Berkeley County, West Virginia Biography of Abraham Rush McQUILKIN This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 322-323 ABRAHAM RUSH McQUILKIN was one of the prominent residents of Berkeley County during the last century. He was a merchant, successful and vigorous in the prosecution of his affairs, and exemplified the highest standards of personal character in his contact with his fellow citizens. He was born on a farm near Bedington in Berkeley County in 1817. His father, Thomas McQuilkin, was prob- ably born in Pennsylvania, and spent his active life on a farm near Bedington and finally lived with a son in Jeffer- son County until his death. He married Sally Rush, and they reared three children: Abraham R.; William T.; and Mary, who married Thomas Van Metre. Abraham Rush McQuilkin commenced his life of useful- ness as clerk in a store at Shepherdstown, learned a business there, and a few years later set up in the mercantile business on his own account at Scrabble in Berkeley County, carrying a stock of general merchandise. This business was continued with uninterrupted success until the outbreak of the war between the states. He was a strong Union man, and during the war he removed his family to Hagerstown, Maryland. After the restoration of peace he returned to Scrabble, and finally came to Martinsburg to give his daughter the advantages of the schools there. In Martins- burg he lived retired until his death at the age of eighty- five. He and his wife were active members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church. He married Ellen G. Rush, who was born in Jefferson County, and was very young when her father died. Her mother married a Jefferson County farmer named Marshall, and with them she remained until her own marriage. Mrs. McQuilkin died at the age of seventy-three. They reared two daughters, Sally and Eliza. Sally married G. S. De- Grange, of Frederick, Maryland, and is now deceased. Her children were named Abraham R., Don G., Henry Clay, Heloise, Garrett and Nater. Heloise is now Mrs. Edward Oldham and lives at Worcester, Massachusetts. Henry Clay married Mrs. Stock, of Winchester, and is an orchardist. Miss Eliza McQuilkin remained with her parents and gave them her utmost care and solicitude during their declining years, and she still occupies the old home in Martinsburg.