Descendants of Matthew HAIR & Mary ROBERTS

as of 30 November 2001

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Generation No. 1

1. MATTHEW² HAIR (JOHN¹) was born Nov 1791 in Somerset Co. PA, and died 1 Dec 1853 in Fairfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA¹. He married MARY ROBERTS ca 1815 in Somerset Co. PA. She was born ca 1796 in PA², and died Aft. 1860 in Fairfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA².

Matthew Hair built a red brick house in Jenner Twp. Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1817. I visited and photographed this house during the winter of 1995 and found it standing and in good condition. Following are links to four images of the house. In each case, use your browser’s "back" button to return to this page.

Approaching the house from the present driveway.

A closer view of the same.

The other side of the house. Note the stone sundial near the apex of the roof.

A close-up of the sundial. Note the initials "M.H." and the year 1817.

Matthew and Mary and their family moved to Fairfield (now St. Clair) Township in neighboring Westmoreland County. Many members of their large extended family were buried at the Laurel Hill Cemetery just outside of New Florence on the old Boswell Road in St. Clair Township. Follow this link for a view of the cemetery. There will also be links to images of individual tombstones throughout the outline.

Follow the links for outlines detailing the families of indicated children of Matthew and Mary Roberts Hair.

Children of MATTHEW HAIR and MARY ROBERTS are:

i. ISABELLA³ HAIR, b. ca 1816, Jenner Twp. Somerset Co. PA³; d. Aft. 1870⁴; m. (1) CALEB SLICK, ca 1834; b. ca 1809⁵; d. 1839, Jenner Twp. Somerset Co. PA⁶; m. (2) SAMUEL DEWITT, ca 1840; b. ca 1808, PA⁷; d. Aft. 1870⁷.

ii. MARY HAIR, b. 23 Aug 1817, Jenners Twp. Somerset Co. PA; d. 20 May 1860, Conemaugh Twp. Somerset Co. PA; m. LEVI GRIFFITH, 28 Sep 1837; b. 17 Dec 1816, Conemaugh Twp. Somerset Co. PA⁸; d. 6 Nov 1901, Somerset Co. PA^9,10.

iii. REBECCA J. HAIR, b. 9 Apr 1819, Jenners Twp. Somerset Co. PA¹¹; d. 27 May 1853¹²; m. HIRAM GRIFFITH; b. 1819, PA; d. Aft. 1860, (1860 res. Indiana Co. Cherryhill Twp.)¹³.

iv. GREGORY T. HAIR, b. 14 Jun 1821, Jenners Twp. Somerset Co. PA¹⁴; d. 26 Sep 1839¹⁵.

Notes for GREGORY T. HAIR:

Hopewell U.M. Church, Jenner Twp. Somerset, PA

GREGORY T. / SON OF MATHEW / & mary hair was Born /
June 14th 1821 / & Died in / THE TRIUMPHS / OF FAITH /
[stone broken]

View image of tombstone (Use your Browser's "Back" button to return to this page.)
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v. MARGARET W. HAIR, b. 1822, Jenners Twp. Somerset Co. PA; d. Aft. 1870; m. SAMUEL SHANNON; b. ca 1815; d. 30 Aug 1878, St. Clair Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA¹⁶.

vi. ESTHER ANN HAIR, b. 18 Jun 1823, Jenners Twp. Somerset Co. PA¹⁷; d. 12 May 1875, St. Clair Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA¹⁷; m. JOB DAVIS, ca 1844, Fairfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA; b. 1 Jan 1818, Fairfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA¹⁸; d. 29 Feb 1908, St. Clair Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA¹⁸.

vii. EDWARD HAIR, b. 1826, Jenners Twp. Somerset Co. PA; m. MARGARET (HAIR); b. 1828.

viii. JOHN ROBERT HAIR, b. 9 Mar 1829, Jenner Twp. Somerset Co. PA¹⁹; d. 9 Dec 1913, New Florence, Westmoreland Co. PA¹⁹; m. MARGARET ELIZABETH MCDOWELL, ca 1853²⁰; b. 27 Aug 1835, Ligonier, Westmoreland Co. PA²¹; d. 11 Jul 1904, New Florence, Westmoreland Co. PA²².

ix. MATTHEW SHAFTER HAIR, b. 25 Dec 1830, Jenner Twp. Somerset Co. PA²³; d. 26 Oct 1908, St. Clair Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA^24,25; m. (1) RACHEL PENROD, ca 1856; b. 20 Mar 1837; d. 4 Nov 1892, New Florence, Westmoreland Co. PA; m. (2) SARAH S. HULL, 28 Feb 1895²⁶; b. 7 Mar 1847, New Florence, Westmoreland Co. PA²⁷; d. 5 Sep 1916²⁸.

