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HON. JONATHAN ALLISON, deceased, who was one of Washington's most prominent citizens, formerly president of
the Allison Land Company and vice-president of the Citizens' National Bank of Washington, for many years was active
in the development of Washington County and its resources. He was born in Chartiers Township, Washington County,
Pa., February 3, 1828, and was a son of Thomas and Mary (Johnson) Allison. His death occurred December 17, 1908,
He was of Scotch descent, his ancestors having left Scotland for North Ireland at an early day because of religious
persecution. His grandfather, James Allison, was born in Ireland and emigrated to America in colonial days, and
was one of the very earliest pioneers of Washington County, settling in the woods in 1773, and was a very important
factor in its early development.
Jonathan Allison received an elementary education in the district schools of Chartiers Township and this was supplemented
by a course in Jefferson College, which institution be entered at the age of seventeen years. He continued his
studies there for two years, when, on account of the death of a brother, it was necessary for him to return home
and for a number of years afterward he devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He purchased a farm of 148 acres
from William Hopkins, which was situated about one mile from his birth place, and after a residence there of eight
years. bought a part of his grandfather's old farm, from the Andrew Allison estate, It was on this farm that his
grandfather. late in the eighteenth century, had discovered coal, which was the first found in Washington County.
anti he mined some for use in blacksmithing. hauling it a considerable distance and selling it then for twenty-five
cents a bushel, It was not until some years later that it was used for house fuel, and not until the advent of
the Chartiers Valley Railroad, in 1812, that it was mined on an extensive scale. With the construction of the railroad,
Jonathan Allison saw the opportunity of developing the rich underlying vein, and he soon bad. operations under
way that supplied the borough of Washington with bituminous coal, sold quantities at other near points and aim
shipped to lake ports, even as far as Chicago. He continued his activities in the ocal business until 1891, employing
some fifty men at the mines and shipping millions of bushels per annum. In that year he sold out to J. V. H. Cook
& Sons, of Canonsburg, Pa., and retired from the coal business. In 1887 be moved his place of residence to
Washiugtou, purchasing the old Acheson homestead at No. 101 South Wade avenue, where his widow now resides. He
entered actively into the affairs of the borough, and in 1886 became identified with one of its most substantial
financial institutions, the Citizens' National Bank, of which he was one of the original stockholders, and later
its vice president.
On April 7, 1857, Mr. Allison was united in marriage with Miss Margaret G. Gabby, and to them were born the following
children: Mary, who died at the age of four years; Maggie, who died at Canonsburg, was the wife of William Dickson;
Albert; Thomas, who is deceased; Edward and William, twins, the former of whom is a practicing physician, a graduate
of the Pittsburg Medical College; John B., who is teller in the Citizens' National Bank of Washington; Ralph, who
is a well known attorney at law, practicing at Butler, Pa.; and Jennie. Of the above family, William Allison was
drowned in 1881, on his way home from school, by accidentally falling from a foot log while he was crossing a creek.
In his political affiliation, Mr. Allison was a Whig until the organization of the Republican party, since which
time he was one of its adherents. He was elected to the office of school director the year he cast his first ballot
and served in that capacity for many years. In 1872 and 1873, he served his township as. justice of the peace,
but resigued that office to accept that of State Representative, to which he was first elected in 1812, serving
two terms in a manner which gained him the approval and good will of his constituents. During his tenure of office
he was the only representative in the General Assembly from Washington County. He was long recognized as a man
of exceptional ability and Washington County gladly accords him a place among her representative men.
From:
20th Century History Of The City of
Washington and Washington County Pennsylvania
and Representative Citizens
By: Joseph F. McFarland
Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co.
Chicago, Illinois, 1910
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