Joseph Porter Orr and Mary A. Magee

---

---

Husband Joseph Porter Orr ^{1 2}

---

           Born: 24 May 1838 or 1839 - Allegheny City, Allegheny Co, PA 1 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 1918
         Buried:  - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA 3

---

         Father: John Orr (1790-1874) 1 4
         Mother: Frances "Fannie" Rogers (Abt 1805-1886) 1 4

---

       Marriage: 24 May 1860 or 1863 - Allegheny City, Allegheny Co, PA 2 5

---

---

Wife Mary A. Magee ⁶

---

            AKA: Mary B. Magee 2 5
           Born: 1841
     Christened: 
           Died: 1912
         Buried:  - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA 3

---

         Father: William B. Magee (1806-1891) 7 8
         Mother: Leticia A. Hamilton (1808-1891) 6

---

---

Children

---

---

General Notes: Husband - Joseph Porter Orr

---

He was educated at the common schools, learned the watchmaker’s trade, and was in the jewelry business in Allegheny at the outbreak of the Rebellion. At Pittsburgh, in August, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, Sixty-First Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served two years and ten months, being discharged from the service at that time on account of a gunshot wound received at the battle of Fair Oaks. During the period of his service he participated in the battles at Falmouth, Hampton, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, etc. He was wounded at Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, and Malvern Hill, the one received at Fair Oaks leading to his discharge from the army via the hospital at Philadelphia. Returning to Allegheny he engaged in business for about one year, and in 1864 came to Oil City from Marietta, Ohio, where he had spent a few months in the oil trade. In Oil City he was the second man to engage in the jewelry business, and he followed it until the big fire in 1866, which destroyed his stock. After a few months in the stave business he, in 1875, moved to the West, and remained about thirteen years, employed variously at farming, coal operating, dairy business, etc. In September, 1888, he returned to Oil City and embarked in business as a grocery merchant in South Oil City. He was one of the organizers of the G. A. R. post at Oil City and subsequently filled the various offices of the order. He was a Republican in politics, a member of the United Presbyterian church, and of the A. O. U. W. [HVC 1890, 890]

He received his educational training in the public schools of his birthplace and at the age of sixteen years ran away from school and started west for Chicago. On reaching that metropolis he began to look for work and walked up Dear­born street, which at that time had plank side­walks; many of the planks were loose and the muddy water underneath splashed up over his shoes and stockings, wetting and soiling them. This so disgusted him that he resolved to leave Chicago at once. Accordingly he returned to the station and took the first train going west to Rock Island, Illinois. He arrived in that city with just twenty-five cents in his pocket. This, however, did not deter him from inquir­ing for and going to the best hotel, which he was much shocked to find was but little better than a gambling joint. He immediately started out to find a job and was at once employed in a sash and door factory, with which concern he remained for two years, at the expiration of which time he went to Davenport, Iowa, where he worked for a time along the same line and then moved to Galena. From the latter place he returned to Davenport, Iowa, where he en­gaged in the produce business, buying onions in large quantities, loading them on flat boats and shipping them to St. Louis. He made some money on this venture and with it pur­chased three lots at fifty dollars apiece. Sub­sequently he went to Dubuque, Iowa, remained there a short time and then returned to his old home town, Allegheny City, where, in part­nership with his brother, he established a watch-making and jewelry business.
August 1, 1861, Mr. Orr enlisted for three years' service in the Sixty-first Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company C, Captain Dawson, Army of the Potomac. He was hon­orably discharged September 25, 1862, on ac­count of disability from gunshot wounds in the thigh and arm, received at the battle of Fair Oaks. He lay on the field all night after the battle, the following morning was gath­ered up with the other wounded and sent to Philadelphia, where he lay for several months in a hospital. He participated in all the en­gagements in which his regiment figured. After recovering from his wounds he returned home and carried on his brother's business while the latter served in the army. After the close of the war Mr. Orr disposed of his share in the business to his brother and moved to Oil City, where for the ensuing six years he was en­gaged in the jewelry business. During that period he operated some in oil but never with any great success. His next move was to Coultersville, Illinois, where he purchased a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits for the next thirteen years. His wife's health fail­ing, he disposed of his farm and returned to Oil City, where he has since resided and where for two or three years he was engaged in the grocery business. At the time of the fire and flood in Oil City he opened and assumed charge of the City Hospital as its superinten­dent, holding that office until the new hospital was erected three years later. He is tax col­lector, city assessor and has held other official positions of local importance. He is a valued member of Post No. 167, Grand Army of the Republic, in Oil City. He was the second com­mander of the first post organized in this place and was later its quartermaster. In pol­itics he is a Republican and his religious faith is in harmony with the teachings of the United Presbyterian church. [GPHAV, 986]

1 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 890.

2 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 986.

3 Various, Grove Hill Cemetery Transcription (Oil City, PA: Privately published, ~1985).

4 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 985.

5 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 891.

6 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 889.

7 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 888.

8 —, History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (R. C. Brown & Co. Publishers, 1895), Pg 1147.