Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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William Richey and Elizabeth McLean




Husband William Richey 1

           Born: May 1837 - Rock of Gibraltar 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 25 Jan 1903 - Venango Co, PA 1
         Buried: 
       Marriage: Sep 1866 - Bothwell, Canada 1



Wife Elizabeth McLean 1

           Born:  - Canada
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 


Children
1 M William D. Richey 1

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Theda Mary Goodwill (      -      ) 2
           Marr: 1903 - ? Venango Co, PA


2 M Charles F. Richey 1 3

           Born: 5 Dec 1879 - Bully Hill, near Franklin, Venango Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1941
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Edna Frances Gordon (1888-1973) 2 4
           Marr: 1 Jun 1910 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 3


3 M Thomas C. Richey 1

           Born: 7 May 1882 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Maud L. Clever (      -      ) 2
           Marr: 1906 - ? Venango Co, PA


4 F Elizabeth Richey 1

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Joseph Steen (      -      ) 1


5 F Anna Isabel Richey

            AKA: Anna Belle Richey 1
           Born: Abt 1873 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Richard Kennerdell Shorts (Abt 1872-      )
           Marr: 4 Apr 1894 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 5



General Notes: Husband - William Richey


He was the son of a British soldier, and was born at the Rock of Gibraltar, where his father was then stationed. When a youth of eighteen he came to America, for a number of years living in Lower Canada, where he became engaged as a driller in the oil fields at Bothwell. Attracted by the stories of the newly opened oil fields of Pennsylvania, he came down to Pithole City, Venango County, Pennsylvania, which was the scene of one of the greatest oil booms ever known. Within a short time he returned to Canada and married, and soon afterward moved to Pennsylvania, locating first at Tidioute, Warren County, where he remained one winter. From there he removed to Titusville, where he spent three years, mean-time taking oil leases at Pleasantville, near by, which he operated profitably. Selling his wells at that point he came to Franklin and went to drilling on Bleakley Hill, locating a good well which he soon sold. Then with others he took a lease on the Foster farm, on Bully Hill, and there also had good results, getting several fine wells in operation. When he disposed of his interests there he leased part of the Rheem farm, lying along the Allegheny River in Sandy Creek Township, where the Ajax Station of the Lake Shore road was later situated. Two or three wells had already been drilled on the property, where Mr. Richey resided during the remainder of his life, and as long as he was actively connected with the business he kept adding to the number. He also bought other leases in the neighborhood, increasing his production yearly. He retired seven years before his death, in his sixty-sixth year. He built the house there later occupied by his son, Charles F. Richey.
A former neighbor and old acquaintance, one who knew him closely during the eighteen years he lived near the Rheem farm, was Mr. Solomon Ulman Heasley, gauger with the Grant Pipe Line and for twelve years with the Standard Oil Company. He respected Mr. Richey highly, and paid a well deserved tribute to his character: "Mr. Richey was charitable to a fault. He was honest and stood faithfully to his word. Of strong character, showing the English and Irish traits, he was not discouraged easily, and he had many discouragements. But he kept on hopefully. America gave him great satisfaction."
Mr. Richey became a citizen soon after coming to the United States, and was an enthusiastic Republican in politics.


General Notes: Wife - Elizabeth McLean


Her parents were Highland-Scotch and married in Scotland.

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Sources


1 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 935.

2 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 936.

3 Virginia Gordon Russell, Gordons of Western Pennsylvania (Cochranton, PA: Specialty Printers, 1981), Pg 49.

4 Virginia Gordon Russell, Gordons of Western Pennsylvania (Cochranton, PA: Specialty Printers, 1981), Pg 34.

5 Venango Co, PA, Marriage License, #2648.


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