Hon. William Findley and Unknown
Husband Hon. William Findley 1 2 3 4
Born: 1741-1742 - northern Ireland 1 Christened: Died: 5 Apr 1821 - Westmoreland Co, PA 4 5 Buried: - Unity Cemetery, Latrobe, Westmoreland Co, PA
Father: [Father] Findley ( - ) Mother:
Marriage: 1760 - Franklin Co, PA 5
Other Spouse: Unknown ( - )
Other Spouse: Mary Cochran (1769- ) 6 7
• Biographical Sketch: George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882).
To read this brief biographical sketch of his life and career, click here.
Wife Unknown
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Children
1 M David Findley 5 8 9 10
Born: Christened: Died: - Fort Adams, Wilkinson Co, MS Buried:Spouse: Nancy "Polly" Rambo ( - ) 8 Marr: Coolspring Twp, Mercer Co, PA
2 F Eleanor "Nellie" Findley 5 9 10
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: [Unk] Carothers ( - ) 5 9 10
3 F Mary Findley 5 9 10
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: John Black ( - ) 5 9 10
4 F Elizabeth Findley 10 13 14
AKA: Elizabeth Finley 11 12 Born: Christened: Died: 6 Jan 1837 11 Buried:Spouse: Gen. Thomas Patterson (1764-1841) 10 15 16 17 Marr: 6 Oct 1795 13 18
General Notes: Husband - Hon. William Findley
He lived near where the town of Latrobe now stands, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He was a member of Congress from Pennsylvania for so many years that in 1815 he was called the "Father of the House."
The founder of the Findley family in America, he was one of the noted men of his day. Born in the north of Ireland in 1741, he came to Pennsylvania in 1763. He achieved prominence as a soldier and statesman, while in the world of literature he is known as the author of at least two works of national repute.
He was a soldier in the Continental army, and after peace was established became one of the most distinguished legislators of the State. He was a member of the first Constitutional Convention of Pennsylvania, and was elected to Congress in 1790, as a Jeffersonian Democrat, and served in that body for twenty years. He wrote a treatise on the funding of the public debt, also a history of the Whiskey Insurrection in Pennsylvania, in 1794, which he assisted in quelling, and other political pamphlets.
HON. WILLIAM FINDLEY. One of the principal characters figuring in the Whiskey Insurrection of 1794, and thus brought into national prominence was William Findley. Without his biography the early history of Westmoreland County would be incomplete, for he easily secured and successfully held a political ascendancy over the common masses of the people of southwestern Pennsylvania which was relaxed only with his death. William Findley was born in the north of Ireland in 1741 or 1742, and was of Scotch-Irish extraction. He was a descendant of one of the old signers of the Solemn League and Covenant and another of his ancestors was a prominent defender of Derry, Ireland, in the noted siege of that place. He came to Pennsylvania at an early age and located in the famous Octorara settlement of Franklin county, where he taught school for several terms. He soon became quite popular, served six years as county commissioner and acquired considerable property. During the Revolutionary war he served as a captain in the Continental army. In 1781 he removed to Westmoreland county and settled in Unity township, where he followed his trade of weaving for some time. He soon became an influential member of the Presbyterian church and a prominent political leader. He was soon elected to the Assembly as an anti-federalist. He was a member of the Board of Censors and represented Westmoreland county in the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention of 1789-90, where he introduced a resolution in favor of educating the poor gratis. William Findley was elected to Congress from the Westmoreland district in 1791, 1793, 1795, 1797, 1803, 1805, 1807, 1809, 1811, 1813, and 1815, and some of his old friends assert that he would have been returned to this time had he lived. He was an able and adroit politician and although he opposed the adoption of the Federal Constitution and was a prominent participant in the Whiskey Insurrection, yet such was his tact that his constituents never forsook him. He was a rather fluent talker, a strong and forcible writer, but he was no public speaker, and secured his great power over the common people by his method of mingling with them.
William Findley was one of the most prominent characters identified with the Whiskey Insurrection. His course at first seemed to encourage open resistance to the government, but he soon advocated obedience to the law and displayed good statesmanship in working for compromise measures. His "History of the Insurrection" was attacked by Brackenridge, and has been quoted by all historians who have written on that subject. Findley admitted that many of his statements were erroneous and prepared the manuscript for a revised edition which was lost on its way to the press. Findley is sarcastically represented by the character of Traddle, the weaver, in Brackenridge's "Modern Chivalry." William Findley was twice married. By his first wife, whom he married in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, he had three children; David, an officer in the Regular army; Nellie, who married a Carothers, and Mary, who was the wife of John Black. His second wife was a widow Carothers. In his dress Mr. Findley was very tasteful; he was a large man; his complexion was florid and he wore no beard. His earthly career ended on the 5th day of April, 1821, when he had entered upon the eightieth year of his age. He sleeps in his adopted county whose annals will forever preserve his name. [BHCWC, 446]
He died in April, 1829. [Source Unk]
1 George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 207.
2 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 710.
3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania (New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1911), Pg 678.
4 G. O. Seilhamer, Esq, The Bard Family (Chambersburg, PA: Kittochtinny Press, 1908), Pg 409.
5 George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 212.
6 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 35.
7 G. O. Seilhamer, Esq, The Bard Family (Chambersburg, PA: Kittochtinny Press, 1908), Pg 405.
8 Editor, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 662, 749.
9 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania (New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1911), Pg 681.
10 G. O. Seilhamer, Esq, The Bard Family (Chambersburg, PA: Kittochtinny Press, 1908), Pg 411.
11 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 740.
12 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 497.
13 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 727.
14 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 1251.
15 Alex. Harris, A Biographical History of Lancaster County (Lancaster, PA: Elias Barr & Co., 1872), Pg 432.
16 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 726, 739.
17 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 183.
18
Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 494, 1251.
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