James McGuire    

In the other end of town [New Brighton] JAMES MCGUIRE must be listed as an early settler by virtue of the Borough’s annexation in 1915 of a portion of one of the tracts upon which he made settlement and built his log cabin home. It was one of the largest ever erected in Beaver County and stood on tract number 96 south of the Mercer Road below the reservoir. He was the first Catholic to locate in Beaver County. As the incidents of his flight from Ireland to Pennsylvania are allied with those of Hugh White, a member of another pioneer family, some of whose relatives have long been local residents, a brief narration is of interest. The family of Thomas White, Sr., was well to do and had for generations manufactured fine linens in “Old Erin” where religious and political trouble was ever rife. However, the White family had remained fairly neutral, and Thomas Jr., was in charge of the factory. The latter’s brother, Hugh, though was not in sympathy with the English government, for he was the author of some pamphlets severely criticizing existing conditions in Ireland. After a particularly stinging attack was written, search was made for him and his companion, James McGuire.  Learning of this, White hid the offending document in the thatched roof of the family factory, where it was soon discovered by the soldiers. They arrested the brother, Thomas, and despite his innocence he was finally transported to Van Dieman’s land where he died. Hugh White and McGuire fled; and when closely pressed, disappeared into a blacksmith’s shop where they were industriously working when the soldiers came. The constabulary were sent on a false errand while the two men planned to come to America. With the connivance of friends they were hid in large crates of goods to be exported.

The fugitives were soon on shipboard where friends released them. McGuire remained a short time near Philadelphia and then came to the Beaver Valley where he made settlement about 1796 upon tracts 96 and 97, consisting of about 500 acres. A few years later he walked to Philadelphia while his wife rode horseback, and purchased a third tract, number 98, extending northward to the Eastvale dam. The date of the deed for the latter is November 19, 1800. About 200 acres are still owned by his descendants.

James McGuire was survived by five children (1) James whose descendants became boat builders at Bridgewater, and about 75 years ago, all removed to the middle west. (2) Hugh, who remained upon the land of his father, and was the great-grandfather of Mrs. T. F. Covert. (3) Nancy, wife of Edward Daugherty, of whose children—if any—nothing is known. (4) Margaret, wife of William Van Kirk, ancestors of the Lambert family of Aliquippa, and (5) Elizabeth, wife of John Graham, progenitors of Greta C. and Louis E. Graham, of Beaver.

Hugh White also came to Beaver County, locating at Wallace’s Run where he joined his brother, John White, the first settler of that neighborhood who was the great-grandfather of Charles H. Kennedy, Esq.   Mrs. T. Frank Covert a descendant of James McGuire, resides on a 15 acre plot of the original holdings within the borough.

History of New Brighton 1838-1939, published by the Historical Committee of the Centennial, Butler, PA, pages 45-46. More Beaver County History Books  Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file! Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com