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biography
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Wall Family, The ancestry of this family in America dates from an early period in the
history of the country. In 1640 Lady Deborah Moody, the widow of a
Wiltshire baronet, organized an association of some fifty persons who
came to America and among them was Walter Wall. This association first
established at Lynn, Massachusetts, remaining there until 1643 when they
removed to Gravesend on Long Island. In the latter part of 1657 Walter
Wall and others emigrated to New Jersey with their families where they
made a purchase embracing the present county of Middlesex and part of the
county of Monmouth.
Walter Wall purchased a large tract in the neighborhood of Middletown on
a portion of which was known as Wall's mill and later Van Meeter's/Van
Meter's mill, was born General Garret D Wall, who served for several
years as a member of the United States Senate, and in the several
divisions of town lots and outlands of Middletown, Walter Wall found
himself the possessor of much valuable land.
Here is son Garret Wall became a man of some prominence in public
affairs, his name being mentioned in Middletown Townbook as receiver of
taxes, and his son Jarat Wall, or Jarret Wall, was among the leading
citizens who resisted the unjust demands of the proprietary in 1700-1701.
James Wall, son of Humphrey Wall, and grandson of Jarret Wall, above
mentioned together with his brother, Walter Wall, moved from their New
Jersey homes in 1766 to find greater freedom and change of scene in the
then western wilds, west of the mountains.
Arriving at the forks of the Yough, as it was then called, which included
that portion of the counties of Allegheny and Westmoreland now lying
between the Youghiogheny and Monongahela Rivers, comprising the townships
of Lincoln, Elizabeth and Forward in Allegheny county and Rostraver
township in Westmoreland county, they built cabins, cleared the land and
commenced the cultivation of the frontier land surrounded by Indians and
the wild animals of the forest.
In the spring of 1769 they revisited New Jersey and in the fall of the
same year returned to their homes with their families. Several other New
Jersey families came with them, among them: Applegates, Pierces,
Ketchams, Johnsons, Imlays, Smiths and others, some of whose descendants
still reside in the district.
The region known as Yohogania and Rostraver being mainly settled by
emigrants from New Jersey caused it to be called the New Jersey
Settlement at an early day, a name still familiar to the present
generation.
Owing to the land controversy which existed for a period of over thirty
years between the authorities of Pennsylvania on one hand and those of
Virginia on the other, titles to land could not be obtained with any
degree of certainty until after the year 1784. Warrants were granted by
the land department of Pennsylvania to James Wall and Walter Wall for
322 acres 64 perches and allowance each under the date July 10, 1786, and
the farm on which James Wall settled is now owned by William Caldwell and
Stephen Applegate.
James Wall married Catherine Van Eman, a sister of George Van Eman, the
grandfather of the Hon George Van Eman Lawrence of Monongahela City,
Penna, and had eight children: Walter Wall; William Wall; Garret Wall;
Nicholas Wall; Andrew Wall; Naomi Wall; Mary Wall and Hannah Wall.
James Wall died on the homestead farm, May 20, 1811, and his widow a few
years later. He was known for his hospitality and genial disposition; was
a strict observer of the laws of God and of man, honest in business, kind
to his family and good to the poor. He took considerable part in public
affairs.
Garrett Wall was born July 13, 1778, married February 16, 1800,. Mary
Sparks, daughter of Colonel Richard Sparks of the US Army, and resided on
the farm given his wife by her father. Here the late Colonel Brisben
Wall, son of Garrett Wall, was born and this property he owned up to the
time of his decease.
Garrett Wall was a man of sterling character and ability; was possessed
of considerable literary taste and a good knowledge of common law, and
was an uncompromising adherent of the principles of virtue and morality.
He served in the War of 1812 as quartermaster of Colonel Ferree's
regiment, P V I, and filled the office of justice of the peace for many
years, up to the time of his decease. He built a sawmill on his farm in
1829 run by waterpower which was operated by him and afterward by his son
Brisben Wall until 1852 and then abandoned.
His children by his first wife, Mary Sparks, were: Milo Wall; Sparks
Wall; William Wall; Jesse S Wall; Joseph Wall; Gideon Wall; Charity E
Wall; and Brisben Wall. The mother of these children dying in 1821, Mr
Wall took for his second wife, March 16, 1824, Mary Watson, who bore him
the following children: Sidney M Wall; Mary Wall; Elizabeth Wall;
Cinthelia Wall; and Amanda Wall. The father died January 3, 1848, and the
mother in 1881.
