GEORGE W. MCNEES, the present (1890) active and reliable treasurer of Armstrong county, is a man of fine business tact and executive ability and has won marked success in all of his undertakings. He was born at Slippery Rock, Butler county, Pennsylvania, August 15, 1854, and is the only son of James and Sarah (Armstrong) McNees. The McNees family is one of many substantial and reliable families of Western Pennsylvania which were founded in the latter part of the eighteenth century.

James McNees, the grandfather of George W. McNees, was born in Westmoreland county, this State. He was a farmer by occupation, a Presbyterian in religious belief and was a member of the famous Poke Run church of that denomination. He married Miss Taylor, by whom he had two sons and six daughters. One of these sons was James McNees, who was born in Butler county, Pa., May 27, 1812.

In early life he engaged in the pottery business, which he still follows. He was one of the first men in Butler county to take a pronounced position on the slave question, and was an able debater and active agitator in favor of the abolition of chattel slavery. He was an old-line whig until that party was swept out of existence and then joined the Republican party, in which he has remained ever since.

Although active in politics and well informed on all the great issues of American political history, yet he never sought for any office. He was originally a Presbyterian, but being more liberal in his views on Calvinistic doctrines than was allowable by the discipline of that church, he withdrew his name from the roll of members and united with the Cumberland Presbyterian church, in which he has served for several years as an elder. He is a man of positive views on all subjects.

His first wife was Elizabeth Anderson, who bore him seven children. After her death he married Sarah Armstrong, by whom he had one son, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Sarah McNees was a daughter of George Annstrong, who with his parents moved from Path Valley to Westmoreland county, this State, and thence to Slippery Rock, Butler county , and cleared up a home in what was then a wilderness. Mrs. McNees, on her grandmother's side, was descended from the Harris family, which, so far as we have been able to learn, are the same family after whom the city of Harrisburg is named. Mrs. McNees died at Girty , in Armstrong county, Jan. 8,1881.

George W. McNees acquired his education in the common schools of Mercer county, Elderton and Livermore academies and the State Normal School at Indiana. In early manhood he took on himself the responsibility of teacher, which he bore very creditably. He taught four terms in Annstrong and two in Indiana county, this State, besides one term in Kansas. The outlook in teaching was not wide enough for the exercise of the energies of Mr .McNees, who embarked in business life by engaging in the pottery business at Girty , Pennsylvania.

His line of manufacture is first-class stone- ware. In 1887 he was nominated by the Republican party of Annstrong county for treasurer and at the ensuing election in November was elected by the handsome majority of 1,598 votes. He entered upon his office on January 1, 1888, and ever since has merited and received the approbation of his fellow-citizens for his able management of the county treasury.

George W. McNees has a cordial sympathy for his friends, which gives him a warm place in their affections. He is an active republican, a true friend and a thorough-going man, who will undoubtedly accomplish many more subbstantial results than have already attended his efforts.

G. W. McNees was married on the 25th day of December, 1883, to Anna.R. George, the accomplished daughter of Johnston and Margaret (Shoemaker) George, of Girty, Annstrong Co., Pa. As a result of this union three children have been born to them: Wendell George, Sterling Glenn and Clifford Bowman.