John William Pollins and Martha Steele

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Husband John William Pollins ^{1 2 3}

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           Born: 16 Jan 1849 - near Pleasant Unity, Westmoreland Co, PA 2 4
     Christened: 
           Died: 23 Mar 1922 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 4
         Buried: 

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         Father: David Solomon Pollins (1812-1887) 2 3
         Mother: Sarah Pippett (1815-1905/1906) 2 4

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       Marriage: 1867 5

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   Other Spouse: Agnes Viola Elder (1866-1934) 1 3 5 - 21 Sep 1898 1 5

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Wife Martha Steele ⁵

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            AKA: Martha Steel 4
           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1897 5
         Buried: 

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         Father: Joseph W. Steele (      -      ) 5
         Mother: 

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Children

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1 F Ida May Pollins ^{4 5 6}

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           Born: 1869 4
     Christened: 
           Died: 1936 4
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Robert L. Jamison (1865-      ) 4 5 6

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2 M Harry Pollins ^{4 5}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: in infancy
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

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3 M Joseph S. Pollins ^{4 5}

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           Born: 1874 4
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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4 U [Infant] Pollins ⁵

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: in infancy
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - John William Pollins

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He was born on a farm which he owned for much of his life, which was situated two miles west of Pleasant Unity and seven miles southeast of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. He passed his childhood and early youth there and continued to farm it in his adulthood. He attended the local public schools while a boy during the winter, and in the summer months devoted himself to learning what was to become his future occupation, or rather the major part thereof, since Mr. Pollins was identified with mercantile interests in the community also. He did, however, devote most of his attention and energy to farming and owned at different times several farms in that and adjacent neighborhoods. What interested him most, however, was the operation of the home farm which for some years he conducted as a dairy and for general agriculture. To supply the needs of this dairy he maintained a herd of from twenty-five to thirty cows and sold their milk and the other products in the neighboring communities.
Mr. Pollins was also actively engaged in real estate transactions and showed a remarkable degree of foresight and good judgment in his investments. He also took an active part in mercantile enterprises in Greensburg for a period of twenty-five years. He was a stockholder and director of the Barclay Westmoreland Trust Company as well. Mr. Pollins was a Presbyterian in his religious belief and for many years attended the church of that denomination at Pleasant Unity. Later, however, he became a member of the United Presbyterian Church of Greensburg and served as a member of its official board through all his adult years, and an elder for some nine years or more. For more than twenty-seven years Mr. Pollins maintained his charming home at Greensburg.

He engaged in farming during his early life, moving to Greensburg in 1890. There he took an active part in the business, civic, and religious life of the community. He was one of the organizers of the old Westmoreland Trust Company, which later merged with the Barclay Bank, and was a director of the Barclay-Westmoreland Trust Company from the time of its organization until his death. He was also the founder of "The John W. Pollins Company," a large department store which for many years operated in Greensburg. However his chief interest and delight continued to center in his farm, and particularly in the raising and marketing of fine draft horses, and in these pursuits he continued active until his death. For many years he was a ruling elder and a trustee of the United Presbyterian Church and took an earnest interest in its affairs.

1 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. III (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 538.

2 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 879.

3 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 265.

4 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 266.

5 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 880.

6 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. III (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 420.