x. JAMES LEWIS HAIR, b. 30 Aug 1831, Jenner Twp. Somerset Co. PA²⁹; d. 29 Nov 1910, Burrell Twp. Indiana Co. PA²⁹; m. (1) CLEMENSA ANN CALDWELL, 4 Jan 1857, West Fairfield U.P. Church³⁰; b. 1840, St. Clair Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA; d. ca 1876, St. Clair Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA³¹; m. (2) LAVINA J. LICHTENFELS, ca 1877³²; b. Aug 1841, West Wheatfield Twp. Indiana Co. PA³²; d. Oct 1918, Derry, Westmoreland Co. PA³³.

xi. WILLIAM H. H. HAIR, b. 31 Dec 1836, Jenners Twp. Somerset Co. PA; d. 10 Oct 1858, St. Clair Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA³⁴.

Notes for WILLIAM H. H. HAIR:

Laurel Hill Cemetery, St. Clair Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA:

In memory of / WM. H.H. HAIR. / DIED / Oct. 10, 1858. /
Aged 21 Years 9 ms. & / 10 days.

View image of tombstone (Use your Browser's "Back" button to return to this page.)
________________________________________________

xii. SARAH JANE HAIR, b. 1839, Jenners Twp. Somerset Co. PA.

Notes for MATTHEW HAIR:

History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton counties (PA) published originally 1884 by Waterman, Watkins Co., facsimile reprint 1976, p. 504:

[from Chapter LXI, Jenner Twp. Somerset County, PA] [capital letters are mine, added for emphasis-ed.]

"The early settlers of this township were the Reeds, Boyds, Covers, Hoffmans, Duncans, Hanlines, Ankenys, HARES and others. Most of the pioneers of this locality came from Brother's Valley and other early settled portions of Somerset county.

The following is the assessor's list of taxable inhabitants of Jenner township, for the year 1817:

Edw. Hair, Matthew Hair, John Hair..."

p. 509: "Hopewell Methodist Episcopal Church"

Moses Fream, who had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Hagerstown, Maryland, settled within one mile of where the church now stands, in the year 1792, and built what was then considered a large log house. In the second story he taught the first school that was opened in the township, and the same room was used for preaching by the Methodist itinerants. As the Fream family of twelve children grew up they all became members of the church, AND WERE ALSO JOINED BY EDWARD, MATHEW AND JOHN HARE and Samuel Duncan and their families. They continued to worship in Fream's house until the year 1827, when the first Hopewell church was built, two miles north of Quemahoning. It was built of hewed logs and lined with boards, and had a shingle roof. THE LOT ON WHICH THE CHURCH STANDS AND THE BURYING GROUND ADJOINING WERE SOLD BY MATTHEW HARE AND WIFE to Samuel Duncan, John Hare and William Dalley, a son-in-law of Moses Fream, who were the first trustees. The deed bears the date May 31, 1827, and the price paid was five dollars.
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1820 PA Census: Somerset Co. Jenner Twp. p. 148, line 20
Series M33, roll 111:

Mathew HARE
Males: 1 (26-45)
Females: 3 (<10); 1 (16-26)
1 engaged in agriculture
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1830 PA Census: Somerset Co. Jenner Twp. p. 118:

Matthew HAIR
Males: 2 (<5); 1 (5-10); 1 (30-40)
Females: 1 (<5); 2 (5-10); 1 (10-15); 1 (30-40)
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1840 PA Census: Somerset County, Jenner Twp, p. 117:

Mathew HARE
Males: 1 (<5); 2 (5-10); 1 (10-15); 1 (15-20); 1 (40-50)
Females: 1 (<5); 1 (10-15); 1 (15-20); 1 (40-50)
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1843 PA Tax List: Westmoreland Co. Fairfield Twp:

HAIR, Mathew: Farmer (40); 150 acres (4); saw mill (80); 2 horses (35); 2 cows (8)
HAIR, Jane: 1 horse (35); 1 cow (8)
HAIR, William: Farmer (40); 100 acres (4); 1 horse (35); 1 cow (8)
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1850 PA Census: Fairfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. p. 137 family #381:

Matthew HARE, 59, b. Pa
Mary, 56
John, 21; Matthew, 18, Farmer; James, 15, Farmer; William, 12; Sarah, 11
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1851 Tax record: Fairfield Twp. Westm. Co. PA:

Matthew HAIR: $7.53
Henry HAIR: 2.76
Edward HAIR: .36
John HAIR: .36
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CERTIFICATE OF DEATH.
STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, WESTMORELAND COUNTY, SCT.

In accordance with the requirements of the 4th section of an Act, passed 12th January, 1852, entitled "An Act to provide for a registration of Deaths, &c." I James Haney of Fairfield township hereby return to you the death of Mathew Hair late of same Township, deceased.

