Surnames: Hagerty, Johnson, Fell, Bake, Jones
Thomas Hagerty, a successful trader and one of Fayette City's leading citizens, is a native of Fayette county. He is a son of William Hagerty and Elizabeth Johnson Hagerty, and was born July 22, 1820.His father, William Hagerty, was a native of Ireland, and with his mother emigrated to the United States at fourteen years of age and settled in Fayette county. His wife was Elizabeth Johnson, a descendant of one of the early families of Washington county.
Thomas Hagerty was reared on a farm, and obtained a fair education in the subscription schools of the neighborhood. At the age of eighteen he was apprenticed to his elder brothers, Robert Hagerty and Samuel Hagerty, to learn the trade of stonemason. After three years' service as an apprentice, he engaged in business for himself and has continued successfully at his trade up to the present time.
He was married March 18, 1851, to Miss Rizpah Fell of Westmoreland county. They had ten children: Linda Hagerty, Omer E Hagerty, Elizabeth Hagerty, Mina Hagerty, Rena Hagerty, Ollie Hagerty, Ella Hagerty, and three who died in infancy. Mrs Hagerty died July, 1874.
Two years later Mr Hagerty again married; his second wife was Mrs Elizabeth Bake, whose maiden name was Jones. They have two children: Bertha Hagerty and Alva Hagerty. Mrs Elizabeth Hagerty is a daughter of Samuel Jones of Westmoreland county. Her first husband was John Bake, deceased. By him she had two children: Edgar J Bake and Frank L Bake, both married, the former living in Fayette and the latter in Westmoreland county.
Mr Hagerty owns a comfortable home and twenty two acres of well improved land on which he has opened a coal mine. He has held the ordinary offices of the borough and discharged their duties in a satisfactory manner.