Jesse S Wall was born July 13, 1806, married Sarah Devore, March 5, 1829,
and lived on the farm now owned by James Wall adjoining the old homestead
until 1833 when he moved to Washington county where he remained until
1844 in which year he removed to Guernsey county, Ohio, where he and his
wife now reside. The names of their children are: Andrew Wall; William
Wall; Samuel Wall; David Wall; Lucinda Wall; Sarah Wall; Sparks Wall;
Ella Wall.
Joseph Wall was born November 17, 1811, married Frances Allen, daughter
of the late David Allen, and resided on the farm given his wife by her
father near Sunny Side in Allegheny county, Penna. He held the office of
justice of the peace for fifteen years. He was treasurer of the Forward
township school board for several years, and for some time was a deacon
in the Presbyterian Church. He possessed the confidence of all who knew
him for strict honesty and truthfulness. The following named were his
children: Mary Jane Wall; Emeline Wall; Josephine Wall; Flora Wall;
Sidney M Wall; all deceased unmarried. Henrietta Wall; Harriet Wall;
Letitia Wall, deceased; Arabella Wall, deceased; Adaline Wall and Frances
Wall, twins; all married. Mrs Frances Allen Wall, the mother of these
children, was born August 18, 1811; and died March 11, 1855.
Joseph Wall married for his second wife, September 6, 1860, Susan
Gilkeson, and died July 13, 1881; his widow subsequently moved to
Monongahela City, Penna, where she still resides.
Colonel Brisben Wall was born March 23, 1819, on the old homestead and
entered the schools of the neighborhood at an early age. The death of his
mother when he was scarcely two years old deprived him of the influences
which a mother alone possesses and can impart. She was a lady of much
taste and refinement and was highly respected and esteemed by all her
neighbors and acquaintances. His father possessed many commendable traits
of character which the youthful Brisben Wall inherited in a very large
degree and retained through life. The boy made excellent progress in all
his studies at school, especially in the natural sciences and
mathematics, and was considered one of the best mathematicians in his
part of the country. He commenced land surveying, civil and mining
engineering in 1850 which he continued to practice in connection with the
management of his farm almost to the close of his life. In politics he
was a Whig until the formation of the Republican party to which he firmly
adhered through life.
When the War of the Rebellion broke out, Mr Wall entered the Union
service, September 21, 1861, as first lieutenant of Company D, 79th P V I,
Colonel H A Hambright, Seventh Brigade, commanded by Brig-General S
Negley.
Lieutenant Wall remained with his company on the march from Louisville to
Mumfordsville and at the last named place he was prostrated with fever,
from which he never fully recovered. While convalescing at Mumfordsville,
he was detailed to act as chief of a corps of pioneers and sappers under
Colonel Innes, 1st Regiment, Michigan Engineers. Ill health, however,
compelled him to resign his commission April 25, 1862, as Nashville and
return home. He still retained an active interest in the success of the
Union arms, and during the Confederate raid into Pennsylvania which
brought about the Battle of Gettysburg, he accompanied Rev Capt J C
Brown's company of Home Guards to Harrisburg.
Col Wall married May 27, 1847, Hannah Sutton, daughter of the late John
Sutton of Elizabeth, now Forward township, Allegheny county, Penna, and
sister of Dr Lewis Sutton of West Newton and resided on the homestead
farm to which he succeeded after the death of his father, until 1873 at
which time he purchased a portion of the farm owned by the late Squire
Jesse Applegate, including the mansion house thereon into which he moved
with his family and occupied until his decease. His widow and four sons
remain to mourn his early departure from life. His eldest son, John
Sutton Wall, is married and living in Monongahela City; George W Wall;
Jesse S Wall; and Lewis Brisben Wall together with their widowed mother
remain on the farm where he died.
Col Brisben Wall was conscientious, truthful, honest in business, took an
active interest in all public enterprises and improvements. He was a
genial friend, an honorable gentleman, a useful citizen and a loyal
soldier descended from patriotic blood.
History of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania Chicago : A. Warner 7amp; Co.,
1889. p439
Contributed by Marta Burns.
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