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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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JOSEPH COWAN DOUGHERTY, carpenter, post office New Texas, was born April 11, 1837, at his present home in Plum township, a son of William John and Margaret (Cowan) Dougherty. His father was born in Ireland in 1812, came here when seven years of age, was a blacksmith, and died in 1884, aged seventy-three years. His wife was born at the present home of Mr. Dougherty, in 1808. Joseph’s grandfather, Archey, and his wife, Jane Warnic, settled in Patton township, and later on lived in New Texas, where they died.

Joseph C. Dougherty received his education at New Texas, and at the age of twenty-one learned the carpenter and blacksmith trades, following the former in this county most of the time. He married, May 8, 1866, Letitia J. Rowan, of Westmoreland county, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Sheerer) Rowan, natives of Westmoreland and Armstrong counties. Two children were born to them, Maggie and Jimmie, both of whom are at home. The family are members of the R. P. Church. Mr. Dougherty enlisted Aug. 10, 1862, in Co. G, 136th P. V. I., for nine months; participated at the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and U. S. Ford, re-enlisted in January, 1863, in the 3d P. H. A., at Fortress Monroe, and sent from there to the light Battery H, detached for service at the defense of Baltimore. He was discharged in 1865. His father served in the old 11th Pa. Regt. during the war, and was shot through the right shoulder. Mr. Dougherty now owns one-half of the farm of 122 acres where his maternal grandfather, Joseph Cowan, settled when he came here from his native place, Lancaster county, Pa. His wife was Mary Thompson, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland.

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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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