Surnames: Chalfant, Penn, Crow, Brown, Cloud, Johnson, Frye, Duncan, Warne, Baglin, Sheppard.
ODELL S. CHALFANT is a descendant on the paternal side of the Chalfants, a prominent family in England, and on the maternal side of the Crows, who came to this country from Londonderry, Ireland, about the middle of the eighteenth century. John Chalfant emigrated to America about the year 1690 and settled in Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he was given a large tract of land by William Penn. He died in 1725.John had two sons, Robert and John. Robert was born October 24, 1686, and died in March, 1767. He had a son Robert, who was born in Chester county in 1725, and in 1747 was married to Sarah Cloud. After their marriage they came west and settled near what is now Brownsville. They had five children, two sons and three daughters. The older son was named Chadds. Chadds was a prominent Methodist and a member of the Masonic fraternity, being the first worshipful master of the lodge in Brownsville. He was the father of seven children, the youngest of whom, Walter B., was born May 8, 1794. On the 21st of March, 1816, Walter B. Chalfant was married to Mollie Budd Brown, and to this union there were born three daughters and eight sons.
One of these sons, Dr. Henry Sweitzer Chalfant, was born near Brownsville, March 29, 1828. He attended Allegheny College and in 1849 graduated from the Cleveland Medical College. After graduation he located in Greenfield (now Coal Center) and later moved to the farm in I East Pike River township and practiced his profession with great success for nearly fifty years. He was a
member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a Mason. He died March 9, 1897.Lawrence Crow came to this country from Londonderry, Ireland, with his brother John, and each took up and patented a large tract of land in the eastern part of Washington county. Lawrence patented what is known as "Crow's Egg" in the year 1784. Upon his death the title to the larger part
of this tract of land became vested in his son, William Crow. William Crow was married to Jane Johnson, and to this union there was born a daughter, Lucinda, June 17, 1831, who was married to Henry S. Chalfant, on February 3, 1852. To this union were born twelve children, four daughters and eight sons, namely: William C., born De-cember 5, 1852, died in infancy; Charles Anson, born March 22, 1854, died May 30, 1919; Irene Jane, born April 11, 1856, intermarried with John H. Frye, residing in Charleroi, Pennsylvania; Ruth Annie, born January 3, 1858, residing on the old home farm; J. G. Sansom, born August 11, 1859, farmer, residing on part of the old home farm;
Odell Sweitzer; Mary Catharine, born September 5, 1863, died at the age of five years; Luna Crow, born February 17, 1865, intermarried with Thomas A. Frye, died September 1, 1903, leaving to survive her one son, Henry A. Frye, now a lawyer in Philadelphia; John A., born November 12, 1866, died in infancy; Harry M., born June 26, 1869, is a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, and an editor, residing now (1925) in Philadelphia; Walter W., born April 14, 1872, a farmer, residing on the old home farm; and Cyril K., born July 31, 1873, salesman, residing in Speers, Pennsylvania. Lucinda Chalfant died January
28, 1911. She was a lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal church.Odell S. Chalfant was born in Greenfield (now Coal Center), February 25, 1862. He spent his early years on the farm in East Pike River township, and graduated from the California Normal School in the class of 1886. His sister, Luna C., and brother, Harry M., graduated in the same class. After
graduation he taught two terms in the public schools, attended Waynesburg College for a time, and in the fall of 1888 entered the law office of T. Jeff. Duncan, Esquire, of Washington, Pennsylvania, as a student. He was admitted to the bar on December 21, 1891, and practiced his profession in the offices with his preceptor until April, 1905, when the law firm of Duncan, Chalfant & Warne was formed, which continued until 1915, since which time he, Mr. Duncan and Boyd E. Warne, Esquire, have had their offices together and are now located in Court Square Arcade, Washington, Pennsylvania.On June 21, 1894, Mr. Chalfant was married to Miss Annie M. Baglin of Washington, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Orlando and Hannah Baglin. To Mr. and Mrs. Chalfant were born three children: Paul Sweitzer, born May 4, 1895; Ruth Hannah, born March 15, 1897; and Lois Irene, born May 25, 1905. Paul S. was educated in the public schools, Ohio Wesleyan University and Washington
and Jefferson College. He served for some time as a sergeant in Company M, Three Hundred and Thirtieth Infantry Regiment, of the National army, and was discharged November 22, 1917, to accept a commission and report for active duty in the Naval Reserve Force of the United States, from which he was honorably discharged at the termination of his enrollment, September 30, 1921, with the grade of lieutenant (J. G.) Supply Corps. On August 9, 1924, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Sheppard of Pittsburgh; Ruth H. graduated from the Washington Seminary, took a course at Oberlin College, and is now (1925) a student at the Boston University School of Religious Education and Social Service; Lois I. graduated from the Washington high school, the Washington Seminary and is now a sophomore at Ohio Wesleyan University. The family are all members of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Washington, Pennsylvania, in which the subject of this sketch has been a trustee for many years. He is also a member of Washington Lodge No.164, F. & A. M.