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biography
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Van Kirk Family, At the time of the Whiskey Insurrection in western Pennsylvania, the
ferry across the Monongahela above Elizabeth near present Lock No 3, a
crossing known as McFarlane's Ferry, was operated by Major John Walker
and there he ferried many of the soldiers across who were bound for the
seat of war. This Major John Walker was the maternal grandfather of
Samuel Walker Van Kirk of Elizabeth, Penna, formerly of the mercantile
firm of Van Kirk & Walker. The Walkers came to western Pennsylvania from
Delaware, the Van Kirks from New Jersey.
The early Van Kirk settler was Joseph Van Kirk who at an early date made
his way on horseback from New Jersey to Allegheny county, Penna. He was a
young man of education and for a time taught a school located about seven
miles from Elizabeth. Surveying was also one of his accomplishments and
many of the present township and county lines were run by him as well as
many farm boundaries of the district. He owned a farm of about two
hundred acres largely cleared and brought under cultivation by himself
and sons. On this he built a long one story house of logs which he later
covered with weather boards. This farm, adjoining Round Hill Church
grounds, was a favorite stopping place for travelers who were mostly
hospitably entertained by their educated and genial host. He was a
scribe for the surrounding neighborhood, writing deeds, contracts, and
legal papers for the farmers as well as doing their surveying. He died
about 1845, death resulting from a stroke of apoplexy. He married a Miss
Williams who long survived him. Children: William K Van Kirk; Gertrude
Van Kirk married Isaac Wycoff, a farmer near Elizabeth where both died;
Joseph Van Kirk, a farmer who lived to be ninety years of age, dying near
Elizabeth; Asher Van Kirk lived to be over eighty years of age, dying is
McKeesport but spending his active life as a farmer; John Van Kirk moved
to Ohio where he died; Samuel Van Kirk lived to the age of ninety two
years, dying on his farm near Elizabeth.
William K Van Kirk, eldest son of Joseph Van Kirk, was born in West
Newston, Penna, April 22, 1799, died in Elizabeth, November 11, 1881. He
obtained a good education under his father's teachings and in the
neighborhood schools and until his marriage was his father's assistant on
the farm and on his surveying trips. After his marriage he located at
Millsboro, Washington county, Penna, where he worked in the shipyards,
aiding in the construction of the flatboats used in the early days. He
also built or helped to build some of the small river steamboats. In 1839
he moved to Elizabeth where he bought a house built in 1810 by Mr
McConnell from New Jersey, the house adjoining the hotel kept by his
father-in-law, John Walker. This site on Water Street, Elizabeth, is now
occupied by his son, Samuel Walker Van Kirk. In Elizabeth William K Van
Kirk engaged in mercantile business at the corner of Market and Second
Streets; then after many years of successful trading, he retired and
passed his life after relieved of business cares. He was a member of the
Masonic order, a Republican in politics, and both he and his wife were
members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and both are buried in the
old Walker burial plot.
William K Van Kirk married Matilda Walker, born in Elizabeth township,
Allegheny county, Penna, January 5, 1805, died August 21, 1874, daughter
of Major John Walker and Diana Craighead Walker. John Walker was born in
Wilmington, Delaware county, Penna, coming when young to western
Pennsylvania. For a time he operated McFarlane's Ferry across the
Monongahela River, later settling in Elizabeth. In 1819 he built a brick
hotel on the site overlooking the river that is still standing, and there
for many years conducted a well-patronized and popular house of
entertainment for travellers. He was also engaged with his
brother-in-law, John Craighead, in the lumber business. He died June 4,
1856, aged eighty six years, three months, twenty six days. He married
Diana Craighead who died October 7, 1853, aged seventy three years, five
months, and four days.
Seven children: Samuel Walker, a steamboat builder, died in Elizabeth;
Mary Walker married Solomon Speer and died in Peoria, Illinois; Matilda
Walker married William K Van Kirk; Sarah Walker married Dr William
Penniman and died in Elizabeth; Diana Walker married Samuel Frew and died
in western Pennsylvania; John Walker, a merchant died in Colorado, aged
ninety three years; Robert C Walker, a major in the Union army during the
Civil War, died in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Children of William K Van Kirk and Matilda Walker Van Kirk: Angeline Van
Kirk married her cousin, John S Walker, died at their residence. Walker's
Heights, Elizabeth; Samuel Walker Van Kirk, and two who died in infancy.
Samuel Walker Van Kirk, only son of William K Van Kirk and Matilda Walker
Van Kirk, was born in Millsboro, Washington county, Penna, April 22,
1832, and now at the age of eighty two is living retired after an active
business career, in the house built in 1810 and purchased by his father
in 1839, adjoining the old brick hotel erected by is grandfather, Major
John Walker. He remodeled and enlarged the house in 1875, and there
venerable in years, honored by his townsmen and highly respected wherever
known, he resides living anew the scenes of his youth, memory being aided
by the scenes and surroundings to which he came as a boy of seven years.
He attended in youth the public schools and Sewickley Academy, then
presided over by Dr Trevella. He then entered Waynesburg College,
continuing until twenty years of age, then entered his uncle's employ in
1852 as clerk in the latter's store in Elizabeth. A few years later he
formed a partnership with his cousin Samuel Walker, and established a
general store in Elizabeth and as Van Kirk & Walker they conducted a very
profitable business for thirty five years. In 1899 this long and mutually
agreeable and prosperous partnership was dissolved and Mr Van Kirk
retired to a well-earned relief from business cares. At the time of his
retirement he was one of the oldest merchants of his town and one who had
aided in every movement for the improvement or advancement of his town.
Mr Van Kirk married December 15, 1864, Florence Power, born in Elizabeth
township, daughter of John Power and Mary Howell Power, of an old and
respected Allegheny county family. The venerable couple wil on December
15, of the present year 1914, celebrate the golden anniversary of their
marriage.
Children: Edward Van Kirk, now connected with the Air Brake Department of
the Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Company, married Catherine
Smalley and resides with his father. Children: William K Van Kirk; Helen
Catherine Van Kirk. Alice Van Kirk married George T Richards, formerly of
the firm Drake, Stratton & Company, now residing in Philadelphia.
Children: Florence Richards; George Richards; John Van Kirk Richards;
Balleck R Richards; Gwynne Richards, Wayne Richards. William Van Kirk,
accidentally killed at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893.
Genealogical and personal history of western Pennsylvania; Vol. 2
Author: Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921
Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915, New York, p637.
Contributed by Marta Burns.
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