[p. 426] one of the old and respected citizens of Little Beaver Township, who lives on his valuable farm of fifty-five acres, has carried on general farming here almost from his boyhood days. He was born in Ireland, in September, 1826, a son of Robert Haggerty, who brought his family to America when Robert, Jr., was fourteen years of age, he being the youngest child.
The father of Mr. Haggerty rented a farm, which is now entirely covered by a part of the city of Philadelphia. Later, his sons secured a large tract of land in Little Beaver Township, Lawrence County, on Little Beaver Creek, and to this place the parents also came and here they died. The mother's maiden name was Dorothy McAllen, and she passed away first. The old log house, which then stood on the farm was the largest one in the neighborhood and here was dispensed much hospitality in early days, and was the scene of many gatherings.
Robert Haggerty spent a large part of his youth, until he was fourteen years of age, guarding cattle. The voyage to America is easily recalled by him, and as he was boyishly impatient to reach the home in the new country, the six weeks and four days on the Atlantic Ocean, during which the ship was out of sight of land, seemed a very long time. As he grew up he assisted his brothers in clearing and operating the farms, they acquiring three valuable tracts, and when the land was divided, Robert Haggerty took the present one as his share. During his many years of residence here he has gradually added improvements and has enriched the land by careful cultivation, but since 1892 he has shifted the responsibility to the shoulders of his son, Samuel, who is also a capable farmer.
When be reached manhood, Mr. Haggerty was married to Martha McKimm, who was also born in Ireland, a daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Wasson) McKimm, whom she accompanied to America in 1852, when she was seventeen years of age. The McKimm family settled near Darlington, in Beaver County, where they were pioneers. There were the following children in the McKimm family: Ellen, deceased, was the wife of George Brown, likewise deceased; Martha, the wife of Mr. Haggerty; Margaret, deceased, was the wife of Samuel McKimm, a cousin; Samuel was a member of the One Hundred Thirty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry, and was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg, during the Civil War, and Belle, who is the widow of H. Wylie. Mr. and Mrs. Haggerty have four children and an adopted daughter: Samuel, who was born on this farm March 7, 1867 and has managed the same since 1892; John Andrew, residing at New Castle, married a Miss Johns, and they have three children: George W., who assists in the operation of the farm; Henry J., who resides in Pittsburg is bookkeeper for McGinnis, Smith & Co:, and Minnie P., the latter the adopted daughter, who is just the same as one of the family. The Haggerty family, one and all, belong to the Reformed Presbyterian Church.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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Updated: 21 Oct 2001