Stories

James Somerville, the grandfather, was born in County Down, Ireland, not far from Belfast, and was nineteen years of age when he came to the United States and settled near Worthington, Pa., where he claimed 400 acres. In the meanwhile he became lonely and went to Westmoreland county to marry Sarah Scott. While he was absent from his land another prospector came along and quietly settled on 200 acres of the tract, and thus James Somerville found but 200 unoccupied acres awaiting him when he...

James (Simeral - Irish Name) was born near Belfast, Ireland, in County Down, in 1764. James, it is reported got into trouble over poaching rabbits, and to escape he took a ship to America in 1790 when he was 26 yrs. old. Shooting rabbits on the King's land was a hanging offense. He married Sarah Scott at Greensburg, Pa. Sarah was born in 1774 in Westmoreland Co., Pa, and was a daughter of James Scott, who was born in Scotland.

James Summerville (Somerville) was a native of County Down, Ireland, and in 1782 came to America.  He got into some difficulty about shooting rabbits out of the hunting season and to avoid arrest he took passage on a vessel which was ready to sail for the New World.  He first located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania and on his arrival there his only possessions consisted of a dog and a gun.  After farming in that county for two years he removed to a place on Crooked Creek in Armstrong County...

Joseph Summerville was born on the old Summerville homestead near Worthington, PA. He became a carpenter and a farmer. In 1830 he came to Toby twp. in what is now Clarion Co. and bought a farm which was along Cherry Run. In June 1835 he married Mary Downs, a daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Davis) Downs who had emigrated to America in 1818 in a sailing vessel that took 18 weeks to cross the ocean. They landed at Baltimore and travelled to Armstrong Co., PA, in a covered wagon. Joseph and Mary...

The head of the Davidson's in Missouri was born in Virginia. His name was James Davidson, born March 25, 1789, died July 4, 1854. Polly Johnson, his consort, was born October 15, 1796 and died July 1, 1854. They were married December 3, 1812. Came to Missouri in 1830 and settled near Boles Gap on the Missouri River in Franklin County. Both died near there in 1854 during the cholera epidemic. The above information was written by Robert Billups Davidson, their grandson before his death in 1917.

The head of the Davidson's in Missouri was born in Virginia. His name was James Davidson, born March 25, 1789, died July 4, 1854. Polly Johnson, his consort, was born October 15, 1796 and died July 1, 1854. They were married December 3, 1812. Came to Missouri in 1830 and settled near Boles Gap on the Missouri River in Franklin County. Both died near there in 1854 during the cholera epidemic. The above information was written by Robert Billups Davidson, their grandson before his death in 1917.

Mary Margaret was born December 27, 1913, in Seattle to John & Gretchen McGinnis.  Her family moved to Ballard in 1923 when her father won a car in a raffle and they sold it and used the money to put a down payment on a house in Ballard.Mary was the oldest of three children.  Mary and her two sisters, Helen and Rita, attended St. Alphonsus Elementary School.  They went on to attend Holy Angels High School and Mary graduated in 1932.  Since money was scarce because of the depression, Mary...

From the Eau Claire Leader, 29 May 1900:Drowned While BathingEighteen-year-old William Fountain Meets Death While Swimming in the Chippewa RiverWm. Fountain about 18 years of age, an employee of the paper mill, was drowned while swimming the Chippewa Monday afternoon. Wearing only a pair of overalls, he had swum from the Dells rafting shed, West side, to the opposite bank and soon thereafter started to swim back to the West side. A short distance out from shore he was seized with cramps. Boys...