead the whole number living in each 
generation, reckoning from William Guffey, who came to this country 
from Scotland as the first generation.  We find that he has 1 
descendant living in the third generation; 57 descendants in the 
fourth generation;  105 descendants in the fifth generation; 156 
descendants in the sixth generation; 24 descendants in the seventh 
generation, making a total of 293 descendants living, of which 
number 213 are the descendants of Squire John Guffey; 12 are the 
descendants of Mary and James Lyons; 40 are the descendants of 
Isabella and John Robinson; and 28 are the descendants of 
William F. Guffey.
     Turning now from the genecological sketch, we will briefly 
touch on some other matters of interest connected with the family.
     We find that farming has been, and is, the general occupation 
of the family.  Although quite a number have entered other pursuits, 
and whenever they have done so, they have made their presence and 
influence felt in their chosen calling.
     We will briefly examine some of the business enterprises in 
which the family were engaged in the past.  Among the first to engage 
in the business of distilling whiskey in this part of the country, 
were James Guffey  and his son John.  Commencing that business, as 
nearly as can be ascertained, about the year 1785.  In those times 
distilling was looked upon by all as one of the most useful enterprises
to the community it was possible to engage in.  The only other way of 
disposing of  the surplus grain was to have it sent across the  
mountains on pack-horses, there being at that time no other means of 
conveyance, and about 4 bushels was the greatest amount that could be 
taken on a horse, while the product of 24 bushels could be taken in 
the form of alcohol.  The people had cultivated their land for years
at the peril of their lives, with little or no protection from the 
Federal government, and when by extraordinary efforts, they were 
enabled to raise a little more grain than their immediate wants 
required, they were met with a law restraining them in the liberty
of doing what they pleased with the surplus.  They therefore regarded 
this tax in the same light as we, of the present day, would regard 
one on meat or flour.  Being engaged in this business, they naturally 
took a decided part in the Whiskey Insurrection, as they felt that 
their rights were being unjustly encroached upon.  While James and 
John were helping to make things interesting for the officers at home, 
William Findlay, the father-in-law of James, was exerting all his 
influence in Congress to have the excise duty abolished, but with 
indifferent success.  Father and son continued distilling and after 
the death of James, his son conducted the business.  One of the sons 
of John also built a distillery and both of them continued in operation
until about the year 1835, when the business was abandoned.  They 
usually realized the magnificent sum of $9 per gallon for this pure
un-intoxicating whiskey.  Several very old citizens whom the committee 
on history interviewed remarked while reflectively smacking their lips:
"That the Guffey's always made mighty good whiskey."
     The family ranks among the first early pioneers of the lower 
river coal trade.  As the first coal seat from Pittsburg to a lower 
post was in the year 1817, and the first sent up from the Monongahela 
river was in 1819, while Robert Guffey, a son of "Squire" John, who
was born in 1798, distinctly remembered that when a lad of 10 years, 
(making this in the year 1808) he held one of the copper lamps then 
in use, so that the men could see to dig coal.  By the way such lamps 
are quite a curiosity at the present day.  They were made of copper, 
oblong in shape and in them were placed some lumps of fallow and a 
quantity of wick, part of which was drawn out through a sort of spout 
and the lighted.
     The coal was mined at a distance of about two-thirds of a mile 
from this place on a farm which is still in the possession of some of 
the family.  The coal was loaded into a flat boar and taken to 
Cincinnati but the venture was not very successful and so the business 
was abandoned for some years.  A Mr. Joseph Cowan was associated with 
them in this enterprise.  About the year 1828 they again began 
operations on what was at that time considered a very extensive scale.
The pit was situated in what is known as Hare's Hollow, and they sent 
down as many as two or three boats in a year.  Their method of 
operating seems certainly very antiquated to us of the present day.  
When the coal was mined it was placed in large heaps near the pit.  
Them in the winter when there was snow they hauled it on sleds to the 
river, a distance of about one-half a mile and piled it upon the bank 
and when spring freshets came, they loaded the coal on the flat 
bottoms, with wheel-barrows and took it to Cincinnati.  After disposing
of their coal, they were compelled to walk the entire distance home, 
here being at that time no other alternative.
     In 1831, they in partnership with a Mr. Marsh, drilled a salt 
well, and engaged in the manufacture of salt:  this being the second 
one in this locality;  the first having been drilled in 1824, near 
what is now "Guffey's Station," by William Campbell, a relative. The 
holes were drilled at that time by  means of large spring poles, and 
the brine pumped by equally primitive apparatus which was operated 
by several horses.
