Surnames: Brightwell, Madden, Hart, Pitcher, Briggs, Tiernin, Alter, Wilson, Finch
Nathan B Brightwell was born at Arnold's Mills, Washington township, Fayette county, Penna, May 18, 1831. His grandfather, Thomas Brightwell, was a native of Maryland, a soldier of the War of 1812 and married Mrs Elizabeth Madden Hart. His father was a miller by trade, came from Maryland in 1824 to Brownsville in search of his uncle, Joshua Brightwell, whom he found in Washington township on the Johnson R Stephens farm.November 9, 1826, he was married by Rev James Sanson to Miss Zeruiah Briggs, daughter of Nathan Briggs and Althea Pitcher Briggs, the former a blacksmith and both natives of New England.
Mr and Mrs Brightwell had twelve children, of whom six are living: John B Brightwell, born December 8, 1827; James S Brightwell, December 7, 1829; Nathan B Brightwell, May 18, 1831; Elizabeth Brightwell, August 29, 1833; Margart P Brightwell, September 23, 1835; Nancy J Brightwell, October 8, 1837; Althea Brightwell, March 30, 1840; William F Brightwell, January 23, 1842; Zeruiah Brightwell, February 12, 1844; Jemima L Brightwell, December 2, 1845; Sarah E Brightwell, December 6, 1846; Rufus P Brightwell, September 14, 1848. The father was a Baptist and the mother was a Methodist.
Nathan Brightwell was educated in the common schools, was brought up to milling and followed that business until his mill was burned in 1876 when he removed to his present farm, the John Tiernin farm.
In 1856 he was married to Miss Catherine Tiernin. They have five children: John T Brightwell married Margaret Alter; Charles E Tiernin married Minnie M Wilson; Micheal W Brightwell died at 4 1/2 years of age; William D Brightwell, a school teacher and United States storekeeper at Gibsonton's Mills, and Eliza K Brightwell, wife of William M Finch.
Nathan B Brightwell has been for over thirty years a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity and has filled many important positions of the order and in his lodge. He is a charter member of Fayette City Lodge No 511, I O O F. He has filled nearly all the offices of his township and borough. He is one of the reputable men of the borough, owns a comfortable home, is well and favorably known throughout the county and is a staunch democrat.