Kilgore, John

JOHN J. KILGORE, deceased, was of Scotch descent, his grandfather, James Kilgore, having been born in Scotland in 1720. He came to America in 1736 and settled in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, where Patrick Kilgore, father of John J., was born in 1766. Patrick removed to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and settled on the banks of Sewickley creek, eight miles from Greensburg, where John J. was born September 20, 1796. In 1800 the family removed to the northern part of Mercer county, near Sandy Lake. Here John J. married Dorcas McClelland February 7, 1815, and in October of the same year removed to Irwin township, where he resided until his death, November 25, 1883. He was a man whose kind and jovial disposition gained him many friends. He was twice elected justice of the peace, served one term as county commissioner, and represented the county in the legislatures of 1852-53 and 1853-54. He reared a family of eleven children, of whom six were daughters: Margaret, wife of John Gilmore; Jane, deceased wife of John Glenn; Elizabeth, deceased wife of William McKee; Sarah, deceased wife of E. Davis; Mary, who married James Martin, and Matilda, wife of David Kelly. The five sons were John, deceased; Samuel; William; James, and Andrew J. At the time of his death the descendants of Mr. Kilgore numbered about two hundred. His settlement originally comprised two tracts of four hundred acres each, one of which he subsequently sold. He was a regular attendant of the Presbyterian church, of which he became a member at the age of seventy. He was a man of remarkable energy, and always took great interest in public affairs.