Mercer County PAGenWeb

James Bestwick, Sr


JAMES BESTWICK, [Sr.] farmer, post-office Hazzard, was born in Staffordshire, England, January 1, 1807, and in 1838 immigrated to America and located on a farm in what is now Worth Township, where he has since resided. His parents were James and Hester Bestwick, who came to America in 1834, and located on an adjoining farm. Hester Bestwick died in 1855, and James  died in 1882, at the age of ninety-nine years. Our subject, Jane, Mrs. G. W. Bright of Franklin, and Esther, Mrs. Hiram Clawson, of Michigan, are the only ones of their children that are living. In 1839 our subject married Miss Mary, daughter of Francis Huey, of Jackson Township. She died July 1, 1887, leaving four children: Ann, Mrs. Alex McKee, of Wolf Creek Township; Samuel C., of Jackson Township, who is an oil operator in Washington County, married Miss M. C. Taylor, daughter of Benjamin Taylor, of Jackson Township, and she, having died in 1868, leaving one child, Minnie A., he again married Mary Jane Crowley, daughter of Timothy Crowley, of Jackson Township, and has by her five children: Laura, Walter, Mary, Samuel, infant; James H., coal operator, Worth Township, married Eliza, daughter of Capt. James Zahniser; she died September 4, 1887, leaving eight children: Ella, Harry, Myrtle, Valentine, Clyde, James, Mary, Bessie; George, living on part of homestead, married Eliza Lewis, a native of Wales, who died May 4, 1888, leaving five children: Mary Jane, Warren, Charles, Lambert and an infant. Our subject owns the farm on which the Ormsby Coal Mine is situated, and is a member of the Democratic party.

History of Mercer County, 1888, page 1072


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