Surnames: Bailey, Gregg, Gaddis, Barton, Hawkins, Luse, Morris, Rinehart,
Ellis B Bailey, farmer and stock grower, was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, November 21, 1824, and is a son of Eli Bailey and Peria Gregg Bailey. His parents were natives of Chester County, Penna, were members of the Society of Friends and of English descent. His father was a farmer. Mr Bailey's ancestors were among the earliest settlers in Greene County and often had to flee to the forts for protection. His father died in 1854 in Fayette County, where he had resided since 1837. His family consisted of ten children, eight of whom grew to maturity. Of theseEllis B Bailey was the sixth. He was reared in Fayette County, attended Madison College and had entered the senior year when he left school and commenced farming and stock growing. He has made his own way in the world and is among the wealthiest men in Greene County, owning over 1,000 acres of well improved land. He is a man possessed of more than ordinary energy, his success in life having been due largely to his strong determination to succeed, coupled with a willing disposition to work.
His business life has not, however, all been sunshine. He lost $23,000 by the failure of the Exchange Bank of Waynesburg, and $2,000 by the destruction of his wool in a big fire at Boston. But every reverse in business seemed only to make him more determined and to add new strength to his ambition. He has devoted his time to farming, stock dealing and buying land, and he has dealt considerably in wool. He was never given much to speculating; but gave his business close attention and careful oversight, and has succeeded in accumulating a handsome fortune.
He was married in Fayette County, Penna, March 7, 1850, to Harriet Gaddis, daughter of John Gaddis and Sarah Barton Gaddis. Her parents were Quakers and of English descent.
Mr and Mrs Bailey have six sons and two daughters: William H Bailey; John E Bailey; Joseph E Bailey; George E Bailey; Eli F Bailey; Richard L Bailey; Sarah F Bailey, wife of Thomas H Hawkins; and Anna R Bailey, wife of George F Luse. The two daughters and three sons are married; all are intelligent businessmen and good citizens. In politics Mr Bailey has been a Whig and a Republican. He has served nine years as school director in Cumberland Township. All the family are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr Bailey has been elder and superintendent of the Sabbath school.
J E Bailey, farmer and stock grower, was born in Cumberland Township, Greene County, May 22, 1858. He is a son of Ellis B Bailey, whose biography appears in this volume. He is the fourth in a family of eight children. He received a common school education and also attended Greene Academy at Carmichaels, Penna. Mr Bailey married Miss Ella Morris, daughter of J M
Morris and Charlotte Rinehart Morris. They have one child, Earl Bailey, an interesting little fellow of four years. Mrs Bailey's father, Morris Morris, is a prominent farmer and stock grower of Greene Township, and one of its most influential citizens. He is an ardent Democrat and has taken an active part in the politics of the county. Mr Bailey is a representative young man of his township, is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Presbyterian Church.George E Bailey, farmer and stock grower, son of Ellis B Bailey and Harriet Gaddis Bailey, was born in Cumberland Township, Greene County, Penna, December 8, 1860. His father is a prominent farmer and resides in this township. George E Bailey is the fifth in a family of eight
children. After attending the district school, he entered Greene Academy at Carmichaels, and subsequently attended Monongahela College at Jefferson, Penna. He is an industrious, energetic young man, and has made farming and the raising of fine stock a decided success. He spent the
summer of 1883 in the South and West, as the general agent of a large book publishing establishment of Philadelphia. In politics Mr Bailey is a Republican, and he is a zealous and active member of the Presbyterian Church.