Surnames: Smith, Snyder, Galley, Stauffer
Phillip G Smith was born March 26, 1838, in Connellsville township, Fayette county, Penna, and is of German descent. He was educated in the common schools of his native township, and arriving at the age of maturity, he entered Waynesburg College. Here he remained for two terms.
He then entered Pleasant Valley Academy of Washington county, as an assistant teacher and as a pupil, and remained as such for seven months. After this he taught in the common schools of Washington and Fayette counties for twelve terms, farming in the summer time. In 1862 he attended the Normal School of Millsboro, Penna.January 1, 1863, he was married to Miss Hannah L Snyder, daughter of Jacob Snyder of near Perryopolis. Six children were the result of this union: Willie E Smith, Laurilla Smith, May Smith, Hattie Smith, Deborah Anna Smith, Hannah Catherine Smith, and Emma Dora Smith. Willie E Smith
died in 1878 at the age of fourteen years.Mr Smith is a member of the Harmony Church, Cumberland Presbyterian. He is a democrat, and has held the position of school director for one term and tax collector of Perry township for two terms. He engaged in merchandising in 1866 at California, Penna, and at Dawson's Station-now Dawson borough-in 1867-69. Afterwards for four or five years, he was engaged in farming. In January, 1888, he began the manufacture of red brick, near Dickenson, Penna, and still continues in this business, and has been quite successful. His works have a capacity of 700,000 bricks per annum.
The father of the subject of this sketch, Mr Jacob Smith, was born in the same township where his son was born-Connellsville-in 1799, and was a successful farmer up until his death in 1868. In 1820 he married Miss Catherine Galley. They had twelve children: Abraham Smith, Henry Smith,
Martha Smith, Eliza Smith, Joseph Smith, Samuel Smith, John Smith, Jonathan Smith, Jesse Smith, Philip G Smith, Mary Smith and an infant. Samuel, John, Jonathan, Martha, Abraham and the infant are dead.Mr Smith's mother was born in this county in 1801. For her ancestry, see the sketch of Hon H B Galley at another place in this volume.
Henry Smith, the grandfather of Peter G Smith, was born within the present limits of Fayette county in 1760; he was a farmer and one of the best in western Pennsylvania. He married a Miss Stauffer of Westmoreland county.
The great great grandfather of Philip G Smith came from German to America in 1700.