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Below is a family biography included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.   These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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ROBERT STEWART SMITH, banker, Pittsburgh, was born in Allegheny City, Pa. in August, 1836. His grandfather. Rev. Thomas Smith, was born in Ireland in 1755, graduated at the University of Glasgow, and was licensed to preach by the A. R. Church in 1776. He was at once given charge of a parish at Ahaughel, County Antrim, Ireland, where he remained twenty-three years, and then came to America. In 1801 he became pastor of the Tuscarora Church, York county, Pa., and remained in connection with same till his death, in 1832. He left seven sons and five daughters, among them being Thomas, who was born Jan. 16, 1796, became a silversmith, and came to Pittsburgh about the year 1820. He married, in 1826, Margaret H., daughter of Robert Stewart, a sickle manufacturer, who came to Pittsburgh in 1814. He was one of the fathers of the First A. R. (now U. P.) Church of Allegheny; in politics a decided whig, abolitionist and republican. During his later years, becoming a paralytic, he was retired from active life; he died in 1880, his widow three years later. The latter was born in June, 1796.

Of their six children five grew up, Robert S. being the fifth. He attended the public schools till fourteen years old, when he entered a hat store. For some years he dwelt with his parents in Allegheny, and in November, 1853, he entered the Allegheny Savings Bank as clerk, afterward becoming bookkeeper and teller. On the opening up for business of the Union Banking company, Sept. 1, 1859, Mr. Smith became cashier, continuing under the national banking organization, Dec. 30, 1864, as cashier of the Union National Bank, till the death of the president, John R. McCune, in January, 1888, when he became president. This was the first change in the officers of the institution.

Mr. Smith is an elder in the First U. P Church of Allegheny, and conducts the young people’s Bible class in the Sabbath-school of the same; he is a republican. April 16, 1872, he married Mary Ann, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Jean (Wilson) McCaslin, of Venango county, Pa. Mr. Smith’s first born son, Roy, died when eight years old, a daughter, Helen, before reaching the age of one year. Those living are Bertha H., Jessie C, Homer D. and Lloyd W.

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This family biography is one of 2,156 biographies included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.

View additional Allegheny County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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