GREER McILVAIN. The McIlvain
family were originally natives of New Jersey, where the grandfather (also
named
Greer McIlvain) was born
and reared to manhood. Over a century has rolled away since he, with his
brother George,
first came to Washington
county, Penn, and locating on a farm in Somerset township, died there at
an advanced age.
Greer McIlvain, son of the
pioneer, Greer, was born October 14, 1793, on the farm in Somerset township,
Washington
county, Penn. He attended
the subscription schools and passed his entire life in that township. There
he married Jane,
daughter of Robert C. Campbell.
The latter was of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and took part in the Revolutionary
war. In
early life he was married
to a Miss Paxton, and they were early settlers of this county. The father
died in 1840, at the
age of ninety-eight years,
followed by his wife in her 105th year. To Mr. and Mrs. McIlvain were born:
Eliza, widow
of John Kerr, of Butler
county, Penn., and mother of Rev. G. M. Kerr; Martha, now living with her
relatives in Illinois,
formerly resided with her
father until his death; Mrs. Margaret Clark, a widow, living in Illinois;
Mrs. Jane Greenlee,
also a resident of Illinois;
Mary Ann, deceased in 1855; R. C., a prominent agriculturist of Somerset
township; and
Greer. The father was a
stanch supporter of the Republican party, having taken an active interest
in all public matters.
In religion he was a member
and elder of the Presbyterian Church, with which his wife and daughters
were also
identified. He died in June,
1889, at the age of ninety-six years.
Greer McIlvain, son of Greer
and Jane, was born October 13, 1825, on the home farm in Somerset township.
He
attended some time at the
subscription and public schools, and assisted his father with the duties
of the farm for
several years after attaining
his majority. He was married November 14, 1850, to Elizabeth, daughter
of F. H.
Williams, a native of Fallowfield
township, and a member of an old family. In 1861 Mr. McIlvain came to his
present
home in Carroll township,
which is a beautiful farm of 150 acres, bounded on the east by the Monongahela
river. He
yet superintends the care
of the place, and has been a very enterprising citizen. He is a Republican,
and was in the
Revenue service nine years
during the administrations of Grant, Hayes, Garfield and Arthur. Mr. and
Mrs. McIlvain
are members of the Presbyterian
Church. Their children are Francis William, living in Charleroi, Washington
county;
Mary Virginia, at home;
James Edgar, a lumberman of Pittsburgh; Charles C., a rising attorney of
Pittsburgh and
Monongahela; Ida Jane and
Rose Ella, living on the home place.