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biography
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Atkinson, George H., United States Inspector of Boilers for the Pittsburg District, and a native of Pittsburg,
was born in November, 1831, on Penn Avenue, below Fourth Street, son of James and Charlotte (Hirst) Atkinson. His grandfather, Henry Atkinson, described as a "regular Covenanter," thereby
implying a Scotch ancestry, followed farming for some time on Squirrel Hill. The father, who was born in the County Down, Ireland, in 1806, came with his parents in 1812 to Pittsburg., when the place
was a mere village. He was educated here, and his first work for wages was performed on the river steamers. In the course of time he became captain, in which capacity he was employed for many years.
After retiring from that occupation, he was appointed general agent of the Citizens’ Insurance Company which position he held for thirty-three years, witnessing in that period a large increase in the business of the company.
In politics he was a Democrat up to 1856, when the new Republican party was organized here. His wife, Charlotte, was born in Chambersburg, Pa., daughter of George Hirst, who served as a soldier in the Black Hawk War,
conducted a paper-mill in Lawrenceville, since annexed to the city, and was one of the first paper makers of Pittsburg, having been born near Philadelphia or Darby. She died at the age of sixty-seven years, leaving a family of six children.
Of these Henry and George H. are living. James Atkinson, Jr., the eldest of those who reached maturity, was for a number of years superintendent of the city water-works. Both parents were members of the Second Presbyterian Church.
Later they united with the Central Church. Later they united with the Central Church, in which the father was an Elder.
George H. Atkinson first attended the West Ward Public School, situated on Ferry Street. After the removal of his parents to Pitt township now the Eleventh Ward, his studies were continued in the schools of that locality,
and later he became a pupil of Duquesne College. Upon leaving the latter institution, he was apprenticed with Knapp, Ward & Co., and later with Knapp & Totten to learn engine building. Subsequently he went on
the river as an engineer, running boats from Pittsburg to New Orleans, across the Gulf, and to St. Paul and other places. When the Civil War broke out he joined the Mississippi squadron of the northern naval service,
and was the first assistant engineer successively on the ironclads "Pittsburg" and "Carondelet." After the fall of Vicksburg, in the siege of which he assisted, he was promoted to the post of chief
engineer. He was in the engagements at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Island No. 10, Fort Pillow, at Memphis and Vicksburg, and in the Red River expedition, besides many minor actions. Commissioned in September of 1861,
he had served in the war for more than four years when he was discharged in December, 1865. Soon after his return home he was appointed under President Johnson’s administration Inspector of Steamship Boilers for the Pittsburg District,
the largest district in the West excepting those of New Orleans and St. Louis. Since then he has held that position continuously, with the exception of two years during Mr. Cleveland’s first administration, thus being one of the oldest
of the Federal officers in point of service, and practically in the pay of the government since 1861. Mr. Atkinson is a member of Union Veteran Legion No. I, a life member of Washington Lodge, F. & A. M., and of Duquesne Chapter.
In 1861, Mr. Atkinson married Rosa M. Stewart. Having lost her father when quite young, she and her mother resided for a time with her grandfather, Archibald Kerr, well-known and esteemed in Washington, Pa. At a later date her mother
came to Pittsburg. Here subsequently Mrs. Atkinson taught school in the Seventh Ward, now the Eleventh Ward. Her parents were James and Malvina (Kerr) Stewart, both members of the Presbyterian church and throughout their lives active
workers in that society. Mrs. Atkinson has been the mother of four children. Of these two died in infancy, and a son, George died when twenty years of age. The fourth, Charlotte K., resides with her parents. The family, which formerly
dwelt on Centre Avenue, now lives in Park Place at the east side of Pittsburg, the most beautiful residential part of the city. Mr. Atkinson attends and supports the Presbyterian church, and his wife and daughter are prominent in the
church work and devoted to its interests. In politics he has always been an active Republican, and has been delegate to different conventions. He was a member of the Grand Central Republican Club, and was its vice-president during Lincoln’s first campaign.
Biographical review: containing life sketches of leading citizens of Pittsburg and the vicinity, Pennsylvania. Boston: Biographical Review Pub. Co., 1897, Author: Anonymous.
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