1. Full name of deceased, Mathew Hair
2. Color, white
3. Sex, male
4. Age, about 62 yrs 1 mo
5. Name of Father of deceased, Mathew [this is an error--should be John - ed.]
6. Name of Mother of deceased, [blank]
7. Occupation of deceased, Farmer
8. Place of birth, Somerset Co. Pa.
9. Name of wife of dec'd. if married, Mary Hair
10. Name of issue living, Edwd., Mathew, James, Wm and four daughters
11. Date of birth, [blank]
12. Date of death, about Thursday 1st Dec. 1853
13. Cause of death, disease of the stomach
14. Name of place in which the person died, Fairfield Tp.
15. Name and location of burial ground, Methodist. Fairfield Tp.

AND FURTHER, I do certify that the facts set forth in the above Return, are correct and true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Witness my hand and seal this 12th day of December, A.D. 1853

James Haney {SEAL}

Sworn & subscribed before me,

Edward J. Keenan, Dp. Register of Wills, &c.
______________________________________________________

Deed: Westmoreland County, PA [abstract]

Samuel Shannon et ux. et al.
To
Levi Griffith, et al.

25 June 1855

Between Samuel Shannon & Margaret his wife; Samuel Dewitt and Isabella his wife; Job Davis and Hester Ann his wife; John Hair and Margaret his wife, and Matthew Hair all of Fairfield Twp., Westmoreland Co., PA of the First Part,

and

Levi Griffith of Conemaugh Twp. Somerset Co. PA and James Hair of Fairfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. PA of the Second Part.

Parties of the first part (for $1250.00 paid by the parties of the second part), sell unto the parties of the second part three tracts of land, as follows:

1. Beginning at a post thence by land of Tobias Hull South 54 degrees west 90 perches to a post, South 20 degrees east 33 perches to stones, then by land of Edward Hair South 78 degrees west 40 perches to a post, North 35 degrees west 15 perches to a post, South 57 degrees west 68 perches to a Hickory, then by land of James Haney North 29 degrees west 22 perches to a post, North 55 degrees west 50 perches to a post, then by land of John Caldwell and John Hull North 26 degrees east 216 perches to a red oak and then by land of William Caldwell South 48 degrees east 174 perches to the beginning, containing 165 acres and 3 Roods. See Deed of 27 January 1847.

2. Beginning at a post, then by lands of E. Hoover and Company, South 38 degrees east 132 perches to stones, South 41 degrees west 323 perches to stones, then by lands of Matthiot and Paulls North 31 degrees west 112 perches to stones then by land of George Decker North 41 degrees east 123 perches to a Chestnut, North 38 degrees west 20 perches to a white oak, and then by lands of Samuel Shannon north 41 degrees east 200 perches to the Beginning containing 231 acres and 90 perches, and allowance being part of the William Coudy Tract. See Deed of 8 September 1851 from Jacob D. Mathiot and others to Matthew Hair.

3. Beginning at stones then by land of Matthew Hair South 19 degrees east 30 perches then by land of Tobias Hull, North 52 degrees east 20 perches then by the Johnstown road north 27 degrees east 56 perches to a locust and then by land of Matthew Hair South 55 degrees west 68 perches to the Beginning containing 8 acres 119 perches being part of the Robert Hice tract. See Deed of November 10th 1837* [smudged, might be 1851] from Tobias & Mary Hull to Matthew Hair.

Each of these tracts is located in Fairfield Twp. Westmoreland County, Pa.

Signed by the following in the presence of witnesses: E.W. McKelvey, William H. Hair.

Samuel Shannon, Margaret Shannon
Samuel Dewitt, Isabella "her X mark" Dewitt
Job "his X mark" Davis, Hester Ann "her X mark" Davis
John Hair, Margaret Elizabeth "her X mark" Hair
Mathew Hair

Received on the date above written, from Levi Griffith and James Hair, the sum of $1250.00.

Witness present at signing: William H. Hair.

Samuel Dewitt, Isabella "her X mark" Dewitt
Samuel Shannon, Margaret Shannon
Job "his X mark" Davis, Hester Ann "her X mark" Davis
John Hair
______________________________________________________

Westmoreland County, PA Probate Record

August Term, A.D. 1855

To the Honorable the Judges of the Orphans Court of Westmoreland County.

The petition of Levi Griffith and James Hair Respectfully represent,

That Mathew Hair late of Fairfield Township Westmoreland County died intestate seized in fee of in and to the following real estate to wit a certain tract of land situate in Fairfield Township Westmoreland County containing two hundred and thirty one acres more or less adjoining lands of Samuel Shannon, George Decker, William Decker & others.

Also a certain tract of land situate in Fairfield Township Westmoreland county containing one hundred Seventy acres more or less bounded by lands of William Hair, James Haney, John Caldwell, John Hall, William Caldwell, Tobias Hull & others.

