My Genealogy Hound

REV. JOSEPH S. TRAVELLI (deceased) was a native of Philadelphia, Pa., born April 21, 1809, to Francis and Abigail (Munday) Travelli, former a native of Genoa, Italy, and latter of England. His early school-training was meager, and at the age of eleven he was apprenticed to a scrivener and lawyer, whose death, after a time, released the lad from a calling distasteful to him. At the age of fifteen he made a confession of faith in the Second Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. Afterward he attended school at Abingdon, near Philadelphia; taught an academy at Churchville, Md., and in 1831 entered Jefferson College, of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in the class of 1833. In the fall of that year he entered the Western Theological Seminary, and soon thereafter was superintendent of the Sabbath-school of the First Presbyterian Church of Allegheny, and in 1834 of the Sunday-school of the Third Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh. He was licensed by the presbytery of Philadelphia in October, 1835, and ordained by the same presbytery in April, 1836. In 1836 he was married to Susan, daughter of John Irwin, of Allegheny, and the same year sailed for Singapore, where both he and his wife entered upon their labors. In a few years they returned home with impaired health, and in 1843 they revived the academy at Sewickley, where they devoted themselves assiduously to the instruction and care of the many committed to their charge. After retiring from this academy Mr. Travelli devoted himself to works of philanthropy. Several years after the death of his first wife, he married Miss Jane Irwin. He died, leaving two daughters and two sons. One son, James D., gave his life for his country at the battle of Antietam.