     The family were said to have possessed the largest canoe or 
dug-out ever on the Youghiogheny river: it measured 60 feet in length 
and its greatest width was 4 feet:  it easily accommodated a barrel 
of whisky placed side wise.  This canoe was frequently loaded with 
whisky, grain and produce of different kinds and sent down the river 
to Pittsburg and other markets.  This enormous canoe was hewed out 
somewhere about the year 1800, and was in use for many years, and a 
part of it is even yet doing duty in the capacity of a feed trough in 
a barn a short distance from this place. 
     It may not be amiss just here to mention one or two of the old 
customs, which have been consigned by the later years or to the darkest
shelf into innocuous desuetude.  One of the most universal customs in 
those days would no doubt be appreciated by some old-fashioned people 
even at the present day and possibly by some who are not old fashioned.
It was the practice of placing before the guest a large flagon 
containing a gallon or two of the mild intoxicating whisky of that day.
Several old gentlemen who were frequently at "Squire" Guffey's, related
to the Historical Committee, that, when any one came, the "Squire" 
would always have a decanter placed on the table, together with some 
glasses, several small silver spoons and an old sugar bowl (an heirloom
which had been brought from Scotland).  The guest was at liberty to 
help himself, and he usually did so.  The minds of the committee have 
been somewhat puzzled in trying to conjecture what peculiar property 
existed in that whiskey of those days, as every old citizen they 
interviewed solemnly asserted that they never know is to make any one 
drunk, but when we heard them grow eloquent over the many sanguinary
encounters they had heard of or witnessed at different gathering and 
merry-makings, we were led to infer that this wild beverage or 
something else was the moving cause - probably, something else.  
Another very amusing custom existed in regard to weddings.  The groom's
party always collected at the house of the groom, and consisted of all 
his friends.  They would then set out on horseback for the residence 
of the bride, often quite a distance away, and in traveling this 
distance they would never permit their horses to walk or go on a 
dignified trot, but instead would gallop them the whole way, at the 
top of their speed, as though their very lives depended on reaching 
there soon.  In the mean time the bride's party would hold themselves 
in readiness, and as soon as they received word that the groom's party 
were approaching, they would sally forth to meet them, and when the two
parties met, the leader of the brides party would produce the 
ubiquitous bottle and the groom's party would then be refreshed 
therefrom.  After that formality was gone through with, the bride's 
party would escort the groom's party to the house, each one riding at 
their greatest speed.  The marriage festivities were then usually 
kept up for several days - and nights.

     A FEW CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FAMILY 

     One of the most prominent is their exclusive adherence to the 
one form of religion.  Although they have not all been members, they 
have always held to and supported the Presbyterian faith, which was 
that of their ancestors in Scotland and the faith which their 
descendants still profess in that country.
     Another characteristic is the retention of the old family names 
in every generation.  There are at present in the connection 21 John's,
19 James' and 9 William's living.
     Another very patent one is their strict adherence to Jeffersonion 
principles, as interpreted by the Democratic party.  At one time there 
were thirty-two of the family voted at one election precinct - and 
they all voted the same way.
     Another is a somewhat clannish spirit which they exhibit on 
provocation.  Several years ago a gentleman who a short time before had
married into the family was conversing with the late Edward Cowan, 
when the Senator in speaking of the family said:  "They are a very 
good family indeed, but they have the peculiarities.  They will fight 
among themselves sometimes, but just allow a stranger to injure one 
of them and immediately there is a very sultry locality to pay."
     Another very manifest characteristic is shown in their partiality 
to good living and when their own larder forbids the indulgence of 
such a weakness - they usually visit their friends.
     Although as a family they may have their peculiar failings and 
short comings - and what family has not - yet as a class they are a 
generous, open hearted, hospitable people, who will often injure 
themselves to do a kindness to another, who are quick to anger and 
quick to forgive, who may frequently make it interesting for their 
enemies, and who will always be ready to help, and to put forth their 
best efforts on behalf of their friends.  In conclusion the historical
committee would ask the indulgent criticism of their friends, for this
necessarily short and imperfect sketch.  Short for the reason that to 
recite a complete genealogical history, would be tedious to all, and 
at the same time unnecessary as it will all be found in the history 
to be published hereafter, imperfect, because sufficient time has not 
been given the committee to collect and complete all the facts and 
incidents relating to the family - Hence it's incompleteness.