That said intestate left a widow named Mary & the following children Viz: eleven as follows
Isabella, married to Samuel Dewitt
Mary, married to Levi Griffith
Edward
Margaret, married to Samuel Shannon
John
Hester Ann, married to Job Davis
Mathew
James
William
Sarah Jane
Rebecca, who was married to Hiram Griffith; the said Rebecca is now dead leaving her husband & seven children all minors to wit: George, Mathew, Nathan, William H., James L., Margaret Jane & Dorinda.

That your petitioners have purchased the interest of the following named heirs in both tracts to wit: Samuel Dewitt & Isabella his wife, Edward, John, Job Davis & Hester Ann his wife, Mathew, Samuel Shannon and Margaret his wife.

They therefore pray the Court to award an inquest to make partition of the said Real Estate amongst the Several heirs according to law. And they will pray &C

Levi Griffith
James C. Hair

21 August 1855 Inquest awarded personal notice to be given to all the heirs of full age and notice be served on William Caldwell guardian of Wm. H. Hair and Sarah Jane Hair & on William Caldwell appointed Guardian of Mathew, Nathan, William, James, Margaret Jane, Florinda [previously, this name read "Dorinda"-ed.] and George Griffith.

[following is an abstract of a longer section]

Inquisition was taken at the late dwelling house of Mathew Hair in the Twp. of Fairfield, Co. of Westmoreland on the 30th of October, 1855 before William Welsh, High Sheriff, annexed by the oaths and affirmations of twelve free honest and lawful men of this bailiwick, as follows: John Caldwell Esq., James Mathews, John M. Smith, Isaac Decker, Archabel Mathews, David B. Caldwell, William G. Hair, Tobias Hull, George S. Peoples, John Trimble, William Brown, George Mechling, Esq.

They there "did find that the same lands and tenements with their appurtenances could not be parted and divided to and a mong the widow and all the children of the said deceased without prejudice to or spoiling of the whole thereof." They then further found "that the said lands and tenements with their appurtenances will accommodate two of the children of the said deceased."
______________________________________________________

Notes for MARY ROBERTS:

1860 PA Census: Westmoreland Co. St. Clair Twp. Family #464:

James HAIR, 25, Farmer, 1800/200, Pa.
Clemma, 20
Wm. H., 2; John R., 1
Mary, 64, Boarder *****
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of possible interest:

"Somerset Past: The History and Genealogy of Somerset County, Pennsylvania"

Volume 2, #1, Apr 1982:
Land Warrants, Survey Book 1, p. 88:

JOHN ROBERTS: 315 3/4 acres, called "Seige", on the east side of Stony Creek about 2 miles below the Allegheny Branch in Quemahoning Twp, Bedford County, adjoining lands of John SHOEMAKER, and vacant lands. Surveyed 5 Jan 1775 on a warrant dated 20 Jun 1774.
_________________________________________

of possible interest:

"Somerset Past: The History and Genealogy of Somerset County, Pennsylvania"

Volume 4, #4, Jan 1985:
Somerset County Land Liens, 1868:

ROBERTS, Hugh: 400 acres in Quemahoning Twp. warranted 10 Mar 1794.
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Endnotes

1. Tombstone: Laurel Hill Cemetery, New Florence, PA
2. 1860 Census: resided with family of son James
3. 1850 PA Census
4. 1870 PA Census
5. Ancestral File
6. Estate 31 of 1839; Somerset County, PA
7. 1870 PA Census
8. 1880 PA Census: Somerset Co. North Jenner Distr. (Series T9, roll 1195), ed 10, p. 15, lines 21-25, dwelling 116, families 136 & 137, 18 June 1880, "Levi GRIFFITH, 63, married, Farming, Pa/Pa/Pa."
9. Buried Hopewell Cemetery, near Boswell, PA
10. The Johnstown "Tribune", obituary, issue of 6 November 1901, p. 3.
11. reckoned from death date on tombstone
12. tombstone
13. 1860 PA Census
14. tombstone
15. reckoned by age on tombstone
16. OC 9, p. 138 regarding Samuel Shannon's estate; Westmoreland County Courthouse
17. Tombstone: Laurel Hill Cemetery, New Florence, PA
18. Death certificate
19. Death Certificate.
20. 1900 Census
21. Death certificate
22. Tombstone: Laurel Hill Cemetery, New Florence, PA; death certificate says date of death was 21 Jul 1904
23. Death Certificate.
24. The Johnstown "Tribune", obituary, issue of 27 October 1908, p. 1.
25. Death Certificate.
26. Westm. Co. marriage record
27. 1900 Census
28. Laurel Hill Cemetery; New Florence, Westmoreland Co. PA; will gives full date of death
29. Death Certificate.
30. West Fairfield Church records
31. Husband married second wife 1877
32. 1900 Census
33. Blairsville Cemetery
34. Tombstone: Laurel Hill Cemetery, New Florence, PA


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