Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 331] a representative and prominent citizen of Harlansburg, Scott township, who is engaged in carrying on a very successful general store in the above village, was born in Scott township, April 10, 1861. He is a son of William B. and Fannie (McCutchin) Wilkin and grandson of John Wilkin.
John Wilkin was born in Eastern Pennsylvania, in Chester County, and was a millwright by trade, About 1810 he removed to the western part of the State to New Castle, where he built what was long known as the "old forge"; he was a very good mechanic and found plenty of work in his line in the new country, for the settlers for many miles around would come to him when they wished a good job done. In 1817 he moved to Harlansburg, where he occupied a position of prominence and influence as one of the pioneer setlers of that place. He was, like most of the men of the early times, a hard worker, and being saving in his habits and economical in his tastes, he was able to lay by a comfortable competence, which he invested in landed property. The last years of his life were spent in retirement, enjoying the fruits of his early toil, and being accorded that respect and affection which is always the due of every man who has fulfilled all the obligations of a good citizen. He was a stanch Republican, but never held any public office. His religious affiliations led him to unite with the Presbyterian Church. He married Sarah Elder, a native of Bradford Co., Pa., and to them were born four children, as follows: William B., Nancy, Elizabeth, and Sarah.
William B. Wilkin received a common school education in Harlansburg, and served an apprenticeship at the cabinet-maker's trade, which he followed until late in life in his native town. When well advanced in years, he engaged in mercantile pursuits, and carried on a general trade in the place where his son, John H., now carries on the business. He, like the father, was considered a very prosperous man for his time and surroundings, and as an honest man and good citizen occupied a place, in the front rank of his townsmen, and was an important factor in the building up of the prosperity of his township and county. He was a Republican of firm convictions and held a number of the township offices. He married a daughter of Henry McCutchin of Scott township, and to them were given three cliildren—Frances, Nannie A., and John H., our subject. They were members in good standing of the Presbyterian Church. Our subject's father departed this life in 1891, when aged seventy-one years, after many years of separation from his dear companion in early life, who had preceded him in 1864 to that far land from which no traveler ever returns.
Our subject, after completing his education in the common schools of Harlansburg, engaged in the mercantile business with his father, and was associated with the latter until his death, when John H. took charge of the business, and for the past six years has ably conducted it alone. Success has come to him, and he is ever engaged in enlarging and bettering his stock, which is to-day worthy of the best general store in the county. He is a Republican, and has considerable influence and a good standing among his fellow-townsmen; he has been rewarded for his active interest in behalf of Scott township by being given several of the important township offices.
In 1878, he was joined in wedlock with Tillie Dunbart of Harmony, Pa., and by this union became the father of four children—William B., Francis H., Mabel E., and John E. Mrs. Wilkin died in 1893, and our subject in 1895 united himself with Lillie McKee of New Castle, Pa. The family worship at the Baptist Church. Socially, Mr. Wilkin is a member of the Foresters of America.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 26 May 2001