My Genealogy Hound

JOHN ADDISON COURTNEY, coal-dealer, Pittsburgh. In the year 1803 William Courtney came from Chester county, Pa., and settled on a farm at Emsworth, Kilbuck township, this county, which was then in a state of nature. He was born in 1777, and lived to be seventy-seven years of age, and was one of the foremost and earliest settlers of his township. He belonged to the old whig and republican parties, and was the first postmaster of Kilbuck. He held a commission from John Quincy Adams for the improvement of the Ohio river, and was turned out of office by Andrew Jackson. He served in the Pennsylvania legislature in 1816-17, and was elected colonel of a regiment from Allegheny county. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church for many years. Mr. Courtney was twice married, becoming the father of eighteen children. His first wife was Anna Dickson, by whom he had six children; his second wife was Margaret Scott, daughter of one of the oldest settlers of Ross township, this county. Nearly all his children are living, three of the sons, Samuel, James Milton and John Addison, now residing at Emsworth. The last named, the subject of this sketch, was born April 1, 1837, and is well and favorably known in Pittsburgh as a coal-merchant, which business he has carried on nearly all his life, although he was for a short time in the iron trade.