My Genealogy Hound

SAMUEL McELROY, druggist, Wilkinsburg, was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., September 25, 1834. His parents, Samuel and Anna (Beamish) McElroy, natives of the North of Ireland, were married and lived afterward in that city. The father, who was a nailer by trade, and started the first nail-machine in Western Pennsylvania, at Shoenberger’s mill, died in 1876, aged eighty-three years; his wife died in 1878, aged eighty-two years. The subject of this memoir attended the public schools of the city till sixteen years of age, and then commenced the machinist’s trade. During the civil war he was night foreman of McIntosh & Hemphill’s mills, engaged in casting cannon. For eight years he dealt in sand (for building purposes) which was found on his property. He made a study of pharmacy, and in 1878 bought his present drugstore in Wilkinsburg, and in March, 1880, he received a diploma from the Pittsburgh College of Pharmacy. He is a Freemason and member of K. of P. While in Pittsburgh he was twice elected by his fellow republicans to represent them in the state legislature, and has been six years school director of Wilkinsburg. Mr. McElroy has been twice married, first in 1861, to Martha A., daughter of James and Mary (Allen) Kerr, and second, in 1867, to Maggie G., daughter of David Duff, of Penn township, all being of Irish descent. The first wife died in 1865, leaving three children, of whom Samuel, the second born, died soon after his mother; the others are Anna Mary and Martha Ann, at home. Three children were born to Mr. McElroy’s second marriage: Elizabeth Hastings, David D. and Oliver Duff. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church.