CARSON. The family of this
name, with which Elgy S. and John A. Carson are more immediately connected,
have
for many years been prominently
associated with the leading citizens of Washington county.
Thomas Carson was born in
eastern Pennsylvania, and, coming to Washington county many years ago,
was married to
Mary Gibson, a native of
Kentucky. They settled on the farm in Fallowfield township which is yet
owned by their
descendants, and here he
carried on agriculture and followed shoemaking, also serving as justice
of the peace. At one
time being pursued by Indians,
he traveled seventy-five miles in one day, carrying his rifle, and thus
escaped. He died
in 1814, leaving the following
children: James, who moved to Ohio; Joseph, who first located in Ohio,
then moved to
Indiana; Thomas G.; William,
married to Mary Burgess, and who lived on the old homestead; James S.;
John B.;
Mary, Mrs. Grable; Elizabeth,
wife of James Young; Ann, Mrs. Grable; and Charlotte, wife of John Carson.
Parker Carson, son of Thomas
G. and Elizabeth Carson, was born in 1819, in Fallowfield township, Washington
county. In 1844 he selected
a life companion in the person of Margaret Carson, a native of this county,
and the young
people moved to Indiana.
They resided on a farm in that State for six years, then returned to Washington
county, and
in 1852 bought and settled
upon 188 acres of land in Fallowfield township. They were the parents of
the following
named seven children: Sarah
E.; Margaret A.; Melissa; Elgy S.; John A.; Thomas G., and Mary J. Of this
family Elgy
S., John A. and Mary J.
are yet living. The father devoted his attention wholly to agricultural
pursuits, and served his
township in various local
offices. He died in 1878, having been preceded to the grave by his wife
in 1874.
ELGY S. CARSON was born July
9, 1852, on the home farm in Fallowfield township, Washington Co., Penn
He
resided with his parents
during his minority, and November 20, 1873, was married to Ruth, daughter
of Joseph Morton,
a well known agriculturist
of Washington county. This marriage has been blessed with the following
children:
Margaret (deceased), Laura
A., Elgy H., Cecelia R., Joella, Rollo H. and Anna B., all yet living with
their parents. Mr.
Carson owns 189 acres of
land, all of which is well cultivated, and here he raises sheep and cattle;
he also buys and
sells a large amount of
live stock. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party, and has
filled many local offices.
In religious faith he is
an adherent of the Old-school Baptist Church.
JOHN A. CARSON, son of Parker
and Margaret Carson, was born in 1855, in Fallowfield township, Washington
Co.,
Penn. In 1880 he was united
in marriage with Lizzie May, daughter of John S. Williams, a native of
Pennsylvania, and
to this union there have
been born five sons and two daughters, as follows: Nora W., Carl C., Oscar
P., Carrie E.,
Harvey S. (deceased), John
R., and Jo Reese. Mr. Carson is now serving as chairman of the Democratic
convention
of Fallowfield township,
has filled many other political offices, and for six years has been clerk
of the township. He is
a stockholder of the Maple
Creek cemetery, of which he has always been secretary, and is now holding
the position of
treasurer. His farm contains
108 acres, lying seven miles south of Monongahela, and three and one-half
miles from
Charleroi. Lover postoffice
is situated half a mile from the farm.